Jobs / Healthcare / 29-2053.00
Psychiatric Technicians
Care for individuals with mental or emotional conditions or disabilities, following the instructions of physicians or other health practitioners. Monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being and report to medical staff. May participate in rehabilitation and treatment programs, help with personal hygiene, and administer oral or injectable medications.
- US jobs
- 156,960
- Median wage
- $45,130 a year
- Job family
- Healthcare
Can agents do the work of psychiatric technicians?
We read the evidence for the whole job family, Healthcare: Some tasks (no change in 12 months)
Agents complete 20% or more of the tasks (or projects) on a direct benchmark.
Evidence: MedAgentBench, 69.7% of tasks completed.
0% of this occupation's work, by O*NET work activities, is measured by a direct benchmark.
- 16%Provide support or encouragement to othersNot measured
- 14%Train others on health or medical topicsNot measured
- 10%Confer with healthcare or other professionals about patient careNot measured
- 9%Assist healthcare practitioners during medical proceduresNot measured
- 9%Administer therapeutic treatmentsNot measured
- 7%Assist individuals with special needsNot measured
- 6%Transport patients or clientsNot measured
- 6%Treat injuries, illnesses, or diseasesNot measured
Benchmarks for the job family
These cover work in healthcare, not always this occupation's tasks.
Direct evidence
Work benchmarks mapped primary to this family. They set the step when they report how many tasks agents complete.
Also relevant
These benchmarks cover part of this family's work, or have no result yet. They do not set its step.
Context only
These benchmarks span many occupations, or they test how agents behave. They give context but do not set the step.
- 1846 EloClaude Opus 5.5 (Adaptive Reasoning, Max Effort, Default Fallback) · 23 Sep 2026Unrated
Typical tasks
From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.
- Provide nursing, psychiatric, or personal care to patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities.
- Encourage patients to develop work skills and to participate in social, recreational, or other therapeutic activities that enhance interpersonal skills or develop social relationships.
- Restrain violent, potentially violent, or suicidal patients by verbal or physical means as required.
- Lead prescribed individual or group therapy sessions as part of specific therapeutic procedures.
- Monitor patients' physical and emotional well-being and report unusual behavior or physical ailments to medical staff.
- Take and record measures of patients' physical condition, using devices such as thermometers or blood pressure gauges.
- Observe and influence patients' behavior, communicating and interacting with them and teaching, counseling, or befriending them.
- Aid patients in performing tasks, such as bathing or keeping beds, clothing, or living areas clean.
- Collaborate with or assist doctors, psychologists, or rehabilitation therapists in working with patients with cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities to treat, rehabilitate, and return patients to the community.
- Develop or teach strategies to promote client wellness and independence.
- Train or instruct new employees on procedures to follow with psychiatric patients.
- Escort patients to medical appointments.
Other job titles for this occupation (24)
BHT (Behavioral Health Technician) · Health Care Technician (Health Care Tech) · LPT (Licensed Psychiatric Technician) · Mental Health Associate · Mental Health Specialist · Mental Health Technician (MHT) · MHA (Mental Health Assistant) · MHW (Mental Health Worker) · Psychiatric Technician (PT) · Residential Aide (RA) · Autism Behavior Technician (Autism Behavior Tech) · Behavior Technician (Behavior Tech) · Behavioral Health Associate · Behavioral Technician (Behavioral Tech) · Counselor · Milieu Therapist · Patient Care Specialist · Psychiatric Assistant · Psychiatric Safety Tech (Psychiatric Safety Technician) · Psychology Associate · Psychology Technician (Psychology Tech) · RBT (Registered Behavior Technician) · Rehabilitation Technician (Rehab Tech) · Support Team Member (STM)