Helping Mainers with mental illness work towards independence

Allison, MHRT-1
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What do you do as a Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician-1 (MHRT-1)?

As an MHRT-1, I typically work in a group home or residential treatment setting.  

I work with people who have severe and persistent mental illnesses, developing a therapeutic relationship with them, supporting them and helping them build independence in many different ways. A lot of what I do is side-by-side training, offering support with routine household tasks, like cleaning the bathroom, cooking meals, doing the dishes, and laundry. I’m also there to make sure that they’re taking the right medications and go along with them to offer support at doctor’s appointments. We get to do a lot of fun things too that involve being out in the community. We get to go to concerts, go to the beach, and even go apple picking.

What do you enjoy about your work?

I love supporting and spending time with my clients. It’s so rewarding to watch somebody flourish,  eventually being able to do tasks on their own, then pack up their stuff to leave the residential setting and move on to live independently. It’s wonderful to know that I had a part in helping that person.

I love what I do. It’s so fulfilling to leave work at the end of the day and know that I have made even the tiniest bit of difference in somebody’s life.

This is my calling. I don’t think I could imagine doing anything outside of this field.

What types of skills and qualities does it take to be successful in this field?

You do not need a college degree to start this training. You just need a high school diploma or the equivalent amount of coursework and training. To get all the trainings, it took me about six months. It can take a little bit longer than that, but it always needs to be done within a year.

This is the perfect job for somebody that is compassionate and has a drive to be helpful.

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in getting into the field?

There is such a huge need for people to work in this field. And there are so many different types of opportunities to work in group homes, intensive residential treatment settings, or hospitals.