Behavioral Health Technician   Behavioral Health Technicians (BHTs) are enlisted health care professionals who provide a broad spectrum of behavioral health support in both clinical and operational settings. The BHT Course is a jointservice program that trains Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen to support the mental readiness and resilience of Service Members and their families. Over the course of training, students gain practical skills in communication, counseling, and behavioral health support while establishing a strong foundation in human development, psychological assessment, prevention and management of disruptive behaviors, and combat and operational stress control. Instruction blends classroom learning with supervised clinical practicums in military and civilian facilities across San Antonio, ensuring graduates are ready to support the force from day one. All students begin with a 9-week (377 hour) consolidated curriculum, training side-by-side in the fundamentals of behavioral health. They then transition to service specific phases tailored to their unique mission roles: Air Force: 14 weeks, 3 days total (571 hours) – includes 2 weeks of directed clinical practicum and rotations through behavioral health subspecialties in alcohol/drug abuse prevention and treatment. Army: 17 weeks total (692) – includes 4 weeks of directed clinical practicum and a field training exercise where students put their skills to the test in a simulated deployed environment. During the exercise, they provide behavioral health support under austere conditions, practice triage and crisis intervention, and learn to sustain readiness and resilience for Soldiers in combat operations. Navy & Coast Guard: 15 weeks total (598 hours) – includes 4 weeks of directed clinical practicum and focused training in psychotropic medication management and behavioral health care delivery.

US Air Force AFSC: Mental Health Service Apprentice Course Length:  571 hours / 14 weeks, 3 days Iterations per year: 12  US Army MOS: Behavioral Health Specialist Course Length:  692 hours / 17 weeks, 4 days Iterations per year: 12  US Navy NEC: Behavioral Health Technician Course Length:  598 hours / 15 weeks Iterations per year: 12   US Coast Guard NEC: Behavioral Health Technician Course Length:  598 hours / 15 weeks Iterations per year: 12 School Code 083 Want more information? Search Instructions

Behavioral Health Technicians (BHT) are allied health professionals focused on communication techniques required to assess/evaluate military personnel and their family members in need of Behavioral Health care.

The BHT course provides formal didactic training at METC and is a consolidated course with three military services. It is designed to provide training in the areas of: Human Growth and Development, Psychopathology, Psychiatric Behavioral Interventions, Interviewing Skills, Psychological Testing, Counseling, and Combat Operational Stress Control (COCS).

The course combines didactic classroom instruction with closely supervised practical exercises. During the course of instruction, students are given an opportunity to gain hands-on experiential training within a clinical environment. The specific nature of this course is to train METC BHT students in the collection and recording of psychosocial and physical data from intake interviews and counseling sessions; assisting patients with activities of daily living; conducting group counseling sessions; the observation of medication side effects and behavioral changes; providing educational presentations to patients on coping skills, medication adherence, and suicide prevention. The course closes with a practicum in several area mental health facilities.

Students will interact with real patients in inpatient and outpatient settings, gaining valuable hands-on experience prior to graduation. Methods of instruction include, but are not limited to: lecture, demonstration, online materials, simulations, laboratory practice, and practical exercises. Quality control and safety techniques are emphasized throughout the course.

Special Information:
Army students must meet the physical and administrative prerequisites in accordance with the Army Training Requirements and Resources System (ATRRS) and AR 614-200, Chapter 4, Table 4-1.
Navy students must meet the prerequisite screening requirements in accordance with the Catalog of Navy Training Courses (CANTRAC).
Air Force students must meet the requirements for entry into the specialty in accordance with Air Force Enlisted Classification Directory, 4C.

Accreditation Information:

METC Information

(210) 808-6382

E-mail:dha.jbsa.dha-metc.mbx.operations-south@health.mil

Contact Page