Community Mental Health Careers

Community mental health centers provide easily accessible high quality mental healthcare services to its community members. In general, community mental health centers accept patients with or without insurance, payment based on a sliding fee scale or copay, whichever is more applicable to the individual patien'ts financial situation.

Careers within the community mental health arena vary in education requirements and roles. Yet, all play an important part in their patients’ mental healthcare needs.

Psychiatrists

Physicians specializing in psychiatry, psychiatrists serve as primary mental healthcare providers. They assess and treat an array of mental illnesses from mild to severe through a variety of means, including but not limited to medication, psychotherapy and hospitalization.

Counselors

At the foundation of individual, group and supported community living counseling, counselors play an active role in therapy. Many also provide on-site elementary school counseling, both at the community mental health center and school, assessing and evaluating children’s strengths and problem areas through play therapy. Teachers and administrators confer with the counselor, assessing their curricula to complement both academic and development goals. Counselors assess and observe children individually and during class. At the community mental health center, counselors provide play therapy for children.

Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners

Blending healthcare between patients and care providers, advanced registered nurse practitioners within the community mental health field have taken the liberty to specialize in mental healthcare, surpassing their registered nursing requirements. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, advanced registered nurse practitioners may prescribe necessary medications throughout the United States and District of Columbia.