Mental Health Assistant | Dutchess Community College

Skills & Competencies

Skills developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET via SOC 21-1014.00

Skills

Social PerceptivenessActive ListeningSpeakingReading ComprehensionWritingJudgment and Decision MakingCritical ThinkingService Orientation

Knowledge

Therapy and CounselingPsychologyCustomer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageSociology and Anthropology

Abilities

Oral ComprehensionOral ExpressionProblem SensitivityWritten ComprehensionWritten ExpressionDeductive ReasoningInductive ReasoningSpeech RecognitionSpeech ClarityFluency of Ideas

Tasks

Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients' treatment.
Encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, helping th
Counsel clients or patients, individually or in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies
Guide clients in the development of skills or strategies for dealing with their problems and coping with triggering factors.
Respond to client communications by monitoring voicemail and email, returning phone calls, and making follow-up calls for missed appointments.

Technology

Medical softwareData base user interface and query softwareElectronic mail softwareProject management softwareEnterprise resource planning ERP software

Tools

Desktop computersDigital medical thermometersFlatbed scannersNotebook computersPersonal computersSphygmomanometers

Work Values

RelationshipsAchievementIndependenceRecognitionWorking ConditionsSupport

Career Pathways

Occupations this program prepares you for

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET + BLS

Occupations matched to this program, with median wage, top wage, growth, and openings
SOC	Occupation	Method	Wage	Growth	Openings
Match confidence: medium21-1014.00	Mental Health Counselors	title_inference	$57,480 median$96,620 top	—	—

Program Pathways

Credentials this program stacks toward

No program pathways.

What You'll Learn

Key competencies developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom NSX Competency Framework

Mastery: developing (Level 2)(based on Associate's Degree)

Individual and group counseling sessions — facilitate routinely for clients managing dependency, life adjustment, or co-occurring disorders with reduced direct oversight in a community mental health center.
Confidential client records — maintain and update federal- and state-mandated documentation independently, ensuring accuracy and compliance across an active caseload.
Risk of suicide — assess systematically using clinical judgment and validated tools, formulating safety plans collaboratively with clients in both outpatient and crisis stabilization settings.
Crisis intervention strategies — implement structured de-escalation and safety planning with clients in acute distress, coordinating with multidisciplinary teams as needed.
Coping skill development — guide clients in identifying and practicing individualized strategies for managing anxiety, depression, or interpersonal conflict during ongoing therapeutic relationships.
Treatment goals — collaboratively establish measurable objectives with clients, adjusting interventions in response to progress or setbacks across a routine caseload.
Written clinical communications — compose clear and professionally structured progress notes, referral letters, and treatment summaries using word processing and office suite software.
Reading comprehension of clinical literature — apply updated research findings to refine counseling approaches for clients presenting with complex mental health concerns.
Time management — organize scheduling, documentation, and follow-up tasks efficiently to meet agency productivity standards while maintaining quality of care.
Inductive reasoning — synthesize client-reported experiences and behavioral patterns to form preliminary diagnostic impressions within a supervised clinical framework.

Program Details

Detailed information about this program

No detailed information available.

Requirements

What you need to earn this credential

No requirements listed.

Financial Aid

Eligible funding programs

No funding information available.

Scholarships

No scholarships listed.