Mental Health Assistant
Quick Facts
Median Salary$38,804
Most Common EducationHigh school or GED
Projected 10-Year Growth+13.72%
Assessment MatchTake the Assessment
What They Do
A Mental Health Assistant provides basic care and assistance with daily activities to patients with mental illnesses or cognitive disabilities. Helps patients dress and eat, monitors patients' well-being, and restrains patients if they become physically violent. Works in hospitals or mental health care facilities.
Core Tasks:
- 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.
- Organize, supervise, or encourage patient participation in social, educational, or recreational activities.
- Provide patients with assistance in bathing, dressing, or grooming, demonstrating these skills as necessary.
- Aid patients in becoming accustomed to hospital routines.
- Serve meals or feed patients needing assistance or persuasion.
- Complete administrative tasks, such as entering orders into computer, answering telephone calls, or maintaining medical or facility information.
- Clean and disinfect rooms and furnishings to maintain a safe and orderly environment.
- Accompany patients to and from wards for medical or dental treatments, shopping trips, or religious or recreational events.
- Participate in recreational activities with patients, including card games, sports, or television viewing.
What to expect as a Mental Health Assistant
1Earn a High school or GED Diploma
48% of people achieve this level of education.
2Gain skills and experience
See Mental Health Assistant related courses on Tallo
3Land a job
5469 openings for Mental Health Assistants
Career Progression
in United States (Nation)
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