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Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

General Information

Description

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.

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Workplace at a Glance

What you can expect to experience while on the job

  • Responsibility
  • Exposure to job hazards
  • Physical activity
  • Decision making
  • Repetitiveness
  • Level of competition
  • Time pressure

Industry areas

  • Human Services

Job Outlook

Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 9 percent from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations. About 74,700 openings for social workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

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Job Outlook

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Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 9 percent from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations. About 74,700 openings for social workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

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Related Military Careers

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    • Substance Abuse Caseworkers
      • Substance abuse caseworkers provide individual and group counseling, perform crisis intervention, and offer education and counseling related to substance abuse. They perform urinalysis screenings and conduct assessments and interviews. They develop treatment plans and provide assistance to leaders in addressing issues related to substance abuse. They prepare summary reports and maintain patient progress data, and are responsible for implementing prevention, outreach, and educational programs related to alcohol and drug abuse for members of the Military and their families.  Navigate to Military Career Page
    • Caseworkers
      • Caseworkers are responsible for overseeing and managing resources, programs, and functions regarding mental health services within the military community. They support services in psychiatry, social work, psychology, family advocacy, substance abuse awareness, and rehabilitation. They assist mental health professionals and advise in planning and administering treatment methods. They perform managerial duties in directing and coordinating resources, as well as developing, implementing, and evaluating training related to mental health programs.   Navigate to Military Career Page
    • Mental Health Caseworkers
      • Mental health caseworkers assess, diagnose, and treat psychological conditions. They implement initial mental health assessment procedures including standardized psychological testing, clinical interviewing, and substance abuse evaluations. They monitor, record, and report on patient progress. Mental health caseworkers conduct and/or provide individual and group counseling, and they establish preventative measures related to patient injuries, including those sustained in combat. They supervise and support caring for individuals with acute and post-traumatic stress reactions. Navigate to Military Career Page
    • Corrections Caseworkers
      • Corrections caseworkers provide individual and group counseling and assist awardees and prisoners in achieving successful transition back to military life. They perform initial and weekly reviews and assist in prisoner or awardee evaluation. They monitor and report significant behavioral changes and participate in treatment, clemency, parole, and work assignments. They also review and apply policies and directives, and support communication between unit and confined personnel. Navigate to Military Career Page
    • Chaplains
      • Military chaplains administer broad religious programs designed to meet the needs of the military community. They offer spiritual care and ensure all military members and their families have opportunities to exercise their constitutional entitlement to the free exercise of religion. They provide religious services, religious accommodation, pastoral care, unit engagement, and counseling to meet the diverse needs of military members. Navigate to Military Career Page
    • Psychiatric Assistants
      • Psychiatric assistants help psychiatrists or other healthcare professionals with diagnosing, preventing, and treating mental disorders. Psychiatric assistants may work in outpatient or inpatient settings and are available to help service members suffering from combat-related disorders along with their families. They interview and observe patients and provide them with counseling. Often these professionals represent the front lines of treatment for service members suffering with psychological conditions.   Navigate to Military Career Page
    • Psychologists
      • Psychologists plan, direct, and administer programs that ensure delivery of effective mental health services to military personnel. They utilize psychological principles, theories, and techniques through direct patient care and consultation, as well as education programs related to investigation, evaluation, and treatment of mental illness and behavior disorders. They provide consulting and develop policies to promote mental health awareness and research. They perform experiments to determine the effects of various environmental factors on human behavior, adjustment, performance, and effectiveness. Navigate to Military Career Page
    • Registered Nurses
      • Registered nurses are licensed professionals who provide medical care to service members and their families. The work of a registered nurse in the Military may range from providing routine medical care to caring for the wounded or assisting in disaster relief. Navigate to Military Career Page
    • Social Workers
      • Social workers apply knowledge and professional social work practices to provide effective mental health services to military personnel and their families. They are responsible for clinical counseling, consultation, critical event debriefings, and substance abuse interventions. They assess needs for social and psychological support in individuals, families, and groups, and they provide evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of psychological disorders. They provide consultation to leading officials and they promote social work research, training, and internship programs. Navigate to Military Career Page
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Salary

Average Salary

Salary

$49,130

Military salary*

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State-by-state Salary

Gray states indicate no data available

$80,540
$22,780
No Information for this section

Education

Most Common Education Levels

People in this career achieve this level of education.

  • Master's degree 77%
  • Bachelor's degree 18%
  • Post-master's certificate 4%
  • High school 0%
  • Some college 0%
  • Doctoral degree 0%
  • Associate's degree 0%
  • Post baccalaureate 0%
  • Less than high school 0%
  • Post-doctoral training 0%
  • First professional degree 0%
  • Post-secondary certificate 0%

Related College Majors

Select major to see colleges that offer it

Knowledge

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

Skills at a Glance

Skills helpful in this career

  • Verbal skills
  • Critical thinking & problem solving
  • Equipment operation & maintenance
  • Math & science skills
  • Technology design & control
  • Leadership
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* Military pay may be higher based on specialty pays or bonuses. Learn more about Military benefits.

Data supplied by Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center of Education Statistics, Defense Manpower Data Center (View our update schedule). Contact any business, college or military service branch to answer additional questions.