Your Path To A Career In Behavioral Health
The behavioral health field needs compassionate, skilled professionals who can support individuals and families through some of life’s most challenging moments. Northampton Community College’s Mental Health Technician (MHT) Professional Practice Certificate gives you the foundational preparation to step confidently into these roles—whether you’re entering the field for the first time or strengthening the skills you already use on the job.
This certificate blends education, hands-on training, and real-world application so you understand not just what to do, but why it works. You build the knowledge, presence, and professionalism that employers rely on across human services, mental health, and community-based programs.
Complete your certificate in just 6 months to kickstart or advance your career.
Inquire now for our August 2026 start!
Submit the form on this page (choosing "Mental Health Technician" as your program of interest) or contact Dr. Jennifer Bradley, Counseling Psychology Program Coordinator, at jbradley@northampton.edu for more information and to get notified when August 2026 registration opens.
Why This Preparation Matters
Behavioral health agencies consistently tell us they need employees who can communicate professionally, respond calmly in difficult moments, understand trauma and development, and work respectfully with individuals from diverse backgrounds. The MHT Professional Practice Certificate was designed with these expectations in mind.
You leave the program with:
- A high-value, nationally recognized crisis-intervention credential
- A deep understanding of behavioral health and human-services systems
- Realistic preparation for frontline work
- Skills that help you succeed in classrooms, residential programs, community agencies, and multidisciplinary care teams
- A clear, supportive pathway into the wider behavioral health profession
Most importantly, you begin your career already grounded in trauma-informed, ethical, and compassionate practice—qualities that help you make a meaningful difference from the very beginning.
What's Included
NCC's Mental Health Technical (MHT) Certificate is built to teach you how to communicate professionally, respond calmly in difficult moments, understand trauma and development, and work respectfully with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Training you'll receive when you pursue an MHT Certificate at NCC includes:
In this course, you learn how the behavioral health system functions—and how your role fits into that bigger picture. You explore the day-to-day work of supporting clients, the ethical and legal responsibilities of helping professions, and what it means to communicate professionally on a team. Rather than memorizing terminology, you practice applying trauma-informed, person-centered, and culturally responsive approaches that help people feel safe, respected, and understood. By the end, you develop the kind of confidence and judgment that employers consistently seek in entry-level staff.
LSCI training strengthens your ability to respond to conflict and challenging behavior in ways that de-escalate, preserve dignity, and support long-term growth. This nationally recognized model is used in schools, residential programs, hospitals, and community settings. By learning LSCI, you gain practical tools for turning crisis moments into opportunities for connection, problem-solving, and emotional skill-building. These skills make you more effective and marketable across many human services roles.
Together, these experiences prepare you not only to find a job, but to thrive in fast-paced, people-centered environments where relationships, communication, and emotional presence make all the difference.
