Degree Programs For Mental Health & Substance Abuse Social Workers : Online And Campus Schools

Career Information

Mental Health and Substance Abuse: Career, Salary and Education Information

If you have a strong desire to help other people improve their lives, social work is for you. Many social workers seek to accomplish this by helping people cope with obstacles in their lives, including family and relationship problems, mental health issues, or addiction. Other social workers help clients cope with disability or disease, or problems like housing issues, unemployment, substance abuse, or issues of spousal or child abuse.

Specifically, mental health and substance abuse social workers deal directly with people suffering from mental illness or emotional problems, or battling a substance abuse problem. These problems can co-occur, and treatment often involves one-on-one and group therapies, crisis intervention, outreach work, and teaching everyday life skills. Client advocacy, prevention, and education are also important facets of mental health and substance abuse social work.

These social workers should be emotionally mature, sensitive to the needs of others and their problems, and able to manage a large caseload without being overwhelmed. They must maintain good working relationships with clients and coworkers.

A Day in the Life of a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker

Social workers specializing in mental health and substance abuse often work in outpatient facilities, where patients go for treatment and then leave, or inpatient treatment centers that offer residential therapy and care. Other options for employment in this field include private practice, where they are employed directly by a client, or by a corporation in an employee assistance program.

Typically, social workers spend most of their time working in a resident facility or office. Some work out of several offices in a region, and some spend time traveling to meet with clients, arrange appointments with service providers, and attend meetings.

Most social workers maintain a standard, 40-hour work week. However, sometimes weekend or evening hours are required for meetings with patients, community involvements, and emergencies. While satisfying for most, mental health and substance abuse social work also can be challenging.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Training and Education

In most cases, a mental health and substance abuse degree--a bachelor's degree in social work (BSW)--is required for entry-level positions in this field. However, degrees in other social sciences like psychology or sociology may help prepare you for jobs within community organizations and agencies. Bachelor's degree programs for social workers include coursework in values and ethics, human behavior, social research methods, field education, social welfare and policy, and dealing with diverse, at-risk clientele. Accredited BSW programs also require at least 400 hours of supervised field work.

For positions in health and school settings and for licensure for private practice, a master's degree in social work (MSW) is required. Administration and staff training jobs, and supervisory positions often require an advanced degree. Master's social worker degree programs expand on bachelor's degree coursework and help social workers zero in on their chosen specialty. MSW courses usually take about two years and include 900 hours of supervised field work or an internship. Additionally, licensure and certification are important and required in all 50 states. Requirements vary by state.

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Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker Salary, Employment Information

According to information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the mean annual medical social worker salary is $41,350. States with the highest concentration of mental health and substance abuse social workers are Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, Washington D.C., and New Mexico. Top-paying states for this occupation are New Jersey, where their mean annual salary is $59,000, and Rhode Island.

The BLS expects overall social work jobs to grow faster than average for all occupations, between 2008 and 2018. Mental health and substance abuse social workers should expect significant demand in their field as substance abuse treatment is increasingly required by courts for drug offenders. Opportunities for social workers in private practice should also increase during the 2008 to 2018 decade.