If your passion lies in helping to implement social change by working in the mental healthcare field, then a career in human services might be for you. There are many titles in the human services field and the program that is right for you at one of the human services schools depends on the area of expertise in which you want to train.

Human services assistants assist psychologists, social workers, health care workers, and other professionals in providing services to people. Human services assistants can take in a wide variety of job titles, including human service worker, case management aide, social work assistant, community support worker, mental health aide, community outreach worker, life skills counselor, or gerontology aide. All of these job titles have one thing in common, however, all of the people interested in this field attended a program at one of the human services schools.
 
Human service professionals usually work under a variety of medical professionals such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, or nurses. Human services assistants may work in a variety of settings including hospitals, psychiatric facilities, half way houses, in private practice, at social service agencies, in home care agencies or even homeless shelters. They also have a wide variety of job duties, dependent on the setting. For example, in a psychiatric hospital, human service assistants may review patients' records, ensure that they stay on their medication, help family members and provide emotional support, and discuss the cases with medical personnel and other caregivers to provide insight into patients' needs. In other settings, they may help the patient's and clients master everyday living skills, set up substance abuse programs, or provide emergency assistance through food banks at homeless shelters.
 
Human services schools are located throughout the country and provide a variety of training and education to those wishing to enter the human services field. Students wishing to attend a human services school can choose to enter a certificate program, associate's degree program, bachelor's, master's or even a doctorate program. The higher the level of education completed at a human services, the more opportunity is provided to the human services professional in both advancement and financial opportunities.
 
Help Yourself and Help Others by Enrolling in a Human Services School
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics job growth in the human services area is expected to grow by a whopping 36 percent by 2016, far above the average for other professions. The growth is due in large part to the rapid growth in the demand for social and human services. While a post secondary degree is not mandatory, the higher the degree completed at one of the human services schools, the better opportunity you have for a higher paying job with advancement opportunities. The salaries for human services assistants vary greatly, depending on the agency you're working for, as well as the region. Graduates of human services schools can expect to earn on average between $22,300 and $30,510.

If helping people is your calling, find one of the human services programs at a human services school near you!