MHT EXTERNSHIP
Mental Health Technician Externship in Alaska
Your complete guide to gaining hands-on behavioral health experience across The Last Frontier. Build clinical skills, make a difference in patients' lives, and connect with employers in mental healthcare.
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Flexible
Hours
40-80
Hours Recommended
45+
AK BH Facilities
$0
Externship Cost
280+
Annual Openings
Why Get an MHT Externship?
A Mental Health Technician externship gives you real-world behavioral health experience that employers value. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, psychiatric technicians earn a median salary of $38,000+ with faster-than-average job growth due to increased mental health awareness.
An externship helps you:
- ✓ Practice patient observation, de-escalation, and therapeutic communication in real settings
- ✓ Build professional references from behavioral health supervisors
- ✓ Discover which setting fits you best (inpatient, residential, crisis, substance abuse)
- ✓ Convert your externship into a job offer — behavioral health has high demand
New to behavioral health? EHired offers free training to prepare you for AMCA MHT certification. An externship is optional but highly recommended for building confidence and making a real difference in patients' lives.
⚠️ Important: EHired does NOT place, arrange, or supervise externships. You contact facilities directly to arrange your own placement. This self-managed approach gives you flexibility to choose sites near your home and build direct relationships with potential employers.
How to Find an Externship in Alaska
Follow this step-by-step process to secure a behavioral health externship.
Identify Potential Sites
Look for facilities that employ Mental Health Technicians:
- ✓ Psychiatric hospitals — Inpatient behavioral health units
- ✓ Behavioral health centers — Providence Behavioral Health, API (Alaska Psychiatric Institute), Fairbanks Community Behavioral Health
- ✓ Residential treatment — Long-term mental health facilities
- ✓ Substance abuse centers — Detox and rehab facilities
- ✓ Crisis stabilization units — Short-term crisis care
- ✓ Community mental health — Outpatient behavioral health
- ✓ VA medical centers — Veterans mental health programs
Prepare Your Approach
Get ready before contacting sites:
- ✓ Update your resume — Include EHired training, any healthcare/human services experience
- ✓ Prepare a pitch — "I'm completing MHT training and seeking hands-on behavioral health experience"
- ✓ Highlight your qualities — Patience, empathy, communication skills, reliability
- ✓ Be flexible — Behavioral health is 24/7; offer evening/weekend availability
- ✓ Expect background check — Most behavioral health facilities require this
Make Contact
Reach out to facilities directly:
- ✓ Call first — Ask for the unit manager, nurse manager, or HR department
- ✓ Email HR — Many behavioral health facilities prefer email inquiries
- ✓ Explain the arrangement — Unpaid, flexible hours, eager to learn and help
- ✓ Emphasize commitment — Mental health work requires dedication
- ✓ Follow up — If no response in 1 week, call again politely
Complete Your Externship
Make the most of your experience:
- ✓ Track your hours — Log date, hours, and experiences
- ✓ Learn actively — Observe de-escalation, ask questions appropriately
- ✓ Maintain boundaries — Professional relationships with patients always
- ✓ Practice self-care — Behavioral health work can be emotionally demanding
- ✓ Ask about openings — Express interest in future employment
Sample Script: Calling a Behavioral Health Facility
"Hi, my name is [Your Name]. I'm completing a Mental Health Technician training program and I'm looking to gain hands-on experience in behavioral health through an externship. I'm passionate about helping people with mental health challenges and I'm wondering if your facility might have room for an extern? I'm flexible with scheduling, including evenings and weekends, and I'm prepared to complete any required background check. Would it be possible to speak with someone in HR or a unit manager about this opportunity?"
Key points to emphasize: You're trained, you're passionate about mental health, you're flexible with scheduling (24/7 field), and you understand the importance of the work. Behavioral health facilities value dedication and empathy.
Where to Find Externships in Alaska
Alaska has 45+ behavioral health facilities including psychiatric hospitals, treatment centers, and community mental health programs. Here are potential externship sites by region.
Anchorage (Anchorage Municipality)
Alaska's largest city with majority of state's behavioral health resources.
Psychiatric Hospitals:
Alaska Psychiatric Institute (state), Providence Behavioral Health, Alaska Regional Hospital Psych Unit, Anchorage Community Mental Health
Behavioral Health Centers:
Southcentral Foundation Behavioral, Alaska Behavioral Health, ANTHC Behavioral, Denali Family Services
Substance Abuse/Crisis:
Akeela Treatment Center, Nugen's Ranch, Providence Breakthrough, Ernie Turner Center
💡 Anchorage has 60% of Alaska's behavioral health jobs. API is state's only public psychiatric hospital. Providence is largest private system.
Fairbanks/Interior (Fairbanks North Star Borough)
Interior Alaska hub with Fairbanks Memorial and community mental health.
Psychiatric Hospitals:
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital Behavioral Health, Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living, Tanana Chiefs Conference BH
Behavioral Health Centers:
Fairbanks Community Behavioral Health, Tanana Chiefs BH Services, Interior Community Health Center, Alaska Center for Children and Adults
Substance Abuse/Crisis:
Fairbanks Native Association Recovery, Ralph Perdue Center, Interior AIDS Association Support, Fairbanks Crisis Line
💡 Fairbanks serves vast Interior Alaska. Military presence (Fort Wainwright, Eielson AFB) adds behavioral health demand. Extreme isolation and seasons create unique challenges.
Juneau/Southeast Alaska (Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan)
State capital and island communities with Bartlett Regional and tribal health.
Psychiatric Hospitals:
Bartlett Regional Hospital Behavioral Health, PeaceHealth Ketchikan, SEARHC Mt. Edgecumbe (Sitka), Sitka Community Hospital BH
Behavioral Health Centers:
JAMHI Health & Wellness, Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium BH, Juneau Alliance for Mental Health, Gateway Center for Human Services
Substance Abuse/Crisis:
SEARHC Raven's Way, Gastineau Human Services, Juneau Recovery, Turning Point Ketchikan
💡 Southeast Alaska is accessible only by air/sea. Small communities with significant mental health needs. Tribal health systems serve Native populations.
Mat-Su/Rural Alaska (Mat-Su Borough, Rural Communities)
Fast-growing Mat-Su Valley and remote rural communities.
Psychiatric Hospitals:
Mat-Su Regional Medical Center BH, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (Anchorage serves rural), Providence Mat-Su
Behavioral Health Centers:
Mat-Su Health Services, Frontline Hospital, Valley Community for Healthy Minds, Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation BH
Substance Abuse/Crisis:
Set Free Alaska, Mat-Su Youth Recovery, Bristol Bay Recovery, Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation BH
💡 Mat-Su is Alaska's fastest-growing area. Rural Alaska has extreme shortages with excellent incentives including housing. Telehealth expanding rapidly.
What You'll Learn During Your Externship
A behavioral health externship exposes you to real patient care in mental health settings. Here are skills you'll develop:
Patient Observation
Monitoring patient behavior, mood changes, and safety. Documenting observations accurately for clinical staff.
De-escalation Techniques
Learning verbal and non-verbal strategies to calm agitated patients. Crisis prevention and intervention basics.
Therapeutic Communication
Active listening, empathetic responses, and appropriate boundaries. Building rapport with patients in distress.
Documentation
Recording patient behaviors, incidents, and progress. Understanding behavioral health charting requirements.
ADL Assistance
Helping patients with daily activities—hygiene, meals, medication reminders. Supporting patient independence.
Safety Monitoring
Conducting safety checks, understanding suicide precautions, and maintaining secure environments.
Ready to Start Your MHT Career in Alaska?
Free to enroll. Free to learn. Pay $650 only when you're ready to certify.
No credit card required • No FAFSA • No obligation
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find MHT externship sites in Alaska?
Does Alaska require MHT certification?
What's unique about Alaska's behavioral health job market?
Is telehealth common in Alaska behavioral health?
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