Mental Health Technician

Wallace and Sparks campuses

The Mental Health Technician short certificate program trains students in the basic concepts of entry-level care for patients and/or clients being provided mental/behavioral health care by mental health agencies, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, or other healthcare facilities.

Students completing all courses in this curriculum will be awarded a program short certificate and will be eligible to apply for certification as a Mental Health Technician.  Students completing MHT 101, Fundamentals of Mental Health Technician, will be eligible to apply for certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant and/or a Certified Patient Care Technician.  Admission is conditional and depends on the student’s ability to perform the essential functions identified for this program, meet background check requirements of clinical facilities, and maintain a negative substance use screen.   

In order to enroll in MHT courses, a status of unconditional admission to the College is required, as is a 2.0 cumulative GPA for students with previous college credit.   To progress through and complete the program, a minimum grade of “C” in all MHT curriculum courses is required.

Contractual agreements between the College and clinical agencies may impose additional requirements on students enrolled in health programs. These requirements include, but are not limited to, the areas of attire, confidentiality, criminal background check, liability insurance, and substance abuse screening. Health insurance coverage is strongly recommended as the expense for treatment of injury suffered during training is the responsibility of the student. Any student denied clinical privileges or having clinical privileges revoked by a healthcare facility due to positive background findings or clinical misconduct is not eligible for program admission or readmission.

Degrees and Certificates

Course Descriptions

MHT 101: Fundamentals of Mental Health Technician

Program
Mental Health Technician
Credits 6 Lecture Hours 4 Lab Hours 3
Clinical Credits
3

This course provides basic theory, laboratory, and clinical experiences for the development of skills required in the provision of entry-level patient care to individuals receiving care in mental health agencies, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, or other healthcare facilities.  The role of the mental health technician as a member of the healthcare team is integrated into preparation for both the seventy-five (75) hour Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) requirements for Certified Nursing Assistant and for the Patient Care Technician credentials. Introduced in this course are concepts of therapeutic communication, patient observation, safety, mobility/body mechanics, personal and restorative care, and infection control, as well as associated psychomotor skills.  Additional procedural skills for the patient care technician credential eligibility, such as venipuncture, capillary puncture, ECG performance, sterile technique, and performance of critical health measurements are also covered.  Upon completion of this course, the student should demonstrate satisfactory performance on written examinations and clinical skills.

MHT 120: Addiction and Forensic Psychology

Program
Mental Health Technician
Credits 4 Lecture Hours 4

This course includes the study of the psychological, social, and physical factors that affect human behavior across the lifespan. This course provides insight into the incidence of addiction in America by exploring societal norms, regulation, and misconceptions. Using scientific inquiry, students will learn why people abuse substances; both illicit and prescribed. Forensic matters are discussed including policies for regulation of legal substances and enforcement of laws related to the use of illicit substances. The socioeconomic impact of addiction will also be covered. Ethical practice and professional conduct are also discussed in this course.

MHT 130: Management of Behavioral Crisis

Program
Mental Health Technician
Credits 4 Lecture Hours 2 Lab Hours 3
Clinical Credits
3

This course concentrates on the management of patients/residents with behavioral concerns. Prevention, intervention, documentation, and techniques/strategies to manage behavior in health care settings are taught in this course. This course also includes a clinical practicum.

MHT 140: Psychiatric Pharmacology

Program
Mental Health Technician
Credits 4 Lecture Hours 3 Lab Hours 3

This course delves into the commonly used medications for patients/residents with psychiatric disorders. Routes of administration, indications, therapeutic uses, adverse outcomes, and effects will be examined.