Barton Community College is accepting applications for its Mental Health Technician (MHT) program set to begin Jan. 8, 2018. Applications will be accepted through Nov. 1.
The MHT program is 45 credit hours. The general education courses (20 credit-hours) can be taken online or face-to-face. All MHT courses (25 credit-hours) meet face-to-face at Larned State Hospital. Upon completion, an MHT student is eligible to take the licensure exam to become a Licensed MHT. The licensing is completed through the Kansas State Board of Nursing.
An MHT generally works under the direct supervision of psychiatrists or nurses to provide care for patients suffering from mental or behavioral illnesses. An MHT’s job is to assist various types of psychiatric patients in need and to provide auxiliary support to the primary care providers of patients. The work includes observing the psychiatric patients’ response to therapy and processing or reporting the clinical findings to the Consultant Psychiatrist. MHTs also assist patients in performing routine activities like maintaining oral hygiene, bathing, eating, dressing and walking.
There are two MHT programs in Kansas, but Barton’s is the only program in the state where students earn college credit that can catapult them into future career paths like psychology, nursing and more.
For more information, contact Executive Director of Nursing & Healthcare Education Dr. Kathy Kottas at kottask@bartonccc.edu or Instructor and Coordinator for the Mental Health Technician program Cherie Shaver shaverc@bartonccc.edu.