Clinical Jobs at PBBHC

What is a…

Psychiatrist: A psychiatrist is a medical doctor that specializes in the treatment of mental health conditions. The treatments they offer include medication management, therapy, and behavioral interventions.

To become a psychiatrist, you must earn a Bachelor’s degree and attend medical school and complete a residency training program which consists of supervised clinical work before obtaining state licensure.

Psychologist: A psychologist has a doctorate degree of psychology and specializes in mental health treatments. The psychologist uses psychological evaluations and talk therapy to help people better learn to cope with life, stressors, and mental health conditions.

To become a psychologist, you must earn a Bachelor’s degree and complete a doctorate program (Ph.D or PsyD) that specializes in  psychology. Most doctorate programs require the completion of a master’s degree, some professional experiences, and supervised clinical work before obtaining state licensure.

Therapist/Counselor

A therapist/counselor guides clients to help them overcome personal issues. They help clients explore their thoughts and feelings to understand the impact on client’s behaviors. They teach skills on how to cope with emotions, stressors, facing fears, and more.

To become a therapist/counselor, you must earn a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in psychology or related field and complete supervised clinical work before obtaining state licensure

Behavioral Health Technician

Behavioral Health Technician is a mental health professional responsible for the well-being of patients in a hospital, rehabilitation, or mental health crisis facility. Depending on the level of education, the behavioral health tech listen to patients, observe behaviors, report concerns to a medical staff and some engage in therapeutic interventions such as conducting mental health assessments and teaching psychoeducation groups.

To become a behavioral health technician, you must have a high school diploma and depending on the employment setting a certification from a behavioral health technician program. Other degrees offered are an associate’s degree in a specific behavioral health or psych tech program and a bachelor’s degree in psychology. With the completion of a bachelor’s degree you can obtain a state certification to be a Qualified Mental Health Professional, allowing you to complete assessments and engage in brief therapeutic interventions.

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

A Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner specialize in mental health treatment. They help patients suffering from mental illnesses, disorders, or substance abuse problems by assessing, diagnosing and providing treatment plans to them. They often provide therapy and prescribe medications and manage symptoms for those with mental health conditions.

To become a psychiatric nurse practitioner, you will need to earn either an advanced degree in nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). You will then need to become a registered nurse by passing the licensing exam, gain at least two years of clinical experience, then obtain a Master’s in Nursing (MSN) from a program that offers a path to becoming a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and complete the certification process.

Psychiatric Mental Health Registered Nurse

Psychiatric Mental Health Registered nurses work in a variety of settings and provide comprehensive care to individuals, families and groups. They specialized in the treatment of mental health conditions by conducting evaluation and triage, provide crisis management and stabilization techniques, administer and monitor medication treatments, care coordination, and psychoeducation.

To become a psychiatric mental health registered nurse you will need to earn either an ADN or a BSN and take the state licensing exam.  If needed for job placement, you can obtain a qualified mental health professional certificate through your state in addition to the ADN or BSN.

As mental health becomes an increasingly important concern, the need for mental health experts increases, too. The Bureau of Labor Statistics(BLS) projects a faster-than-average 22% job growth rate for counselors and therapists from 2018-28, which is much faster than average growth. BLS data indicates a projected 14% job growth rate for psychologists over the same time frame.