Career Overview
Assist mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients, working under direction of nursing and medical staff. May assist with daily living activities, lead patients in educational and recreational activities, or accompany patients to and from examinations and treatments. May restrain violent patients. Includes psychiatric orderlies.
Also Known As
- Mental Health Worker (MHW)
- Psychiatric Aide
- Residential Care Tech (Residential Care Technician)
- Therapeutic Program Worker (TPW)
Alternate Job Titles
- Behavior Aide
- Behavior Assistant
- Behavior Intervention Assistant
- Behavior Support Assistant
- Behavioral Aide
- Behavioral Assistant
- Behavioral Health Assistant
- BHA (Behavioral Health Aide)
- BHA (Behavioral Health Associate)
- Charge Aide
- Charge Attendant
- Clinical Assistant
- Developmental Aide
- Direct Care Worker
- Health Service Worker
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients.
- Provide patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities with routine physical, emotional, psychological, or rehabilitation care under the direction of nursing or medical staff.
- Complete physical checks and monitor patients to detect unusual or harmful behavior and report observations to professional staff.
- Restrain or aid patients as necessary to prevent injury.
- Work as part of a team that may include psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, or social workers.
- Record and maintain patient information, such as vital signs, eating habits, behavior, progress notes, treatments, or discharge plans.
- Maintain patients' restrictions to assigned areas.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Psychology
- Customer and Personal Service
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Service Orientation
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Written Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Speech Clarity
- Speech Recognition
- Information Ordering
- Far Vision
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Empathy
- Dependability
- Cooperation
- Self-Control
- Stress Tolerance
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Support
- Independence
- Achievement
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Some College Courses
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Automatic blood pressure cuffs
- Bedpans
- Blood collection syringes
- Desktop computers
- Digital patient thermometers
- Enema equipment
- Evacuated blood collection tubes
- Hydraulic patient lifts
- Intubation suctioning kits
- Multi-line telephone systems
- Oxygen delivery masks
- Patient restraints
- Personal computers
- Safety razors
- Specimen collection containers
Work Environment
- Contact With Others
- Physical Proximity
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Exposed to Disease or Infections
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $30,920 |
| Median | $41,590 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $58,530 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 34,900
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Psychiatric Technicians
Education: Some College Courses
Median Salary: $42,590
Physical Therapist Aides
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $34,520
Occupational Therapy Aides
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $37,370
Home Health Aides
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: Varies
Occupational Therapy Assistants
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $68,340
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.