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Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

  • Bright Outlook
  • Rapid Growth

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.

What you’d do

  • 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.
  • Educate clients or community members about mental or physical illness, abuse, medication, or available community resources.

Skills that matter

  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Critical Thinking
  • Monitoring
  • Reading Comprehension

How to get there

Extensive preparation: most need graduate school, such as a master's degree or higher

Also called

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

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