Forty-six out of fifty states, along with the armed forces, do not have any official, state-approved psychiatric technician training. That does not by any means say that psychiatric technicians are unimportant. On the contrary, such mental health professionals are not only necessary, but they need training to be effective, just as anyone else who works in the medical fields. Many hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and clinics simply could not operate without these mental health aides.  Working in close conjunction with a psychologist, physician, social worker, or registered nurse, they are one of many indispensible helping hands on the path to healing.

Arkansas, California, Colorado, and Kansas have their own legal stipulations for psychiatric technician training, but the rest of the United States have no such laws, leaving the process of training entirely voluntary. Official state guidelines have the advantage of being easy to find or follow. Fortunately, in other states, a nonprofit organization known as the American Association of Psychiatric Technicians, or AAPT, has a process for both testing and certification, giving mental health specialists in any state something to aspire toward.

The state of California, to pick a state that has its own licensing requirements, needs 576 hours of theory and 854 hours of clinical work, before it will fully license a psychiatric technician. A third of these classes are classes any nurse would take, with the rest being in such matters related to psychology, like behavioral science, mental disorders, pharmacology, developmental disabilities, and other related topics.

On the other hand, the unregulated states could technically hire anyone right out of high school and call them a psychiatric technician. In reality, that rarely happens. Without certification of some kind, it’s very difficult to find a job, because employers want someone they know can think on their feet and handle at least the basics. This is where the AAPT comes in. Their levels of certification and their exams are proof that any prospective psychiatric technician has the necessary knowledge and/or experience to do the job.

Usually, at least some lesser education is required after high school to even pass the basic test for the AAPT. This test is open book and multiple choice, covering only basic medical terminology and mental illness, but the tests for subsequent tiers of expertise are more difficult. Thanks to the boom in online testing, however, it is relatively easy to get the classes necessary for potential employees to take a second look at a given resume.

A bachelor’s degree, which is required for the highest AAPT certification, is the best way in, but many begin just out of high school, working their way up the four levels of certification. Again, online education can really help, since it’s so easy to fit it into a working schedule.  When it comes to psychiatric technician training, the path is up to the student. The certification is voluntary in most states, but that does not make it any less valid. In fact, it grants the technician at least as much credibility, as it shows he or she is willing to go that extra mile.

Source by John Adam