# Psychiatric Technicians

> Care for individuals with mental or emotional conditions or disabilities, following the instructions of physicians or other health practitioners. Monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being and report to medical staff. May participate in rehabilitation and treatment programs, help with personal hygiene, and administer oral or injectable medications.
- **Entity Type:** role
- **Schema Version:** role.v1
- **Soc Code:** 29-2053.00
- **Summary:** Care for individuals with mental or emotional conditions or disabilities, following the instructions of physicians or other health practitioners. Monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being and report to medical staff. May participate in rehabilitation and treatment programs, help with personal hygiene, and administer oral or injectable medications.

## Aliases

- MHW (Mental Health Worker)
- Mental Health Associate
- Mental Health Technician (MHT)
- Psychiatric Technician (PT)
- BHT (Behavioral Health Technician)
- Health Care Technician (Health Care Tech)
- LPT (Licensed Psychiatric Technician)
- MHA (Mental Health Assistant)
- Mental Health Specialist
- Residential Aide (RA)
- Autism Behavior Technician (Autism Behavior Tech)
- Behavior Technician (Behavior Tech)

## Tasks

| Text | Type | Iwa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Provide nursing, psychiatric, or personal care to patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities. | Core | 4.A.4.a.5.b |
| Administer oral medications or hypodermic injections, following physician's prescriptions and hospital procedures. | Supplemental | 4.A.4.a.5.c |
| Encourage patients to develop work skills and to participate in social, recreational, or other therapeutic activities that enhance interpersonal skills or develop social relationships. | Core | 4.A.4.b.2.a |
| Restrain violent, potentially violent, or suicidal patients by verbal or physical means as required. | Core | 4.A.4.a.5.k |
| Lead prescribed individual or group therapy sessions as part of specific therapeutic procedures. | Core | 4.A.4.a.5.b |
| Issue medications from dispensary and maintain records in accordance with specified procedures. | Supplemental | 4.A.3.b.6.k |
| Monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being and report unusual behavior or physical ailments to medical staff. | Core | 4.A.4.a.2.d |
| Observe and influence patients' behavior, communicating and interacting with them and teaching, counseling, or befriending them. | Core | 4.A.4.b.2.a |
| Take and record measures of patients' physical condition, using devices such as thermometers or blood pressure gauges. | Core | 4.A.1.b.2.i |
| Aid patients in performing tasks, such as bathing or keeping beds, clothing, or living areas clean. | Core | 4.A.4.a.5.i |
| Collaborate with or assist doctors, psychologists, or rehabilitation therapists in working with patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities to treat, rehabilitate, and return patients to the community. | Core | 4.A.4.a.2.d |
| Interview new patients to complete admission forms, to assess their mental health status, or to obtain their mental health and treatment history. | Supplemental | 4.A.1.a.1.l |

## Emerging Tasks


## Activities

| Name | Iwa |
| --- | --- |
| Train medical providers. | 4.A.4.b.3.f |
| Move patients to or from treatment areas. | 4.A.3.a.1.m |
| Inform medical professionals regarding patient conditions and care. | 4.A.4.a.2.d |
| Treat patients using psychological therapies. | 4.A.4.a.5.b |
| Care for patients with mental illnesses. | 4.A.4.a.5.l |
| Interact with patients to build rapport or provide emotional support. | 4.A.4.b.2.a |
| Examine patients to assess general physical condition. | 4.A.1.b.2.i |
| Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment. | 4.A.3.a.3.d |
| Record patient medical histories. | 4.A.3.b.6.k |
| Encourage patients or clients to develop life skills. | 4.A.4.b.2.a |
| Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment. | 4.A.4.a.2.d |
| Assist healthcare practitioners during examinations or treatments. | 4.A.4.a.5.k |
| Teach health management classes. | 4.A.4.b.3.f |
| Position patients for treatment or examination. | 4.A.4.a.5.k |
| Assist patients with hygiene or daily living activities. | 4.A.4.a.5.i |
| Administer non-intravenous medications. | 4.A.4.a.5.c |
| Administer intravenous medications. | 4.A.4.a.5.c |
| Maintain medical facility records. | 4.A.3.b.6.k |
| Maintain inventory of medical supplies or equipment. | 4.A.4.c.3.a |
| Collect medical information from patients, family members, or other medical professionals. | 4.A.1.a.1.l |
| Perform clerical work in medical settings. | 4.A.4.c.1.a |

## Capabilities

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Psychology | knowledge | 4.2 |
| Social Perceptiveness | transferable_skill | 4.12 |
| Therapy and Counseling | knowledge | 4.08 |
| English Language | knowledge | 4.07 |
| Active Listening | essential_skill | 4 |
| Monitoring | essential_skill | 4 |
| Oral Comprehension | ability | 4 |
| Oral Expression | ability | 4 |
| Problem Sensitivity | ability | 4 |
| Customer and Personal Service | knowledge | 3.96 |
| Speaking | essential_skill | 3.88 |
| Coordination | transferable_skill | 3.88 |
| Reading Comprehension | essential_skill | 3.75 |
| Deductive Reasoning | ability | 3.75 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | knowledge | 3.7 |
| Critical Thinking | essential_skill | 3.62 |
| Service Orientation | transferable_skill | 3.62 |
| Written Comprehension | ability | 3.62 |
| Inductive Reasoning | ability | 3.62 |
| Education and Training | knowledge | 3.55 |
| Public Safety and Security | knowledge | 3.53 |
| Written Expression | ability | 3.5 |
| Speech Recognition | ability | 3.5 |
| Speech Clarity | ability | 3.5 |
| Near Vision | ability | 3.38 |
| Writing | essential_skill | 3.25 |
| Instructing | transferable_skill | 3.25 |
| Information Ordering | ability | 3.25 |
| Law and Government | knowledge | 3.23 |
| Computers and Electronics | knowledge | 3.17 |
| Active Learning | essential_skill | 3.12 |
| Persuasion | transferable_skill | 3.12 |
| Selective Attention | ability | 3.12 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | knowledge | 3.09 |
| Learning Strategies | essential_skill | 3 |
| Negotiation | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Complex Problem Solving | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Time Management | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Category Flexibility | ability | 3 |

## Skills

| Name | Type |
| --- | --- |
| Psychology | Specialized Skill |
| Social Perceptiveness | Common Skill |
| English Language | Common Skill |
| Active Listening | Common Skill |
| Reading Comprehension | Common Skill |
| Deductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Inductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Critical Thinking | Common Skill |
| Speech Recognition | Specialized Skill |
| Writing | Common Skill |
| Instructing | Specialized Skill |
| Information Ordering | Specialized Skill |
| Active Learning | Common Skill |
| Time Management | Common Skill |
| Negotiation | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Word | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Outlook | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Excel | Common Skill |
| Learning Strategies | Specialized Skill |
| Complex Problem Solving | Common Skill |
| Systems Analysis | Specialized Skill |
| Finger Dexterity | Common Skill |
| Biology | Specialized Skill |
| Telecommunications | Specialized Skill |
| Visualization | Specialized Skill |
| Mathematics | Common Skill |
| Depth Perception | Common Skill |
| Chemistry | Specialized Skill |
| Foreign Language | Common Skill |
| Geography | Specialized Skill |
| Physics | Specialized Skill |
| Equipment Selection | Specialized Skill |
| Equipment Maintenance | Specialized Skill |
| Medical Software | Specialized Skill |
| Installation | Specialized Skill |

## Tools

| Example | Category | Hot | In Demand |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | yes | no |
| ADL Data Systems OptimumClinicals Electronic Health Record | Medical software | no | no |
| Allscripts Sunrise | Medical software | no | no |
| Cerner ProFile | Medical software | no | no |
| Epic EpicCare Inpatient Clinical System | Medical software | no | no |
| GE Healthcare Centricity EMR | Medical software | no | no |
| ICANotes | Medical software | no | no |
| InfoLogix HealthTrax Engine | Inventory management software | no | no |
| MEDITECH Behavioral Health Clinicals | Medical software | no | no |
| Netsmart Technologies Avatar Clinical Workstation CWS | Medical software | no | no |

## Work Context

| Name | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams | 4.88 |
| Contact With Others | 4.68 |
| Telephone Conversations | 4.67 |
| Physical Proximity | 4.62 |
| Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People | 4.47 |
| Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team | 4.42 |
| Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities | 4.25 |
| Conflict Situations | 4.17 |
| E-Mail | 4.12 |
| Indoors, Environmentally Controlled | 3.96 |
| Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals | 3.83 |
| Written Letters and Memos | 3.78 |
| Freedom to Make Decisions | 3.76 |
| Spend Time Standing | 3.62 |
| Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable | 3.59 |
| Health and Safety of Other Workers | 3.54 |
| Importance of Being Exact or Accurate | 3.54 |
| Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People | 3.51 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | 3.5 |
| Frequency of Decision Making | 3.48 |
| Time Pressure | 3.46 |
| Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers | 3.06 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | 3.01 |
| Spend Time Sitting | 2.98 |
| Importance of Repeating Same Tasks | 2.95 |
| Spend Time Walking or Running | 2.89 |
| Consequence of Error | 2.77 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | 2.56 |
| Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions | 2.52 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | 2.48 |
| Level of Competition | 2.48 |
| Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results | 2.38 |
| Public Speaking | 2.35 |
| Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions | 2.32 |
| In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment | 2.27 |
| Degree of Automation | 2.16 |
| Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions | 1.98 |
| Deal With External Customers or the Public in General | 1.96 |
| Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings | 1.95 |
| Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body | 1.91 |

## Preparation

- **Job Zone:** 3
- **Job Zone Name:** Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- **Education:** Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- **Experience:** Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- **Svp Range:** (6.0 to < 7.0)

### Education Distribution

| Label | Percentage |
| --- | --- |
| High School Diploma | 19.77 |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 5.02 |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 3.18 |
| Master's Degree | 2.13 |

## Person Fit

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Attention to Detail | work_style | 10 |
| Integrity | work_style | 9 |
| Cooperation | work_style | 8 |
| Social Orientation | work_style | 7 |
| Social | career_interest_type | 6.93 |
| Social Service | specific_interest_area | 6.49 |
| Health Care Service | specific_interest_area | 6.18 |
| Self-Control | work_style | 6 |
| Stress Tolerance | work_style | 5 |
| Investigative | career_interest_type | 4.57 |
| Social Science | specific_interest_area | 4.4 |
| Empathy | work_style | 4 |
| Teaching/Education | specific_interest_area | 3.71 |
| Conventional | career_interest_type | 3.46 |
| Realistic | career_interest_type | 3.29 |
| Personal Service | specific_interest_area | 3.28 |

## Related Roles

| Soc Code | Slug | Title | Tier |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 31-1133.00 | role-31-1133-00 | Psychiatric Aides | Primary-Short |
| 31-2021.00 | role-31-2021-00 | Physical Therapist Assistants | Primary-Short |
| 31-2012.00 | role-31-2012-00 | Occupational Therapy Aides | Primary-Short |
| 31-2022.00 | role-31-2022-00 | Physical Therapist Aides | Primary-Short |
| 31-2011.00 | role-31-2011-00 | Occupational Therapy Assistants | Primary-Short |
| 29-1125.00 | role-29-1125-00 | Recreational Therapists | Primary-Long |
| 29-2043.00 | role-29-2043-00 | Paramedics | Primary-Long |
| 31-1121.00 | role-31-1121-00 | Home Health Aides | Primary-Long |
| 29-1141.01 | role-29-1141-01 | Acute Care Nurses | Primary-Long |
| 29-1141.00 | role-29-1141-00 | Registered Nurses | Primary-Long |
| 29-1141.02 | role-29-1141-02 | Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | Supplemental |
| 21-1023.00 | role-21-1023-00 | Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | Supplemental |

## Career Clusters

| Cluster | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Healthcare & Human Services | healthcare-human-services |

## Education Level

- **Category:** Postsecondary nondegree award

## Study Programs

| Title | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Health Professions and Related Programs | health-professions-and-related-programs |

## Market

- **Median Wage:** 42590
- **Mean Wage:** 45000
- **Pct10Wage:** 32980
- **Pct25Wage:** 37170
- **Pct75Wage:** 48910
- **Pct90Wage:** 60150
- **Employment:** 136300
- **Area Title:** U.S.

## Industries


### Top

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Median Wage | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 62 | 62 | Health Care and Social Assistance | Sector | 122430 | 41870 | 5.99 |
| 621330 | 621330 | Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) | National industry | 21290 | 44720 | 99.6 |
| 623220 | 623220 | Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities | National industry | 12210 | 38120 | 53.4 |
| 621420 | 621420 | Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers | National industry | 10050 | 43360 | 36.72 |
| 621340 | 621340 | Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists | National industry | 7950 | 43490 | 18.87 |
| 624120 | 624120 | Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities | National industry | 5110 | 42530 | 2.4 |
| 61 | 61 | Educational Services | Sector | 4140 | 45180 | 0.34 |
| 623210 | 623210 | Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities | National industry | 3160 | 44190 | 9.18 |
| 56 | 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | Sector | 2280 | 39520 | 0.29 |
| 561320 | 561320 | Temporary Help Services | National industry | 1210 | 51430 | 0.52 |
| 54 | 54 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | Sector |  | 36690 |  |
| 81 | 81 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | Sector |  | 55780 |  |

### Concentrated

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 621330 | 621330 | Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) | National industry | 21290 | 99.6 |
| 623220 | 623220 | Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities | National industry | 12210 | 53.4 |
| 621420 | 621420 | Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers | National industry | 10050 | 36.72 |
| 621340 | 621340 | Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists | National industry | 7950 | 18.87 |
| 623210 | 623210 | Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities | National industry | 3160 | 9.18 |
| 62 | 62 | Health Care and Social Assistance | Sector | 122430 | 5.99 |
| 624120 | 624120 | Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities | National industry | 5110 | 2.4 |
| 561320 | 561320 | Temporary Help Services | National industry | 1210 | 0.52 |
- **Count:** 12

## Ai Signals

| Source | Label | Score | Scale | Release |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| frey_osborne | Computerization probability | 0.043 | 0-1 probability | 2013-baseline-2016-employment-snapshot |
| felten_aioe | AI occupational exposure | -0.2203484 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_image_generation_aioe | Image generation occupational exposure | -0.6648577 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_language_modeling_aioe | Language modeling occupational exposure | -0.0011 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |

## Ai Outlook


### Index

- **Value:** 28
- **Percentile:** 26
- **Band:** Low
- **Version:** ai-exposure-index-v1

#### Components

| Percentile | Source |
| --- | --- |
| 42 | felten_aioe |
| 28 | openai_gpts_are_gpts |
| 15 | microsoft_working_with_ai |
- **Component Count:** 3

### Exposure

| Source | Label | Value | Percentile | Band | Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| felten_aioe | Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) | -0.2203484 | 42 | Moderate | How much this job's abilities overlap with what AI systems can do, across many AI capabilities. A relative research score, not a forecast of job loss. |
| eloundou_gamma | LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) | 0.24 | 28 | Low | Share of this job's tasks where a large language model plus simple tools could cut the time to do them by at least half. γ is capped at 1.0 and many jobs reach that ceiling, so treat a top score as 'in the top group', not a precise rank. |
| microsoft_applicability | AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) | 0.0623078443703132 | 15 | Low | How applicable today's AI assistants are to this job's activities, measured from real Microsoft Copilot conversations. Applicability is not the same as replacement. |

### Frey Historical

- **Source:** frey
- **Label:** Computerization probability (Frey & Osborne, 2013)
- **Value:** 0.043
- **Percentile:** 23
- **Band:** Low
- **Note:** A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
- **Teleworkable:** no

### Eloundou

- **Alpha:** 0
- **Beta:** 0.12
- **Gamma:** 0.24

### Usage Tasks


### Bls

- **Growth Percent:** 20
- **Growth Percentile:** 99
- **Direction:** Growing fast
- **Annual Openings Thousands:** 15.9
- **Annual Openings Percentile:** 74
- **Employment2024Thousands:** 144.5
- **Employment2034Thousands:** 173.3

### Sources

| Source | Version |
| --- | --- |
| bls_employment_projections | 2024-2034 |
| dingel_neiman | dingel-neiman-workathome |
| felten_aioe | felten-raj-seamans-aioe |
| frey_osborne | frey-osborne-automation |
| microsoft_working_with_ai | working-with-ai |
| openai_gpts_are_gpts | gpts-are-gpts |

## Counts

- **Tasks:** 16
- **Skills:** 35
- **Capabilities:** 120
- **Tools:** 13
- **Related Roles:** 20

## Source

- **Dataset:** gold.onet_role_starter_surface
- **Version:** 30.3
- **Generated At:** 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00
- **Content Hash:** b1abd4386398b612