The majority of psychiatric technicians do not need a license. As of 2022, only a handful of states require that these professionals acquire a license: California, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Colorado. Within these five states, the licensing criteria vary considerably.
Some of these states require documentation of a certain number of hours of postsecondary education, while others require proof of on-the-job experience hours. Most of these states require the applicant to sit for a licensing exam, and most of them require the payment of a licensing fee.
If you plan to work in a state that has a licensing requirement for psychiatric technicians, it’s a good idea to research the eligibility criteria well in advance to ensure that your degree program will fit the requirements. Even if you do not live in a state that requires you to obtain a professional license, you may want to pursue voluntary certification.
Although it is not mandatory, earning a certification as a psychiatric technician can provide considerable benefits. Certified technicians may be more likely to be offered employment, and they may secure a higher salary and/or a more favorable benefits package. Certification can also enable you to provide a higher quality of care to the patients under your charge.
The chief certifying body for psychiatric technicians is the American Association of Psychiatric Technicians (AAPT). The AAPT offers four different levels of certification.
The higher the level, the more education and experience the technician has; a level-four psychiatric technician has a bachelor’s degree in the mental health or developmental disabilities field and at least three years of professional work experience.
All technicians who seek certification must first pass the level one certification exam, which has the lowest level of eligibility criteria. This is an open-book, at-home certification exam. An essay test is required for higher levels of certification.
Even if you don’t plan on becoming certified, you may want to explore the AAPT website as you approach graduation. This nonprofit association routinely posts job openings for psychiatric technicians.