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The differences between youth advocates and mental health associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a youth advocate and a mental health associate. Additionally, a mental health associate has an average salary of $36,510, which is higher than the $33,924 average annual salary of a youth advocate.
The top three skills for a youth advocate include mental health, social work and foster care. The most important skills for a mental health associate are patients, customer service, and vital signs.
| Youth Advocate | Mental Health Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $33,924 | $36,510 |
| Hourly rate | $16.31 | $17.55 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 78,437 | 122,947 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Youth advocates are individuals who responsible for maintaining the human rights of youth while assisting them in developing their skills in all areas of life, such as education, health, employment, and relationships. These advocates are required to discuss youth development and involvement with various leaders in the community. They must provide crisis interventions by performing one-on-one and group meetings with young adults. Youth advocates must also work with mental health professionals within the community so that they can guide teenagers with drug or alcohol problems and mental health issues.
As a mental health associate, you will assist the medical team members in diagnosing and treating individuals with mental, developmental, and behavioral conditions. You may be tasked to facilitate individual and group therapy sessions, help patients with their day-to-day activities such as self-care and hygiene, and assist in administering medications prescribed by physicians. Other duties include planning and leading program activities, attending treatment rounds, and assisting with the physical care of patients. The qualifications and skills required for this role include a bachelor's degree in social science or psychology, previous work experience, and certification on basic life support.
Youth advocates and mental health associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Youth Advocate | Mental Health Associate | |
| Average salary | $33,924 | $36,510 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $41,000 | Between $25,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Syracuse, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New York |
| Best paying company | First Place for Youth | Columbia University in the City of New York |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Professional |
There are a few differences between a youth advocate and a mental health associate in terms of educational background:
| Youth Advocate | Mental Health Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between youth advocates' and mental health associates' demographics:
| Youth Advocate | Mental Health Associate | |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4% | Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | 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 | 10% | 15% |