Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

Career Overview

Assess and treat individuals with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems, including abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drugs. Activities may include individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, case management, client advocacy, prevention, and education.

Also Known As

• Case Manager
• Mental Health Therapist
• Social Worker
• Therapist

Alternate Job Titles

• Addictions Counselor
• Alcoholism Worker
• Assessment Specialist
• Behavior Specialist
• Behavioral Case Manager
• Behavioral Clinician
• Behavioral Health Care Manager (BHCM)
• Behavioral Health Case Manager
• Behavioral Health Social Worker
• Behavioral Health Utilization Management Representative (Behavioral Health Utilization Management Rep)
• Behavioral Health Worker
• Behavioral Technician
• BHC (Behavioral Health Consultant)
• Case Manager
• Case Therapist

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• Counsel clients in individual or group sessions to assist them in dealing with substance abuse, mental or physical illness, poverty, unemployment, or physical abuse.
• Collaborate with counselors, physicians, or nurses to plan or coordinate treatment, drawing on social work experience and patient needs.
• Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress with respect to treatment goals.
• Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.
• Supervise or direct other workers who provide services to clients or patients.
• Modify treatment plans according to changes in client status.
• Assist clients in adhering to treatment plans, such as setting up appointments, arranging for transportation to appointments, or providing support.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• Therapy and Counseling
• Psychology
• English Language
• Customer and Personal Service
• Education and Training
• Sociology and Anthropology

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Social Perceptiveness
2. Active Listening
3. Speaking
4. Reading Comprehension
5. Critical Thinking
6. Monitoring
7. Coordination
8. Service Orientation
9. Complex Problem Solving
10. Writing

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Written Expression
• Written Comprehension
• Problem Sensitivity
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Speech Clarity
• Speech Recognition
• Fluency of Ideas

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Empathy
• Cooperation
• Sincerity
• Dependability
• Social Orientation

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Achievement
• Relationships
• Independence
• Support
• Working Conditions

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Master's Degree

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• Adobe Acrobat
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft Word

Tools & Equipment

• Desktop computers
• Notebook computers
• Personal computers

Work Environment

• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• E-Mail
• Telephone Conversations
• Contact With Others
• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$39,620
Median	$60,060
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$104,130

Workers Employed Nationally: 125,910

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.