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The differences between mental health technicians and behavioral health technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a behavioral health technician has an average salary of $34,611, which is higher than the $32,118 average annual salary of a mental health technician.
The top three skills for a mental health technician include patients, vital signs and CPR. The most important skills for a behavioral health technician are patients, behavioral health, and crisis intervention.
| Mental Health Technician | Behavioral Health Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $32,118 | $34,611 |
| Hourly rate | $15.44 | $16.64 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 103,710 | 99,503 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 34 | 34 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A mental health technician's primary responsibility is to provide care and assistance to patients with mental health issues. Their tasks mainly revolve around administering scheduled and prescribed medication, monitoring vital signs, assisting during therapy sessions, and assessing patients' progress and behavior. They may also have administrative support tasks such as processing necessary documentation, preparing reports, managing schedules, and even reaching out to patients' guardians and families. A mental health technician may also build a healthy rapport with patients, giving them guidance and positive influence.
A behavioral health technician participates in treating patients with behavioral problems caused by mental health issues. They are primarily responsible for monitoring the behavior of the patient, following the guidelines of treatment from a mental health professional, and regularly reporting any progress or problems. Moreover, a behavioral health technician must also carry out administrative tasks, which include producing reports and assessments, answering inquiries and correspondence, maintaining schedules, and keeping records. Furthermore, it is essential to give emotional support to a patient, providing them with a safe and healthy environment at all times.
Mental health technicians and behavioral health technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mental Health Technician | Behavioral Health Technician | |
| Average salary | $32,118 | $34,611 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $39,000 | Between $25,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Rochester, NY |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | California |
| Best paying company | CARE | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a mental health technician and a behavioral health technician in terms of educational background:
| Mental Health Technician | Behavioral Health Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Johns Hopkins University |
Here are the differences between mental health technicians' and behavioral health technicians' demographics:
| Mental Health Technician | Behavioral Health Technician | |
| Average age | 34 | 34 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.0% Female, 64.0% | Male, 36.4% Female, 63.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 15% |