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What is a behavioral health technician and how to become one
A behavioral health technician is an individual who provides support and assistance to patients with mental health and substance abuse disorders. They work under the supervision of licensed professionals and help to implement treatment plans, monitor progress, and assist with daily living tasks. They often work in residential treatment centers, hospitals, or community-based organizations. The role requires compassion, patience, and strong communication skills to build relationships with patients and promote their overall well-being.
What general advice would you give to a Behavioral Health Technician?
Ron Precht
Senior Manager, American Massage Therapy Association
Avg. Salary $34,611
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 9%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 1.13%
Asian 6.43%
Black or African American 14.26%
Hispanic or Latino 20.09%
Unknown 6.17%
White 51.91%
Genderfemale 63.60%
male 36.40%
Age - 30American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 30Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being a Behavioral Health Technician?
Pros
Ability to make a positive impact on patients' lives
Opportunity to work in a growing field with high demand
Chance to develop skills in crisis management and intervention
Room for advancement within the field
Opportunities for continuing education and professional development
Cons
High levels of stress due to dealing with patients in crisis
Emotionally demanding work that can lead to burnout
Limited resources and staffing in some work settings
Long and irregular hours, including overnight shifts
Potential for ethical dilemmas related to patient confidentiality and treatment decisions.
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Behavioral Health Technician career paths
Key steps to become a behavioral health technician
Explore behavioral health technician education requirements
Start to develop specific behavioral health technician skills
Skills 
Percentages Patients 18.62% Behavioral Health 17.32% Crisis Intervention 6.07% Social Work 5.96% CPR 4.88% Complete relevant behavioral health technician training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New behavioral health technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a behavioral health technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real behavioral health technician resumes.Research behavioral health technician duties and responsibilities
- Monitor and manage preventative behavior with 2-3 MHA'S team and carry out a constructive routine with patients.
- Provide health monitoring, crisis intervention, supervision, and facilitation of group educational/structure activities for consumers (rehabilitation patients).
- Train in CPI to handle physically dangerous crisis situations.
- Display sensitivity, integrity, compassion and respect towards patients and family members.
Prepare your behavioral health technician resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your behavioral health technician resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a behavioral health technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Behavioral Health Technician Resume templates
Build a professional Behavioral Health Technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Behavioral Health Technician resume.
Apply for behavioral health technician jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a behavioral health technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First Behavioral Health Technician Job
Are you a Behavioral Health Technician?
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Average behavioral health technician salary
The average Behavioral Health Technician salary in the United States is $34,611 per year or $17 per hour. Behavioral health technician salaries range between $25,000 and $47,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do behavioral health technicians rate their job?
Behavioral Health Technician reviews
Nothing
The system is BROKEN! The clients are either entitled or not truly receiving the help they really need.
taking care of people love it been doing it for 34 years and getting patient back home and be able to return to there daily activities
Updated January 8, 2025
