Post job

Psychiatric technician vs in home therapist

The differences between psychiatric technicians and in home therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an in home therapist has an average salary of $51,706, which is higher than the $39,662 average annual salary of a psychiatric technician.

The top three skills for a psychiatric technician include patients, mental health and social work. The most important skills for an in home therapist are social work, community resources, and community agencies.

Psychiatric technician vs in home therapist overview

Psychiatric TechnicianIn Home Therapist
Yearly salary$39,662$51,706
Hourly rate$19.07$24.86
Growth rate9%17%
Number of jobs64,888113,993
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age3441
Years of experience--

What does a psychiatric technician do?

A psychiatric technician is responsible for supporting patients with mental issues and disabilities by administering treatment plans and quality therapeutic care. Psychiatric technicians assist the patients through counseling, observing their mental and social behaviors, and suggesting recreational activities to help them interact with others. They also work with other medical professionals to seek advice, especially when performing medical procedures and suggesting medications. A psychiatric technician must have excellent communication and time-management skills, especially when responding to the patients' concerns and looking after them during daily activities.

What does an in home therapist do?

An in-home therapist provides case management, counseling, resource system development, support system development, and crisis intervention services for family members and children. They provide goal-oriented and structured therapy on referral issues for families that help recover from neglect, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, or physical abuse. Also, they provide time-limited, goal-oriented, and structured therapy in the families' natural environment for families that need help to recover from neglect, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and physical abuse.

Psychiatric technician vs in home therapist salary

Psychiatric technicians and in home therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Psychiatric TechnicianIn Home Therapist
Average salary$39,662$51,706
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $61,000Between $40,000 And $66,000
Highest paying CitySanta Barbara, CAMount Vernon, WA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companySt. Tammany Health SystemBaptist Health Care
Best paying industryGovernmentGovernment

Differences between psychiatric technician and in home therapist education

There are a few differences between a psychiatric technician and an in home therapist in terms of educational background:

Psychiatric TechnicianIn Home Therapist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common majorPsychologyPsychology
Most common collegeJohns Hopkins UniversityCalifornia State University - Long Beach

Psychiatric technician vs in home therapist demographics

Here are the differences between psychiatric technicians' and in home therapists' demographics:

Psychiatric TechnicianIn Home Therapist
Average age3441
Gender ratioMale, 40.1% Female, 59.9%Male, 21.7% Female, 78.3%
Race ratioBlack 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, 4.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 11.3% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage15%12%

Differences between psychiatric technician and in home therapist duties and responsibilities

Psychiatric technician example responsibilities.

  • Prioritize and utilize therapeutic communication and CPI skills to diffuse and manage difficult situations.
  • Participate in rehabilitation and treatment programs, also lead prescribed individual and group therapy sessions as part of specific therapeutic procedures.
  • Respond to emergency situations such as fire evacuation or the administration of first aid and/or CPR.
  • Observe patients comfort levels and mood changes, show compassion and respect to minimize clients stress levels.
  • Demonstrate triage and emergency assistance when need, including suicide prevention plans (currently CPR and CPI certify).
  • Participate in rehabilitation and treatment programs, help with personal hygiene, and assist with administration of oral medications.
  • Show more

In home therapist example responsibilities.

  • Create and lead PTSD group for women, depression and stress management groups for men and women.
  • Provide therapy to adolescents and families with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders from diverse backgrounds in a rehabilitation setting.
  • Co-Coordinate family therapy program for adolescents in therapeutic community (TC) /residential drug rehabilitation facility.
  • Apply behavioral analysis instruction for a student with autism concentrating on communication, socialization, self-help skills and community skills.
  • Collaborate with DCF and other community providers.
  • Conduct MST family assessments which identify and engage caregivers and outside family support systems in intensive home base therapy.
  • Show more

Psychiatric technician vs in home therapist skills

Common psychiatric technician skills
  • Patients, 27%
  • Mental Health, 9%
  • Social Work, 6%
  • Vital Signs, 6%
  • Patient Behavior, 4%
  • Rehabilitation, 4%
Common in home therapist skills
  • Social Work, 26%
  • Community Resources, 6%
  • Community Agencies, 5%
  • Substance Abuse, 4%
  • Group Therapy, 4%
  • Mental Health, 4%

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs