Psychiatric Technician

The Psychiatric Technician program prepares students to provide care to individuals with psychiatric mental health conditions and developmental disorders through coursework in social sciences, natural sciences, and the nursing discipline. This program emphasizes theory and clinical practice in nursing, mental health disorders and development disabilities for direct client care. After completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take the California Psychiatric Technician Licensing Examination.

The new certificate of achievement and associate in arts for the Psychiatric Technician program will support students seeking to complete their education for an in-demand field. The proposed start date for this three-semester program is spring 2029. The first cohort is anticipated to graduate in May 2030. Thereafter, the program will admit and graduate 20 students on a yearly basis.

Based on projections related to enrollment and course sequencing the college expects to award approximately 20 annual degrees starting with spring 2030 completers. Completion is highly dependent on completing required program coursework and clinical hours.

Psychiatric technicians are essential members of the healthcare workforce as they provide care to individuals with psychiatric mental health conditions and developmental disorders. Psychiatric Technicians work in a variety of settings such as psychiatric hospitals, residential mental health facilities, and outpatient clinics. There are several agencies within San Diego County that employ Psychiatric Technicians. These include large hospital systems such as Palomar Health, correctional facilities such as Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility and federal agencies such as Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton.

There is a growing demand for Psychiatric Technicians as evidenced by latest projections from the United States (U.S.) Bureau of Labor Statistics and the state of California Employment Development Department (CA EDD). The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2022-2032 projections show a 9 percent increase in the job employment rate for Psychiatric Technicians (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024). For San Diego County, the 2018-2028 projected job employment rate for Psychiatric Technicians increases to 12.5 percent (CA EDD, 2024). These statistics underscore the increasing need for trained Psychiatric Technicians in both the U.S. and San Diego County.

In addition to the increased need for Psychiatric Technicians, there is a deficit in the type of other behavioral health (BH) workers. Estimates from the San Diego Workforce Partnership is that the region is short 8,000 BH workers out of the estimated 25,000 professionals needed to meet the population’s need for services (2022). In conjunction with these shortages, services for crisis care, homeless prevention, substance use prevention and treatment services, and expanded services in public schools and healthcare integration have increased the demand for BH workers (San Diego Workforce Partnership, 2022). The deficit in BH workers coupled with the increased demand have negatively impacted the care of individuals with psychiatric mental health and developmental disorders in San Diego. These negative impacts are further exacerbated by the absence of regional programs that prepare and train students to become Psychiatric Technicians.

The Psychiatric Technician program at MiraCosta College is designed for aspiring healthcare professionals with a passion for making a difference in mental health. The mission of the program is to prepare a diverse cohort of students to become skilled Psychiatric Technicians. This occurs by using a curriculum that blends theoretical knowledge with hands-on clinical experience, to provide safe, compassionate, and evidence-based care in various healthcare settings. Students are empowered to assess, plan, and implement care plans tailored to meet the unique needs of individuals experiencing mental health challenges. The classroom facilities and simulated environments ensure that students are well-prepared to handle real-world scenarios with confidence and proficiency.

The program will use a cohort model and will accept 20 students per year. Prior to starting the three-semester Psychiatric Technician (PTEC) program, students must successfully complete four prerequisite courses: Body Systems (NURS 151), General Psychology (PSYC 101), Pharmacology Essentials for Nursing Practice (PHAR 201), and Nutrition Today (NUTR 100). After completing the prerequisites, students must apply and be accepted into the PTEC program to begin coursework. The six PTEC courses will be delivered in an accelerated format, with each course offered in 8-week sessions. The first courses in the sequence will begin in a spring semester. Application information will be available on the MiraCosta Community College web page.

After being accepted into the program, students complete the following course sequence: PTEC 100: Introduction to Nursing Science and PTEC 125: Psychiatric Technology and Nursing Science and Psychiatric Technology (semester 1); PTEC 150: Introduction to Theories and Concepts of Mental Health Nursing for Psychiatric Technology and PTEC 170: Theories and Concepts of Mental Health Nursing for Psychiatric Technology (semester 2) and; PTEC 200: Introduction to Theories and Concepts of Care of the Client with Developmental Disabilities and PTEC 250: Theories and Concepts of Care of the Client with Developmental Disabilities (semester 3). After successfully completing the program core of 53 units, students can earn a Certificate of Achievement. By taking an additional 13 general education units, students will be eligible to earn an Associates of Arts degree. After completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take the California Psychiatric Technician Licensing Examination.

The program includes classes on the college campus and clinical training in a variety of approved facilities. Upon completion of the program, graduates are qualified to take the California Psychiatric Technician Licensing Examination.

The curriculum content, hours, and units for MiraCosta College’s proposed Psychiatric Technician program meets requirements set forth by the California Board of Vocational Nurses and Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT). The BVNPT requirements specify that program hours must be not less than 1530 or 50 semester units. Additionally, it mandates that theory must be at least 576 hours and clinical must be at least 954 hours. These programmatic hours and units adhere to the federal government’s amended title IV of the Higher Education Act.

Prior to applying to the Psychiatric Technician Program, students must successfully complete the following prerequisites: Body Systems for Health Professionals (NURS 151), Introduction to Psychology (PSYC C1000), Pharmacology Essentials for Nursing Practice (PHAR 201), and Nutrition Today (NUTR 100). The program is three semesters in length with the following course sequence: PTEC 100: Introduction to Nursing Science and PTEC 125: Psychiatric Technology and Nursing Science and Psychiatric Technology (semester 1); PTEC 150: Introduction to Theories and Concepts of Mental Health Nursing for Psychiatric Technology and PTEC 170: Theories and Concepts of Mental Health Nursing for Psychiatric Technology (semester 2) and; PTEC 200: Introduction to Theories and Concepts of Care of the Client with Developmental Disabilities and PTEC 250: Theories and Concepts of Care of the Client with Developmental Disabilities (semester 3). After successfully completing the program core of 53 units, students can earn a Certificate of Achievement. By taking an additional 13 general education units, students will be eligible to earn an Associates of Arts degree.

Prerequisite courses:                                                                                                                                   Units: 12

Required courses:                                                                                                                                            Units: 53

* Course satisfies a general education requirement (GE) on the MiraCosta College General Education (MCGE) pattern. By taking an additional 13 general education units, students will be eligible to earn an Associates of Arts degree.