When people experience substance abuse, depression, anxiety or other mental illness, their issues can feel insurmountable. For help, they turn to Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers. These social workers provide counseling to help individuals and groups recover, and often consult with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of a client. As part of helping clients re-enter their communities with greater health and stability, they may offer outreach, crisis intervention, social rehabilitation, and training in the skills of everyday living. Good record-keeping is important. This field requires critical thinking and problem-solving skills. You must be patient, a good listener and an effective communicator. The job can be mentally and emotionally taxing; understaffing and large caseloads can add to the pressure. And it can be dangerous --clients who struggle with poverty, drug addiction, and physical abuse may require help in difficult or dangerous environments. Most work in hospitals, substance abuse treatment centers, and public or private agencies. Although some work may be available with a bachelor’s degree in this field, most of these jobs require a master’s degree in social work and a state license. For those who struggle with addiction or mental health problems, the support and guidance of mental health and substance abuse social workers can be a lifeline.
What they do:
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.
On the job, you would:
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.
Health
therapy and counseling
medicine and dentistry
Math and Science
psychology
sociology and anthropology
Arts and Humanities
English language
philisophy and religion
Business
customer service
Basic Skills
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
talking to others
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Social
understanding people's reactions
changing what is done based on other people's actions
Verbal
listen and understand what people say
communicate by speaking
Ideas and Logic
notice when problems happen
make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.
They do well at jobs that need:
Concern for Others
Integrity
Self Control
Adaptability/Flexibility
Stress Tolerance
Dependability
You might use software like this on the job:
Electronic mail software
Email software
Microsoft Outlook
Presentation software
Information presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Medical software
Client records software
Medical procedure coding software
master's degree or bachelor's degree usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
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