Find Jobs
Find Jobs Near You – Available Work in Your Location
Skip to job details
L
LPW
Autism Support Service
Career Insights for Mental Health Assistant
See where this job fits in the broader career landscape. Knowing your career path helps you see what's possible from here.
Scorecard
Based on Pennsylvania data
Review key factors to help you decide if this role fits your goals. How is this calculated?
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.
$37,936 / year median in Pennsylvania
+4% projected growth
Job Description
Autism Support Services Professional Join a collaborative team of professionals, educators, specialists, and family members dedicated to helping one adult with autism build a meaningful, independent life. Our team provides individualized support in home and community settings through teaching, communication development, behavior support, and person-centered care. As an Autism Support Services Professional, you will provide one-to-one or two-to-one support while creating engaging learning opportunities that promote communication, daily living skills, community participation, and personal growth. This is a dynamic, hands-on role that blends teaching, caregiving, behavior support, and professional documentation to help one individual achieve their fullest potential. Working alongside experienced team members and supportive family, you will implement individualized support strategies, teach functional life skills, assist with activities of daily living (ADLs), collect behavioral data, document progress, and encourage meaningful participation in home and community life. Every day offers opportunities to build trust, celebrate accomplishments, and support greater independence. New team members receive comprehensive paid training that includes online lessons, individualized instruction, and hands-on mentoring from experienced professionals and specialists. We value creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and a genuine commitment to helping others learn and thrive. Responsibilities
- Provide individualized 1:1 or 2:1 support for one adult with autism in home and community settings.
- Create and implement engaging lessons that develop communication, adaptive behavior, self-help skills, and community independence.
- Provide respectful assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), including meal preparation, hygiene, grooming, and other self-care tasks while encouraging maximum independence.
- Implement individualized behavior and support plans using evidence-based, person-centered strategies.
- Collect behavioral data, maintain accurate documentation, and complete progress notes in accordance with HIPAA and agency standards.
- Collaborate with family members and the interdisciplinary team to ensure consistency, continuity, and ongoing progress.
- Foster a safe, positive, and respectful environment that promotes dignity, self-determination, and quality of life. Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in education, psychology, special education, human services, behavioral science, social work, or a related field preferred. Equivalent competency-based certification and relevant experience will also be considered.
- Experience supporting individuals with autism or other neurodevelopmental disabilities in home, educational, clinical, or community settings preferred.
- Knowledge of positive behavior support strategies and person-centered practices.
- Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with a close-knit team.
- American Sign Language (ASL) experience is a plus.