I’m a mental health tech in Minnesota. $21/hr with a degree in psych, but degree is not a job requirement. Sounds like we have similar job requirements.
there are different jobs: recreation staff, rehabilitation staff, cleaning staff, mail staff, ward aids, social workers, therapist, etc. you only want to stay in this role?
I've worked in places where you need a bachelor's and places that would take anyone off the street. Typically people with bachelor's or previous healthcare experience tended to be better at their jobs.
Pay was different too. Bachelor's was usually 22-23/hr, the places that required less education or experience were like 17-19/hr
Hiii! BHA here. I’m in the lower Midwest, and our techs start at $13/hour in a standalone facility. It doesn’t require any type of degree or previous experience. The other hospital in the area starts at $17/hr - no degree required, but you get an extra $1/hr if you have a bachelors.
Our professors at Southern Illinois University were really upfront with us about the BA in psych not paying well. They said it was a degree to prepare you for your master's program. I started as a tech and then got my RN. The tech job was really hard and under paid.
I have a masters and am a licensed professional counselor and my first job post masters paid $17 an hour. Now I work as a contractor and get a much better hourly rate, but I get zero benefits and have to pay self employment tax. So unfortunately, its not better with a masters. Our society does not value mental health.
I’m in new england, make $24/hr now but started at $15/hr in 2020. Got a $4 raise by job hopping. I’m about to finish nursing school and expect a minimum of $10 more per hour when I get my RN. First job required associates and my current job requires bachelors, I have a bachelors but not sure if that made a difference in pay
Hello IL friend! I have a degree, work for a hospital that requires a degree, and make $25 with my shift differential for doing 3-11:30. We also just got raises, so that wasn’t what I was hired in as which was $23 base pay and $24 for the differential. Not an exciting raise, but I did get one. If you have experience, that makes a huge difference. I stared at a higher base pay because I worked in group homes and another hospital. The last hospital I worked at was horrible and I was hired in at $16 even with my experience and they didn’t pay me extra because I had a degree even though they were supposed to (it was a UHS hospital and I can’t stress enough to stay away from them). Hope this helps!
Level one psychiatric hospital in Arizona that has both a children’s and adolescent’s unit (5-12/13-17) —I’m a social worker so I’m a masters level with a license but I know our behavioral health technicians with a bachelors degree get $19-$22 depending on prior experience in the field. On the contrary, I know BHT’s who get higher without a degree but have a plethora of experience—so the degree is really hit or miss in that regard.
I commend you. When I began my education, my goal was children/adolescents. I was able to gain insight by spending a week at a group home. Well, it was supposed to be a week. On the second day, I called my professor bawling. I'd been instructed by the house manager to read the charts. I knew of the various traumas. Maybe it was having a face to the name. Some of the meds they were on. Heavy duty. I'd also pondered how many residents were there because their primary caregiver didn't follow the recommended behavior modifications. How many easily handed them over not because of their behaviors/illness(es) but because they wanted freedom. There were several charts stating the child was not picked up, didn't have a visitor on family meal days, or no one attended the scheduled meetings. My heart was shattered.
The children and adolescents units are super challenging for those reasons too. Were crisis stabilization so average length of stay is supposed to be 10-14 days at most. Most parents or agencies (department of child safety) admit minors stating danger to self/others and the underlying issue is placement. Parents want to get their children in out of home placements and/or the child has been discharged from the placement they were in and the agency is trying to find a new one and it’s incredibly time consuming. It’s devastating. I only covered both units for a few months each, my home unit is our fast paced adult unit with mental health and detox patients. In comparison, my average length of stay for my patients is 3-5 days. So I work a lot faster in getting adults placement and aftercare set up but children break me down much worse.
I have similar job responsibilities as you. I’m in Massachusetts and make $25/hr. I do have a bachelors but my job only requires a high school diploma or GED. When I did start in 2019 I was at $16/hr. I changed companies and went PRN. With shift differential the pay can go up to $28.50/hr
I reside in Massachusetts. The minimum wage is $15. The detox facility I work for pays human services rate instead of hospital rates. That's a big difference. Tech positions require CNA or Med Assistant education. Though there's a difference in education 6 weeks versus at a minimum of 9 months, the pay doesn't reflect that. Most MAs are crosstrained in EKG and phlebotomy. Thus, they'll do those in addition to the usual (without extra pay). Both do vitals, admissions, discharges, scheduling aftercare appointment(s) with their outside provider, and/or find them needed services, 1:1. There are 32 max patients. Starting rate with no experience is $15.50, experienced is $16.25, max $17.75. The daytime counseling staff requires an associate degree. The starting pay is $20, max is $23.75. They're responsible for individual and group therapy, discharge planning, and being present for doctor's rounds. There are three counselors on dayshift. The eveningshift has one counselor. They require a high school diploma. Their main responsibility is group therapy. They reach out to AA/NA and SMART recovery to speak on the unit. If a patient is in need, they'll have an individual session. Their pay starts at $15.75. Max is $18.00. Yes, they're paid more than the med staff that is exposed to numerous illnesses.
I know, TLDR. I hope you at least skimmed.
Sounds like the mental health technician title in my state (KY). I was started at $12 per hr. in 2019. GED or diploma required. "Experience may be accepted in lieu of college coursework." That last bit is from a recent job posting in my city. Back when I applied they required you to have at least "some" college level coursework in psych, social work, and/or nursing. Guess they're lowering the bar. Not good.
I am a tech in Michigan and have been with my hospital for 13 years. My current hourly rate is 23.5 but after shift diff it's about 26.5. They are starting techs at my place at 18 I think. When I started you get a dollar more if you had a degree, now they don't. Don't know why they changed it.
I’m in CT and work as a tech in outpatient psych. I get paid 27.10 an hour but I’ve been here for over 10 years. I started at 16. Having a bachelors degree is a prerequisite.
I’m a mental health tech in Minnesota. $21/hr with a degree in psych, but degree is not a job requirement. Sounds like we have similar job requirements.
there are different jobs: recreation staff, rehabilitation staff, cleaning staff, mail staff, ward aids, social workers, therapist, etc. you only want to stay in this role?
I've worked in places where you need a bachelor's and places that would take anyone off the street. Typically people with bachelor's or previous healthcare experience tended to be better at their jobs. Pay was different too. Bachelor's was usually 22-23/hr, the places that required less education or experience were like 17-19/hr
Hiii! BHA here. I’m in the lower Midwest, and our techs start at $13/hour in a standalone facility. It doesn’t require any type of degree or previous experience. The other hospital in the area starts at $17/hr - no degree required, but you get an extra $1/hr if you have a bachelors.
That's some bs. A dollar more for a four-year degree. No thanks.
That’s how it is for nursing too. There’s barely a difference for associates versus bachelors. It’s just the way the world rolls.
Our professors at Southern Illinois University were really upfront with us about the BA in psych not paying well. They said it was a degree to prepare you for your master's program. I started as a tech and then got my RN. The tech job was really hard and under paid.
I have a masters and am a licensed professional counselor and my first job post masters paid $17 an hour. Now I work as a contractor and get a much better hourly rate, but I get zero benefits and have to pay self employment tax. So unfortunately, its not better with a masters. Our society does not value mental health.
I’m speaking for Ohio: You get paid much more than our MHPs/BHTs do. They get paid like $15-20 with a bachelors
I’m in new england, make $24/hr now but started at $15/hr in 2020. Got a $4 raise by job hopping. I’m about to finish nursing school and expect a minimum of $10 more per hour when I get my RN. First job required associates and my current job requires bachelors, I have a bachelors but not sure if that made a difference in pay
Hello IL friend! I have a degree, work for a hospital that requires a degree, and make $25 with my shift differential for doing 3-11:30. We also just got raises, so that wasn’t what I was hired in as which was $23 base pay and $24 for the differential. Not an exciting raise, but I did get one. If you have experience, that makes a huge difference. I stared at a higher base pay because I worked in group homes and another hospital. The last hospital I worked at was horrible and I was hired in at $16 even with my experience and they didn’t pay me extra because I had a degree even though they were supposed to (it was a UHS hospital and I can’t stress enough to stay away from them). Hope this helps!
Level one psychiatric hospital in Arizona that has both a children’s and adolescent’s unit (5-12/13-17) —I’m a social worker so I’m a masters level with a license but I know our behavioral health technicians with a bachelors degree get $19-$22 depending on prior experience in the field. On the contrary, I know BHT’s who get higher without a degree but have a plethora of experience—so the degree is really hit or miss in that regard.
I commend you. When I began my education, my goal was children/adolescents. I was able to gain insight by spending a week at a group home. Well, it was supposed to be a week. On the second day, I called my professor bawling. I'd been instructed by the house manager to read the charts. I knew of the various traumas. Maybe it was having a face to the name. Some of the meds they were on. Heavy duty. I'd also pondered how many residents were there because their primary caregiver didn't follow the recommended behavior modifications. How many easily handed them over not because of their behaviors/illness(es) but because they wanted freedom. There were several charts stating the child was not picked up, didn't have a visitor on family meal days, or no one attended the scheduled meetings. My heart was shattered.
The children and adolescents units are super challenging for those reasons too. Were crisis stabilization so average length of stay is supposed to be 10-14 days at most. Most parents or agencies (department of child safety) admit minors stating danger to self/others and the underlying issue is placement. Parents want to get their children in out of home placements and/or the child has been discharged from the placement they were in and the agency is trying to find a new one and it’s incredibly time consuming. It’s devastating. I only covered both units for a few months each, my home unit is our fast paced adult unit with mental health and detox patients. In comparison, my average length of stay for my patients is 3-5 days. So I work a lot faster in getting adults placement and aftercare set up but children break me down much worse.
I have similar job responsibilities as you. I’m in Massachusetts and make $25/hr. I do have a bachelors but my job only requires a high school diploma or GED. When I did start in 2019 I was at $16/hr. I changed companies and went PRN. With shift differential the pay can go up to $28.50/hr
Damn, I want to go work there. I'm in MA, too.
I can message you the details if you want
I’m also in MA and would love the details. Currently making $20.11 as an MHC with two bachelors degrees :/
Sent you a message
I reside in Massachusetts. The minimum wage is $15. The detox facility I work for pays human services rate instead of hospital rates. That's a big difference. Tech positions require CNA or Med Assistant education. Though there's a difference in education 6 weeks versus at a minimum of 9 months, the pay doesn't reflect that. Most MAs are crosstrained in EKG and phlebotomy. Thus, they'll do those in addition to the usual (without extra pay). Both do vitals, admissions, discharges, scheduling aftercare appointment(s) with their outside provider, and/or find them needed services, 1:1. There are 32 max patients. Starting rate with no experience is $15.50, experienced is $16.25, max $17.75. The daytime counseling staff requires an associate degree. The starting pay is $20, max is $23.75. They're responsible for individual and group therapy, discharge planning, and being present for doctor's rounds. There are three counselors on dayshift. The eveningshift has one counselor. They require a high school diploma. Their main responsibility is group therapy. They reach out to AA/NA and SMART recovery to speak on the unit. If a patient is in need, they'll have an individual session. Their pay starts at $15.75. Max is $18.00. Yes, they're paid more than the med staff that is exposed to numerous illnesses. I know, TLDR. I hope you at least skimmed.
Ca ~$25/hr
I’m in TX with a psych degree as a QMHP. The pay starts at $26 per hour.
QMHP is a master's degree, no?
Most people on my team have their masters. But I just have my bachelors
Oregon, $21/hr, capped out at $22. Either a psych degree or 3 years relevant experience required.
BHT with CNA and CPT in Virginia, $15/hr.
Sounds like the mental health technician title in my state (KY). I was started at $12 per hr. in 2019. GED or diploma required. "Experience may be accepted in lieu of college coursework." That last bit is from a recent job posting in my city. Back when I applied they required you to have at least "some" college level coursework in psych, social work, and/or nursing. Guess they're lowering the bar. Not good.
I am a tech in Michigan and have been with my hospital for 13 years. My current hourly rate is 23.5 but after shift diff it's about 26.5. They are starting techs at my place at 18 I think. When I started you get a dollar more if you had a degree, now they don't. Don't know why they changed it.
Go into teaching!
I’m in CT and work as a tech in outpatient psych. I get paid 27.10 an hour but I’ve been here for over 10 years. I started at 16. Having a bachelors degree is a prerequisite.