A mental health professional is a health care practitioner or social and human services provider who offers services for the purpose of improving an individual's mental health or to treat mental disorders. This broad category was developed as a name for community personnel who worked in the new community mental health agencies begun in the 1970s to assist individuals moving from state hospitals, to prevent admissions, and to provide support in homes, jobs, education, and community. These individuals (i.e., state office personnel, private sector personnel, and non-profit, now voluntary sector personnel) were the forefront brigade to develop the community programs, which today may be referred to by names such as supported housing, psychiatric rehabilitation, supported or transitional employment, sheltered workshops, supported education, daily living skills, affirmative industries, dual diagnosis treatment, individual and family psychoeducation, adult day care, foster care, family services and mental health counseling.
Psychiatrists - physicians who use the biomedical model to treat mental health problems - may prescribe medication. The term counselors often refers to office-based professionals who offer therapy sessions to their clients, operated by organizations such as pastoral counseling (which may or may not work with long-term services clients) and family counselors. Mental health counselors may refer to counselors working in residential services in the field of mental health in community programs.
As community professionals
As Dr. William Anthony, father of psychiatric rehabilitation, described, psychiatric nurses (RNMH, RMN, CPN), clinical psychologists (PsyD or PhD), clinical social workers (MSW or MSSW), mental health counselors (MA or MS), professional counselors, pharmacists, as well as many other professionals are often educated in "psychiatric fields" or conversely, educated in a generic community approach (e.g. human services programs or health and human services in 2013). However, his primary concern is education that leads to a willingness to work with "long-term services and supports" community supportAnthony, W. & Blanch, A. (1994). Research on community support services: What have we learned? "Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal", 12(3): 55-81.Anthony, W., Cohen, M., Farkas, M. & Gagne, C. (2002). "Psychiatric Rehabilitation". Boston, MA: Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Sargent College of Medicine and Rehabilitative Services, Boston University. in the community to lead to better life quality for the individual, the families and the community.
The community support framework in the US of the 1970sCarling, P. (1995). "Return to the Community: Building Support Systems for People with Psychiatric Disabilities". NY, NY: Guilford Press.Jacobsen, J., Burchard, S. & Carling, P. (1990). "Clinical Services, Social Adjustment and Worklife in Community Living". Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.Racino, J. (1999). Role of family case study research in family policy: Local agency delivery systems. "Policy, Program Evaluation and Research in Disability: Community Support for All." Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press. is taken-for-granted as the base for new treatment developments (e.g., eating disorders, drug addiction programs) which tend to be free-standing clinics for specific "disorders". Typically, the term "mental health professional" does not refer to other categorical disability areas, such as intellectual and developmental disability (which trains its own professionals and maintains its own journals, and US state systems and institutions). Psychiatric rehabilitation has also been reintroduced into the transfer to behavioral health care systems.
As certified and licensed (across institutions and communities)
These professionals often deal with the same illnesses, disorders, conditions, and issues (though may separate on-site locations, such as a hospital or community for the same clientele); however, their scope of practice differs and more particularly, their positions and roles in the fields of mental health services and systems. The most significant difference between mental health professionals are the laws regarding required education and training across the various professions. However, the most significant change has been the Supreme Court Olmstead decision on the most integrated setting which should further reduce state hospital utilization; yet with new professionals seeking right for community treatment orders and rights to administer medications (original community programs, residents taught to self-administer medications, 1970s).
In 2013, new mental health practitioners are licensed or certified in the community (e.g., PhD, education in private clinical practice) by states, degrees and certifications are offered in fields such as psychiatric rehabilitation (MS, PhD), BA psychology (liberal arts, experimental/clinical/existential/community) to MA licensing is now more popular, BA (to PhD) mid-level program management, qualified civil service professionals, and social workers remain the mainstay of community admissions procedures (licensed by state, often generic training) in the US. Surprisingly, state direction has moved from psychiatry or clinical psychology to community leadership and professionalization of community services management.
Entry-level recruitment and training remain a primary concern (since the 1970s, then often competing with fast food positions), and the US Direct Support Workforce includes an emphasis on also training of psychiatric aides, behavioral aides, and addictions aides to work in homes and communities.Larson, S. (2014, in press). US Direct Support Workforce. In J. A. Racino, "Public Administration and Disability: Community Services Administration in the US". NY, NY: CRC Press, Francis and Taylor. The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare have new provisions for "self-direction" in services and new options are in place for individual plans for better life outcomes. Community programs are increasingly using health care financing, such as Medicaid, and Mental Health Parity is now law in the US.
Professional distinctions
Comparison of American mental health professionals
Occupation Degree Common licenses Prescription privilege Average income (US$) Psychiatrist MD/DO Physician Yes $275,000 Psychiatric Rehabilitation Counselor Master of Rehabilitation Sciences PhD Doctor of Philosophy Similar to Related Personnel (Cognitive Sciences), Rehabilitation Counselors No $50,000 Clinical Psychologist PhD/PsyD Psychologist Varies by State $85,000Wicherski, M. (2007). Report of the 2007 APA Salary Survey School Psychologist Doctoral level PhD/EdD/PsyD Post-master's terminal degree (not doctoral level) EdS Doctoral degrees, PhD Inclusion educators Master's level MA/MS Certified School Psychology, National Certified School Psychologist No $78,000 Counselor/Psychotherapist (Doctorate) PhD/EdD/DMFT Psychologist No $45,000-$75,000 Counselor/Psychotherapist/Rehabilitation/Mental Health (Master's) MA/MS/MC plus two to three years of post-master's supervised clinical experience Mental health counselors/LMFT/LCPC/LPC/LPA/LMHC No $49,000 Clinical or Psychiatric Social Worker MSW/DSW/PhD plus two to three years of post-master's supervised clinical experience LCSW/LMSW/LSW No $50,700 Social Worker (agency based master's/doctoral levels) MSW/DSW/PhD LMSW/GSW/LSW No $46,170-$70,000 Social Worker (bachelor or diploma level) BSW or SSW RSW, RSSW, SWA, social work assistant No $35,000 Occupational therapist (Doctorate/master level) MOT, MSOT, OTD, ScD, PhD Related supervised community personnel in physical, speech and communication, OTR, COTA No $45,000-69,630 Licensed behavior analysts Licensed dual inclusion educators (Doctorate/master level) Behavior analyst, substance abuse and behavioral disorders, "inclusion educator" PhD/EdD/MS/MEd/MA LBA/LBS/BCBA/BCBA-D Dual Licensed inclusion educator No $60,000, $80,000 up for inclusion educator Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner MSN/DNP/PhD PMHNP-BC Advance News Magazines. (2005). Yes $128,000 Physician assistant MPAS/MHS/MMS/DScPA PA/PA-C/APA-C/RPA/RPA-C Yes $124,000 Expressive Therapist/Creative Arts Therapist MA/ATR/ATR-BC ATR-BC/MT-BC/BC-DMT/RDT/CPT No $30,000-70,000
Additional Sources/Clarifications: now operating programs with health care financing in the community. Higher-paid medical and health services manager which only operate facilities, considered to be easier than dispersed services management in the community for long-term services and supports (LTSS) often by disability NGOs or state governments (civil service).
The Mental Health Professional Class has often not been included in these occupational schemas in which Occupational Handbooks often separate Human Service Management Classes and Professional Classes from the term Health Care. Common salary ranges are in the $30,000-40,000 range for the higher professional at the small community agency. The professionals are considered to be part of the federal Health and Human Services Professions. Their responsibilities at the highest levels are greater than a psychiatric assistant who is responsible, to date, only to the psychiatrist. The occupational therapist is considered as an aide to that professional level, as is a behavioral specialist as hired by the agency and the nurse practitioner. Mental health workers in the community (e.g., workers with the homeless, in homes, families and jails, community programs such as group homes) may still be termed Community Support Workers with diverse degrees and qualifications [US Direct Support Professional Workforce].
Children's professionals in the field of mental health include inclusion educators (over $80,000 at the PhD level) who have been cross-educated in the fields, and "residential treatment" personnel who need dual reviews of credentials (child care, family support, child welfare, independent living, special education and home life, residential skills training programs).
Treatment diversity and community mental health
Mental health professionals exist to improve the mental health of individuals, couples, families and the community-at-large. [In this generic use, mental health is available to the entire population, similar to the use by mental health associations.] Because mental health covers a wide range of elements, the scope of practice greatly varies between professionals. Some professionals may enhance relationships while others treat specific mental disorders and illness; still, others work on population-based health promotion or prevention activities. Often, as with the case of psychiatrists and psychologists, the scope of practice may overlap due to common hiring and promotion practices by employers.
As indicated earlier, community mental health professionals are involved in the origination and operation of community programs which include ongoing efforts to improve life outcomes, including through long-term services and support (LTSS). Termed functional or competency-based programs, this service also stresses decision-making and self-determination or empowerment as critical aspects. Community mental health professionals may also serve children who have different needs, as do families, including family therapy, financial assistance and support services. Community mental health professionals serve people of all ages from young children with autism to children with emotional (or behavioral) needs to grandma who has Alzheimer's or dementia and is living at home after dad dies.