Mental Health Technician Jobs for OPT Students
Mental Health Technician roles are among the more OPT-accessible positions in healthcare, since many employers hire for direct patient care experience over advanced licensure. STEM OPT extension eligibility depends on your degree field, so confirm whether your program qualifies before applying.
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Join the mission of Improving Lives as a Mental Health Technician at Jefferson Health. With more than 42,000 employees, we’re the second largest employer in Philadelphia and the largest health system in the Philadelphia region. And our work to improve lives is never done.
Job Description
Mental Health Technicians are responsible for the following:
-
Assists the RN in delivering care, observing patient behaviors, and more.
-
Reports/documents any changes in patients mood or behavior in a timely fashion.
-
Provides one-on-one sessions with assigned patients as needed.
Mental Health Technicians will maintain a full patient caseload with an assigned primary nurse in an inpatient setting, and provide care for all patients effectively and compassionately.
Qualifications for this position include:
-
High School Diploma required
-
At Least 12 college credits, and full college degree preferred
-
BS or BA in behavioral health field preferred
-
One-year experience with behavioral health clients preferred
-
BLS through American Heart Association or American Red Cross required
-
Must be trained in PEAT and able to safely schedule and restrain an aggressively acting out patient
Benefits include, but are not limited to:
-
Comprehensive Medical, Dental, & Vision Plans
-
Retirement Plans
-
Tuition Reimbursement
-
Health Coaching, Commuter Discounts, Day Care Services, etc.
Join our team! Simply go to recruit.jefferson.edu and search (job#)
Salary Range
$17.78 to $25.33 Hourly
The actual hiring rate will be determined based on candidate experience, skills and qualifications. This position is not eligible for an annual incentive.
Work Shift
Workday Night (United States of America)
Worker Sub Type
Regular
Employee Entity
Kennedy University Hospitals, Inc
Primary Location Address
2201 Chapel Ave West & Cooper Landing Rd, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, United States of America
Nationally ranked, Jefferson, which is principally located in the greater Philadelphia region, Lehigh Valley and Northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value. Jefferson is more than 65,000 people strong, dedicated to providing the highest-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow's professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research.
Jefferson is committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons without regard to age, race, color, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, military status, veteran status, handicap or disability or any other protected group or status.
Benefits
Jefferson offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and part-time colleagues, including medical (including prescription), supplemental insurance, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, short- and long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, retirement plans, tuition assistance, as well as voluntary benefits, which provide colleagues with access to group rates on insurance and discounts. Colleagues have access to tuition discounts at Thomas Jefferson University after one year of full time service or two years of part time service. All colleagues, including those who work less than part-time (including per diem colleagues, adjunct faculty, and Jeff Temps), have access to medical (including prescription) insurance.
Job Details
Join the mission of Improving Lives as a Mental Health Technician at Jefferson Health. With more than 42,000 employees, we’re the second largest employer in Philadelphia and the largest health system in the Philadelphia region. And our work to improve lives is never done.
Job Description
Mental Health Technicians are responsible for the following:
-
Assists the RN in delivering care, observing patient behaviors, and more.
-
Reports/documents any changes in patients mood or behavior in a timely fashion.
-
Provides one-on-one sessions with assigned patients as needed.
Mental Health Technicians will maintain a full patient caseload with an assigned primary nurse in an inpatient setting, and provide care for all patients effectively and compassionately.
Qualifications for this position include:
-
High School Diploma required
-
At Least 12 college credits, and full college degree preferred
-
BS or BA in behavioral health field preferred
-
One-year experience with behavioral health clients preferred
-
BLS through American Heart Association or American Red Cross required
-
Must be trained in PEAT and able to safely schedule and restrain an aggressively acting out patient
Benefits include, but are not limited to:
-
Comprehensive Medical, Dental, & Vision Plans
-
Retirement Plans
-
Tuition Reimbursement
-
Health Coaching, Commuter Discounts, Day Care Services, etc.
Join our team! Simply go to recruit.jefferson.edu and search (job#)
Salary Range
$17.78 to $25.33 Hourly
The actual hiring rate will be determined based on candidate experience, skills and qualifications. This position is not eligible for an annual incentive.
Work Shift
Workday Night (United States of America)
Worker Sub Type
Regular
Employee Entity
Kennedy University Hospitals, Inc
Primary Location Address
2201 Chapel Ave West & Cooper Landing Rd, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, United States of America
Nationally ranked, Jefferson, which is principally located in the greater Philadelphia region, Lehigh Valley and Northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey, is reimagining health care and higher education to create unparalleled value. Jefferson is more than 65,000 people strong, dedicated to providing the highest-quality, compassionate clinical care for patients; making our communities healthier and stronger; preparing tomorrow's professional leaders for 21st-century careers; and creating new knowledge through basic/programmatic, clinical and applied research.
Jefferson is committed to providing equal educational and employment opportunities for all persons without regard to age, race, color, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, military status, veteran status, handicap or disability or any other protected group or status.
Benefits
Jefferson offers a comprehensive package of benefits for full-time and part-time colleagues, including medical (including prescription), supplemental insurance, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, short- and long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, retirement plans, tuition assistance, as well as voluntary benefits, which provide colleagues with access to group rates on insurance and discounts. Colleagues have access to tuition discounts at Thomas Jefferson University after one year of full time service or two years of part time service. All colleagues, including those who work less than part-time (including per diem colleagues, adjunct faculty, and Jeff Temps), have access to medical (including prescription) insurance.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship as a Mental Health Technician
Target employers already familiar with OPT
Large hospital systems, behavioral health networks, and residential treatment facilities hire internationally trained candidates more regularly than smaller private practices. Their HR teams understand work authorization timelines and are less likely to withdraw offers over OPT paperwork.
Apply before your OPT start date
Many healthcare employers need time to complete background checks and credentialing before your first shift. Start applying two to three months before your OPT start date so onboarding doesn't collide with your authorization window unexpectedly.
Know your STEM OPT eligibility upfront
If your degree is in psychology, neuroscience, or a qualifying STEM field, you may be eligible for a 24-month STEM OPT extension. Confirming this early lets you communicate a longer work authorization window to employers, which reduces their concern about short timelines.
Clarify your clinical scope of practice
Mental Health Technician roles vary significantly by state in terms of what tasks you can perform without additional licensure. Knowing your scope before interviews lets you answer employer questions confidently and avoids delays caused by credentialing issues post-hire.
Highlight behavioral health training and certifications
Certifications like CPR, crisis intervention, or de-escalation training signal job-readiness to employers reviewing OPT candidates. These credentials reduce perceived hiring risk and help your application compete against candidates with longer-term work authorization.
Mental Health Technician jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Mental Health Technician on OPT?
Yes. Mental Health Technician roles qualify as valid OPT employment as long as the work is directly related to your degree field. If your degree is in psychology, social work, counseling, or a related discipline, working as a Mental Health Technician satisfies the USCIS requirement that OPT employment be related to your field of study.
Do Mental Health Technician employers typically sponsor H-1B visas?
It depends on the employer. Large hospital systems and behavioral health organizations with established HR departments are more likely to sponsor H-1B visas than small outpatient clinics or private practices. During your OPT period, it's worth identifying employers with a history of sponsoring international staff early, since H-1B petitions must be filed months before your OPT expires. Migrate Mate can help you filter for roles at sponsorship-friendly employers.
Does a Mental Health Technician role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Only if your underlying degree is classified as a STEM field by DHS. Psychology and neuroscience degrees sometimes qualify depending on the CIP code your university assigned. Social work and counseling degrees typically do not qualify. Check with your DSO to confirm whether your specific program is on the STEM designated degree list before factoring an extension into your job search timeline.
What happens if my OPT expires before my employer files for H-1B sponsorship?
If your OPT expires before H-1B sponsorship is secured, you lose authorization to work and must stop working immediately. The H-1B lottery opens once per year in March, with an October 1 start date. If you're hired late in your OPT window, cap-gap protection may apply if you have an approved H-1B petition and your F-1 status remains valid. Talk to your DSO about your specific timeline as soon as possible.
Are Mental Health Technician jobs part-time or full-time, and does that affect my OPT?
Both arrangements exist, but part-time work carries risk during OPT. USCIS requires that OPT employment be at least 20 hours per week to count as valid OPT employment. Working fewer than 20 hours or having gaps longer than 90 days in your employment can jeopardize your OPT status. Full-time positions at inpatient facilities, residential programs, or hospital units are typically safer for maintaining compliant OPT employment.
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