# Psychiatric Aides

> Assist mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients, working under direction of nursing and medical staff. May assist with daily living activities, lead patients in educational and recreational activities, or accompany patients to and from examinations and treatments. May restrain violent patients. Includes psychiatric orderlies.
- **Entity Type:** role
- **Schema Version:** role.v1
- **Soc Code:** 31-1133.00
- **Summary:** Assist mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients, working under direction of nursing and medical staff. May assist with daily living activities, lead patients in educational and recreational activities, or accompany patients to and from examinations and treatments. May restrain violent patients. Includes psychiatric orderlies.

## Aliases

- Mental Health Worker (MHW)
- Psychiatric Aide
- Residential Care Tech (Residential Care Technician)
- Therapeutic Program Worker (TPW)
- Developmental Aide
- Mental Health Aide (MHA)
- Psychiatric Assistant
- Psychiatric Nursing Aide
- Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)
- Resident Care Technician (Resident Care Tech)
- BHA (Behavioral Health Aide)
- BHA (Behavioral Health Associate)

## Tasks

| Text | Type | Iwa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients. | Core | 4.A.4.b.2.a |
| Provide patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities with routine physical, emotional, psychological, or rehabilitation care under the direction of nursing or medical staff. | Core | 4.A.4.a.5.l |
| Complete physical checks and monitor patients to detect unusual or harmful behavior and report observations to professional staff. | Core | 4.A.1.a.2.e |
| Restrain or aid patients as necessary to prevent injury. | Core | 4.A.4.a.5.k |
| Work as part of a team that may include psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, or social workers. | Core | 4.A.4.a.2.d |
| Record and maintain patient information, such as vital signs, eating habits, behavior, progress notes, treatments, or discharge plans. | Core | 4.A.3.b.6.k |
| Maintain patients' restrictions to assigned areas. | Core | 4.A.2.a.3.d |
| Organize, supervise, or encourage patient participation in social, educational, or recreational activities. | Core | 4.A.4.b.2.a |
| Provide patients with assistance in bathing, dressing, or grooming, demonstrating these skills as necessary. | Core | 4.A.4.a.5.i |
| Aid patients in becoming accustomed to hospital routines. | Core | 4.A.4.a.5.i |
| Serve meals or feed patients needing assistance or persuasion. | Core | 4.A.4.a.5.i |
| Clean and disinfect rooms and furnishings to maintain a safe and orderly environment. | Core | 4.A.3.a.1.c |

## Emerging Tasks


## Activities

| Name | Iwa |
| --- | --- |
| Monitor patients to detect health problems. | 4.A.1.a.2.e |
| Assess physical conditions of patients to aid in diagnosis or treatment. | 4.A.2.a.1.f |
| Record vital statistics or other health information. | 4.A.3.b.6.k |
| Maintain medical records. | 4.A.3.b.6.k |
| Perform clerical work in medical settings. | 4.A.4.c.1.a |
| Care for patients with mental illnesses. | 4.A.4.a.5.l |
| Confer with other professionals to plan patient care. | 4.A.4.a.2.d |
| Assist patients with hygiene or daily living activities. | 4.A.4.a.5.i |
| Assist clients in handling details of daily life. | 4.A.4.a.5.i |
| Encourage patients during therapeutic activities. | 4.A.4.b.2.a |
| Collect biological specimens from patients. | 4.A.3.a.2.al |
| Give medications or immunizations. | 4.A.4.a.5.c |
| Feed patients. | 4.A.4.a.5.i |
| Hold patients to ensure proper positioning or safety. | 4.A.4.a.5.k |
| Interview patients to gather medical information. | 4.A.1.a.1.w |
| Assist patients with daily activities. | 4.A.4.a.5.i |
| Engage patients in exercises or activities. | 4.A.4.b.3.f |
| Follow protocols or regulations for healthcare activities. | 4.A.2.a.3.d |
| Advise patients on healthcare system processes. | 4.A.4.b.6.a |
| Accompany patients or clients on outings to provide assistance. | 4.A.3.a.1.l |
| Clean patient rooms or patient treatment rooms. | 4.A.3.a.1.c |

## Capabilities

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Psychology | knowledge | 4.05 |
| Oral Expression | ability | 4 |
| Speaking | essential_skill | 3.88 |
| Social Perceptiveness | transferable_skill | 3.88 |
| Service Orientation | transferable_skill | 3.88 |
| Oral Comprehension | ability | 3.88 |
| Problem Sensitivity | ability | 3.88 |
| Active Listening | essential_skill | 3.75 |
| Monitoring | essential_skill | 3.75 |
| Written Comprehension | ability | 3.75 |
| Deductive Reasoning | ability | 3.62 |
| Customer and Personal Service | knowledge | 3.58 |
| Inductive Reasoning | ability | 3.5 |
| Speech Clarity | ability | 3.5 |
| Critical Thinking | essential_skill | 3.38 |
| Speech Recognition | ability | 3.38 |
| Active Learning | essential_skill | 3.25 |
| Coordination | transferable_skill | 3.25 |
| Information Ordering | ability | 3.25 |
| Therapy and Counseling | knowledge | 3.13 |
| Reading Comprehension | essential_skill | 3.12 |
| Writing | essential_skill | 3.12 |
| Instructing | transferable_skill | 3.12 |
| Complex Problem Solving | transferable_skill | 3.12 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | transferable_skill | 3.12 |
| Written Expression | ability | 3.12 |
| Selective Attention | ability | 3.12 |
| Near Vision | ability | 3.12 |
| Far Vision | ability | 3.12 |
| English Language | knowledge | 3.11 |
| Persuasion | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Negotiation | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Category Flexibility | ability | 3 |
| Flexibility of Closure | ability | 3 |
| Perceptual Speed | ability | 3 |
| Trunk Strength | ability | 3 |
| Auditory Attention | ability | 3 |
| Administrative | knowledge | 2.99 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | knowledge | 2.98 |
| Learning Strategies | essential_skill | 2.88 |

## Skills

| Name | Type |
| --- | --- |
| Psychology | Specialized Skill |
| Social Perceptiveness | Common Skill |
| Active Listening | Common Skill |
| Deductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Inductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Speech Recognition | Specialized Skill |
| Critical Thinking | Common Skill |
| Information Ordering | Specialized Skill |
| Active Learning | Common Skill |
| Writing | Common Skill |
| Reading Comprehension | Common Skill |
| Instructing | Specialized Skill |
| Complex Problem Solving | Common Skill |
| English Language | Common Skill |
| Negotiation | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Word | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Windows | Common Skill |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Outlook | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Excel | Common Skill |
| Time Management | Common Skill |
| Learning Strategies | Specialized Skill |
| Finger Dexterity | Common Skill |
| Visualization | Specialized Skill |
| Mathematics | Common Skill |
| Depth Perception | Common Skill |
| Systems Analysis | Specialized Skill |
| Patient Management Software | Specialized Skill |
| Email Software | Specialized Skill |
| Foreign Language | Common Skill |
| Telecommunications | Specialized Skill |
| Chemistry | Specialized Skill |
| Biology | Specialized Skill |
| Geography | Specialized Skill |
| Physics | Specialized Skill |
| Presentation Software | Specialized Skill |
| Medical Software | Specialized Skill |
| Installation | Specialized Skill |
| Equipment Selection | Specialized Skill |
| Equipment Maintenance | 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 PowerPoint | Presentation software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Windows | Operating system software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | yes | no |
| Email software | Electronic mail software | no | no |
| Patient management software | Medical software | no | no |

## Work Context

| Name | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Contact With Others | 4.81 |
| Physical Proximity | 4.55 |
| Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team | 4.52 |
| Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams | 4.5 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | 4.17 |
| Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People | 4.08 |
| Conflict Situations | 4.06 |
| Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities | 4.03 |
| E-Mail | 3.87 |
| Health and Safety of Other Workers | 3.85 |
| Consequence of Error | 3.79 |
| Indoors, Environmentally Controlled | 3.77 |
| Telephone Conversations | 3.75 |
| Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals | 3.75 |
| Importance of Being Exact or Accurate | 3.72 |
| Importance of Repeating Same Tasks | 3.72 |
| Time Pressure | 3.71 |
| Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People | 3.69 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | 3.69 |
| Freedom to Make Decisions | 3.65 |
| Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results | 3.63 |
| Frequency of Decision Making | 3.46 |
| Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable | 3.38 |
| Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers | 3.35 |
| Spend Time Standing | 3.22 |
| Deal With External Customers or the Public in General | 3.19 |
| Spend Time Walking or Running | 3.12 |
| Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body | 3.11 |
| Written Letters and Memos | 3.09 |
| Spend Time Sitting | 3.05 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | 2.96 |
| Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions | 2.9 |
| Public Speaking | 2.81 |
| Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions | 2.79 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | 2.75 |
| In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment | 2.61 |
| Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions | 2.29 |
| Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings | 2 |
| Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection | 1.97 |
| Level of Competition | 1.91 |

## Preparation

- **Job Zone:** 2
- **Job Zone Name:** Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- **Education:** Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- **Experience:** Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- **Svp Range:** (Below 6.0)

### Education Distribution

| Label | Percentage |
| --- | --- |
| Some College Courses | 45.7 |
| High School Diploma | 24.17 |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 16.49 |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 9.56 |
| Bachelor's Degree | 4.08 |

## Person Fit

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dependability | work_style | 9 |
| Integrity | work_style | 8 |
| Cooperation | work_style | 7 |
| Social | career_interest_type | 6.81 |
| Social Service | specific_interest_area | 6.49 |
| Social Orientation | work_style | 6 |
| Health Care Service | specific_interest_area | 5.89 |
| Self-Control | work_style | 5 |
| Investigative | career_interest_type | 4.04 |
| Stress Tolerance | work_style | 4 |
| Social Science | specific_interest_area | 3.85 |
| Conventional | career_interest_type | 3.74 |
| Personal Service | specific_interest_area | 3.5 |
| Realistic | career_interest_type | 3.44 |
| Empathy | work_style | 3 |
| Protective Service | specific_interest_area | 2.71 |

## Related Roles

| Soc Code | Slug | Title | Tier |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 29-2053.00 | role-29-2053-00 | Psychiatric Technicians | Primary-Short |
| 31-2022.00 | role-31-2022-00 | Physical Therapist Aides | Primary-Short |
| 31-2012.00 | role-31-2012-00 | Occupational Therapy Aides | Primary-Short |
| 31-1121.00 | role-31-1121-00 | Home Health Aides | Primary-Short |
| 31-2011.00 | role-31-2011-00 | Occupational Therapy Assistants | Primary-Short |
| 31-2021.00 | role-31-2021-00 | Physical Therapist Assistants | Primary-Long |
| 31-1131.00 | role-31-1131-00 | Nursing Assistants | Primary-Long |
| 29-1141.00 | role-29-1141-00 | Registered Nurses | Primary-Long |
| 29-2061.00 | role-29-2061-00 | Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | Primary-Long |
| 31-9092.00 | role-31-9092-00 | Medical Assistants | Primary-Long |
| 21-1023.00 | role-21-1023-00 | Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | Supplemental |
| 29-1141.02 | role-29-1141-02 | Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | Supplemental |

## Career Clusters

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

## Education Level

- **Category:** High school diploma or equivalent

## Study Programs

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

## Market

- **Median Wage:** 41590
- **Mean Wage:** 43610
- **Pct10Wage:** 30920
- **Pct25Wage:** 35930
- **Pct75Wage:** 48770
- **Pct90Wage:** 58530
- **Employment:** 34900
- **Area Title:** U.S.

## Industries


### Top

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Median Wage | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 62 | 62 | Health Care and Social Assistance | Sector | 26780 | 41910 | 5.12 |
| 623220 | 623220 | Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities | National industry | 2600 | 37850 | 44.4 |
| 621420 | 621420 | Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers | National industry | 860 | 38080 | 12.27 |
| 623210 | 623210 | Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities | National industry | 670 | 35810 | 7.6 |
| 621340 | 621340 | Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists | National industry | 650 | 39520 | 6.03 |
| 621330 | 621330 | Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) | National industry | 610 | 47450 | 11.14 |
| 624120 | 624120 | Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities | National industry | 270 | 45810 | 0.49 |
| 56 | 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | Sector | 230 | 37250 | 0.11 |
| 561320 | 561320 | Temporary Help Services | National industry | 230 | 37250 | 0.38 |
| 61 | 61 | Educational Services | Sector |  | 77810 |  |

### Concentrated

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 623220 | 623220 | Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities | National industry | 2600 | 44.4 |
| 621420 | 621420 | Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers | National industry | 860 | 12.27 |
| 621330 | 621330 | Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) | National industry | 610 | 11.14 |
| 623210 | 623210 | Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities | National industry | 670 | 7.6 |
| 621340 | 621340 | Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists | National industry | 650 | 6.03 |
| 62 | 62 | Health Care and Social Assistance | Sector | 26780 | 5.12 |
| 624120 | 624120 | Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities | National industry | 270 | 0.49 |
| 561320 | 561320 | Temporary Help Services | National industry | 230 | 0.38 |
- **Count:** 10

## Ai Signals


## Ai Outlook


### Index

- **Value:** 17
- **Percentile:** 14
- **Band:** Low
- **Version:** ai-exposure-index-v1

#### Components

| Percentile | Source |
| --- | --- |
| 17 | openai_gpts_are_gpts |
| 17 | microsoft_working_with_ai |
- **Component Count:** 2

### Exposure

| Source | Label | Value | Percentile | Band | Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| eloundou_gamma | LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) | 0.125 | 17 | 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) | 0.06759238722708691 | 17 | 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. |

### Eloundou

- **Alpha:** 0.125
- **Beta:** 0.125
- **Gamma:** 0.125

### Usage Tasks

| Task | Usage Percent | Importance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients. | 0.0020541557625231607 | 4.57 |
| Complete administrative tasks, such as entering orders into computer, answering telephone calls, or maintaining medical or facility information. | 0.0017460323981446867 | 4.08 |
- **Usage Release:** 2026-01-15-v4-plus-2025-03-27-v2

### Bls

- **Growth Percent:** -0.4
- **Growth Percentile:** 25
- **Direction:** Declining
- **Annual Openings Thousands:** 5.3
- **Annual Openings Percentile:** 50
- **Employment2024Thousands:** 38.5
- **Employment2034Thousands:** 38.3

### Sources

| Source | Version |
| --- | --- |
| bls_employment_projections | 2024-2034 |
| microsoft_working_with_ai | working-with-ai |
| openai_gpts_are_gpts | gpts-are-gpts |

## Counts

- **Tasks:** 17
- **Skills:** 40
- **Capabilities:** 120
- **Tools:** 8
- **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:** 1523f09fade874a6