The Psychological Health Center of Excellence, PHCoE, is working to improve patient care and clinical operations by supporting the best practice of utilizing mental health technicians across the services.
Mental health technicians, MHTs, formerly called behavioral health technicians, psychiatric technicians, or mental health specialists — are enlisted service members who fulfill a wide range of tasks to support mental health providers in the Military Health System. MHTs' specific duties vary by clinic, supervisor, and service and can include conducting intake interviews and mental health screenings, triaging patients, and carrying out administrative tasks. MHTs serve a vital role in enhancing clinic efficiency and improving direct patient care.
Mental Health Technician Work Group
In 2017, PHCoE established the Behavioral Health Technician Work Group. The work group was made up of clinician and technician leaders from the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Capital Region Behavioral Health, the Marine Corps Operational Stress Control and Readiness program, and Fleet Marine Force. The group’s purpose was to share knowledge, resources, and efforts to support active-duty MHTs. The work group made great strides in identifying ways to optimize technician usage and improve patient care and clinic operations.
Additionally, the RAND Corporation assessed the current functional operation and utilization of MHTs. As a result, the following reports were published:
These reports provide insights on selection, training, roles, and responsibilities of MHTs. The findings suggest a need to better understand how factors such as setting, supervisor preferences, and availability of ongoing training affect MHT roles. Due to their paraprofessional roles, MHTs often serve the patient populations with whom they help, work, and socialize.
Mental Health Technician Use and Implementation
This guide provides clinicians with a thorough understanding of technician training and competencies. It also highlights technician utilization best practices and the positive impact they can have on access to care, provider workload, and quality of care for service members and their dependents.
The Practice-Based Implementation Network is a DOD and VA initiative to bridge the gap between research and practice in the military health clinic. The PBI Network started the Behavioral Health Technician Optimization pilot program in 2021 to expand and optimize the use of MHTs and potentially inform enterprise-wide clinical changes. The published pilot report, Practice-Based Implementation Network: Behavioral Health Technician Optimization Pilot Lessons Learned,1 found that it was feasible and acceptable to incorporate individualized MHT optimization plans. This pilot also highlighted the importance of setting clear parameters around MHT use by recommending that military health clinics establish action plans delineating the use of MHTs and prioritizing their supervision and training.
To help prevent ethical dilemmas, power differentials, and multiple relationships, Reddy et al. (2023)2 provided recommendations and clinical tools for specialized supervision and guidance that supports and adequately prepares MHTs for their unique positions within the military environment.
References
- Libretto, S., Edwards-Stewart, A., Kazi, A. K., Narayanan-Pandit, S., DeRoma, V., McLaughlin, E., & Shank, L. M. (2024). Practice-Based Implementation Network: Behavioral Health Technician Optimization Pilot Lessons Learned. Military medicine, 189(Suppl 3), 665–670. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39160834/
- Reddy, M. K., Anthony, J. R., Rehmert, K. A., Wheat, A. R., & Hoyt, T. (2023). Military behavioral health technicians: Multiple relationship dilemmas and recommendations for supervision. Psychological Services, 20(2), 353–362. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35446095/