Psychiatric technicians work directly with patients with developmental disorders, substance use disorders, or other mental health disorders severely impacting their daily lives. They work as part of a team and implement treatment plans, monitor vitals, and assist with any activities with which their patients need help. There is a high demand for qualified candidates to fill the thousands of psychiatric technician jobs available across the country and in a city near you.
Behavioral Health Jobs provides job seekers with a dedicated database of jobs in the behavioral health industry. Candidates can search for administrative, technical, and clinical positions based on experience, education level, and other criteria. Browse all available psychiatric technician jobs on the Behavioral Health Jobs website today.
What Is a Psychiatric Technician?
Psychiatric technicians support people with mental health or developmental disorders that impact their well-being and daily living. They work directly with patients in treatment centers, hospitals, government facilities, and private practices and provide vital support based on treatment plans or doctor’s recommendations.
This is a very demanding position where you will be on your feet for most of the day. You may need to help patients stand or get out of the bathtub, dress them, and help them eat, along with other personal activities. Sometimes, you may accompany patients on trips to the doctor, recreational activities, or other places.
Additional duties of a psychiatric technician include:
- Observe and record patients’ behavior
- Monitor patient vitals
- Assist patients with all daily living activities
- Lead patients in recreational and therapeutic activities
- Administer medication based on their treatment plan
- Assist in admitting and discharging patients
- Assist in crisis situations
- Keep the environment clean and tidy
- Spend time with patients talking, playing cards, or other fun activities
At Behavioral Health Jobs, our jobs database contains all of the bests psychiatric technician jobs in a city near you. You can apply for jobs in your city or find a job in a new city where you have always wanted to live.
How to Become a Psychiatric Technician
A career as a psychiatric technician is one of the most exciting and challenging positions in the behavioral health field. It is one of the fastest-growing job markets —with over 145,000 new jobs available each year.
Here is a typical path for how to become a psychiatric technician:
- Type of degree – This position does not require a bachelor’s or master’s degree. You can apply for a job with a high school diploma and a certificate or associate’s degree in psychiatry or a related mental health field.
- Certifications – The American Association of Psychiatric Technicians offers four levels of certification. Level I only requires a high school diploma or GED, with higher levels requiring a certain amount of hours to qualify for the next level of certification.
- State licensing – Depending on where you live, you may need to apply for state licensing to work as a psychiatric technician. Arkansas, California, Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri all require state licensing.
While this is a gratifying career, it can be challenging at times, and to succeed, you will need a thick skin and develop mental health coping skills to avoid burnout.
Begin Your Search for Psychiatric Technician Jobs Today
Behavioral Health Jobs is your best resource for finding psychiatric technician jobs nationwide. The salary range for this position can vary depending on education, experience level, and location and typically falls between $31,000 – $62,000, with licensed psychiatric technicians earning between $92,000 – $140,000 per year.
If you are interested in a career as a psychiatric technician, check out all of the available psychiatric technician jobs on the Behavioral Health Jobs website today.
