Program Overview

As a Mental Health technician, you'll provide front-line care and support to patients facing mental health challenges. With a blend of empathy, communication skills, and clinical knowledge, you’ll help patients navigate their journey toward healing.

As members of the multidisciplinary health-care team in mental-health services, mental health technicians work in various facilities, including hospitals, residential treatment centers, outpatient clinics and other areas, assisting with the care of patients with behavioral and developmental disorders.

Mental Health Technicians provide support to patients, ensuring their needs are met through assisting with activities of daily living and more. You can prepare for this role by taking courses in psychology, nursing and health sciences.

This 17 credit-hour program will help with the Level 1 exam for national certification from the American Association of Psychiatric Technicians (AAPT). This certification is designed to allow completers to gain recognition as nursing paraprofessionals leading to better wages and advancement.

Program Requirements

A grade of C or better in all coursework is required for all students.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Safety - Demonstrate the ability to assess, mitigate, and manage safety risks in psychiatric settings, ensuring the well-being of both patients and staff through the application of evidence-based safety protocols and crisis intervention techniques.
• Evidence-based Practice - Integrate current research and evidence-based interventions into their clinical practice, utilizing critical thinking skills to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and adapt their approaches to meet the evolving needs of psychiatric patients.
• Communication - Communicate effectively and professionally with patients, families, interdisciplinary teams, and other healthcare professionals, demonstrating active listening skills, empathy, cultural competence, and the ability to convey complex information in a clear and concise manner.
• Health Promotion - Promote holistic health and wellness among psychiatric patients, incorporating principles of health education, prevention, and self-care into their interventions to support patients in achieving optimal physical, emotional, and social well-being.
• Professional Identity - Demonstrate professionalism, ethical conduct, and a commitment to lifelong learning and professional development, upholding the values and standards of the Mental Health Technician profession and serving as advocates for the rights and dignity of the patients.