Behavioral Health Technicians

Employers

Behavioral health technicians are employed by a variety of organizations. They work for general hospitals, mental hospitals, community mental health centers, psychiatric clinics, schools, and daycare centers. They also work for the military, social service agencies, and residential and nonresidential centers like nursing homes and halfway houses, among others. Some work with individual patients in their homes. They may also be employed by correctional programs, juvenile courts, family service centers, and public housing programs.

Starting Out

Many behavioral health technicians get a foot in the door through an internship or part-time job in a mental health facility, hospital, or related setting while in school. Those who do well may be hired for full-time work upon graduation. They learn about job opportunities through their school's career services office. Another way to find out about job openings is through participation in associations for mental health professionals. Students can find job listings on employment agency Web sites and by checking the Web pages of the mental health organizations that most interest them. Each state's department of mental health also shares employment information on its Web site.