Mental Health Administration Programs

Mental health administration is a subspecialty of psychology and a hybrid with business management that teaches one the clinical, advisory, and business aspects of working in the mental health care industry. Mental health administrators are considered highly valuable components to their employers, but as such, they are tasked with a great deal of responsibility.

Walden University

Featured Programs:
BS in Psychology - Graduate School Prep

Southern New Hampshire University

Featured Programs:
BA in Psychology/Child & Adolescent Development (Online)

A mental health administrator must demonstrate competence at theoretical principles of mental health care. They must also be able to manage employees and business matters, and make decisions that are in the best interests of the organization as a whole. If great responsibility and great pay are attractive propositions, one will find that in the mental health administration career path.

Useful Mental Health Care Administration Resources

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• North Sound Mental Health Administration
• Michigan Mental Health and Substance Abuse Page

Capella University

Featured Programs:
MS in General Psychology (Online)
MS in Child and Adolescent Development

Post University

Featured Programs:
BA in Psychology (Online)

Mental Health Administration Methods of Operation

Managing treatment plans for patients, serving as a support unit to the clinical practitioner and the patient, and working within the legal and ethical guidelines of health care as a whole are major responsibilities of the mental health administrator. While an administrator may not engage as directly with patients, he will have a direct impact on the care they receive through delegation and oversight.

It's worth mentioning that if you value the patient interaction above all else, you may not wish to get involved with this avenue of the psychology profession. However, it is important not to lose sight that you are still making a major impact in the lives of those with mental health disorders.

Kaplan University

Featured Programs:
BS Psychology (Online)

Northcentral University

Featured Programs:
MA in Health Psychology (Online)

Careers in Mental Health Administration

Careers in the field are very lucrative, but they can also be incredibly competitive. There are far fewer administrative openings than there are for clinical practitioners. You can set yourself apart from others in your field by taking business management courses with a specific focus on health care as you pursue a doctorate degree.

Most professionals within this field earn well above the $100,000 annual mark. A career in mental health administration is time consuming, but it does a fine job of compensating the professional for his time and management skills. Just be prepared to fight for jobs with other health care administrative professionals.

Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Featured Programs:
MA in Applied Forensic Psychology (Online)

Mental Health Administration Education and Training

As previously mentioned, to have a chance at a job in this field, one will need a mental health administration degree and several years experience in the field. The doctorate degree path has a focus on mental health services, but one cannot neglect the business aspects during his training.