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The differences between mental health workers and mental health consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a mental health worker and a mental health consultant. Additionally, a mental health consultant has an average salary of $51,006, which is higher than the $41,081 average annual salary of a mental health worker.
The top three skills for a mental health worker include patients, crisis intervention and social work. The most important skills for a mental health consultant are healthcare, substance abuse, and patients.
| Mental Health Worker | Mental Health Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $41,081 | $51,006 |
| Hourly rate | $19.75 | $24.52 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 144,879 | 127,233 |
| Job satisfaction | 1 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A mental health worker is an individual who provides basic care and therapy to patients who are inflicted with mental disabilities or developmental disabilities. Mental health workers assist patients with their daily activities, monitor their conditions, and administer therapeutic care. They may be directly supervised by a registered nurse and can work in facilities such as psychiatric hospitals and residential mental health facilities. They may also help develop treatment plans and strategies with other staff members to best meet patient needs.
A mental health consultant is responsible for providing counseling and emotional support to manage a client's issue and control behaviors. Mental health consultants must have excellent communication and listening skills to understand and assess the client's situation and evaluate the level of their emotional and psychological distress. They also need to monitor progress on the client's state and use different psychotherapy methods and treatment plans. A mental health consultant should also reach out to other health professionals to ask assistance for any recovery options as needed.
Mental health workers and mental health consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mental Health Worker | Mental Health Consultant | |
| Average salary | $41,081 | $51,006 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $59,000 | Between $34,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | Guidehouse |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Government |
There are a few differences between a mental health worker and a mental health consultant in terms of educational background:
| Mental Health Worker | Mental Health Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between mental health workers' and mental health consultants' demographics:
| Mental Health Worker | Mental Health Consultant | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.9% Female, 65.1% | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 15% |