Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

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.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Clients talk to social workers about challenges in their lives. To provide effective help, social workers must be able to listen to and understand their clients’ needs.

Compassion. Social workers often work with people who are in stressful and difficult situations. To develop strong relationships, they must have patience and empathy for their clients.

Interpersonal skills. Social workers must be able to work with different groups of people. They need to foster healthy and productive relationships with their clients, colleagues, and other support specialists.

Organizational skills. Social workers must help and manage multiple clients, often assisting with their paperwork or documenting their treatment.

Problem-solving skills. Social workers must analyze their clients’ complex situations and develop practical solutions.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		99%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		93%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		91%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		89%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		89%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		87%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		86%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
		83%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		81%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		79%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		78%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		74%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		74%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		73%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		67%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		61%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		100%	Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
		61%	Investigative - Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
		56%	Artistic - Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		83%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
		83%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
		72%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		61%	Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
		56%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		88%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		81%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		78%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		78%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		78%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		75%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		75%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		75%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		72%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
		72%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		69%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
		69%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
		69%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		56%	Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
		56%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		53%	Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		73%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
		59%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		59%	Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
		57%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
		57%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
		57%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
		57%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
		57%	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
		57%	Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
		57%	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
		57%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		55%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
		55%	Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
		55%	Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
		55%	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
		54%	Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
		54%	Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Collect information about clients.

Interview clients to gather information about their backgrounds, needs, or progress.

Collaborate with other professionals to assess client needs or plan treatments.

Lead classes or community events.

Assist clients in handling details of daily life.

Conduct research on social issues.

Maintain professional social services knowledge.

Counsel clients or patients with substance abuse issues.

Counsel clients or patients regarding personal issues.

Collaborate with other professionals to assess client needs or plan treatments.

Monitor clients to evaluate treatment progress.

Maintain client records.

Refer clients to community or social service programs.

Counsel family members of clients or patients.

Modify treatment plans to accommodate client needs.

Plan programs to address community health issues.

Supervise workers providing client or patient services.

Advise others on social or educational issues.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		99%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		97%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		95%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		95%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		91%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		87%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		85%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		84%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		81%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		77%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
		76%	Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
		73%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		67%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		67%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		65%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		63%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		63%	Frequency of Conflict Situations - How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
		58%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
		56%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
		56%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		63%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		89%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		89%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		89%	Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
		87%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		86%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		84%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		83%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		80%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
		80%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
		80%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		79%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
		79%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		77%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		76%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		75%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		74%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		73%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		72%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		72%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		71%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		70%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		68%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
		64%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		63%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		60%	Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
		53%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
		52%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

What Social Workers Do

Child and family social workers protect vulnerable children and support families in need of assistance.

Social workers help individuals, groups, and families prevent and cope with problems in their everyday lives. Clinical social workers diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional problems.

Duties

Social workers typically do the following:

Identify people and communities in need of help
Assess clients’ needs, situations, strengths, and support networks to determine their goals
Help clients adjust to changes and challenges in their lives, such as illness, divorce, or unemployment
Research, refer, and advocate for community resources, such as food stamps, childcare, and healthcare, to assist and improve a client’s well-being
Respond to crisis situations such as child abuse and mental health emergencies
Monitor clients' situations, and follow up to ensure that they have improved
Maintain case files and records
Provide psychotherapy services

Social workers help people cope with challenges in their lives. They help with a wide range of situations, such as adopting a child, being diagnosed with a terminal illness, or preventing and treating substance abuse.

Some social workers get involved at a broad level to help community organizations and policymakers develop or improve social programs, services, and conditions. This is sometimes referred to as macro social work.

Advocacy is an important aspect of social work. Social workers advocate or raise awareness with and on behalf of their clients and constituents. Additionally, they may advocate for the social work occupation on local, state, and national levels.

Social workers who are licensed to diagnose and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional disorders are called clinical social workers (CSW), licensed clinical social workers (LCSW), or have a similar title; specific titles vary by state. They provide individual, group, family, and couples therapy; work with clients to develop strategies to change behavior or cope with difficult situations; and refer clients to other resources or services, such as support groups or other mental health workers. Clinical social workers may develop treatment plans with the client, doctors, and other healthcare workers and may adjust the treatment plan if necessary based on their client’s progress. They may work in a variety of specialties.

The following are examples of types of social workers:

Child and family social workers protect vulnerable children and help families in need of assistance. They help families find housing or services, such as childcare, or apply for benefits, such as food stamps. They intervene when children are in danger of neglect or abuse. Some help arrange adoptions, locate foster families, or work to reunite families.

School social workers work with teachers, parents, and school administrators to develop plans and strategies to improve students’ academic performance and social development. They help students with problems such as aggressive behavior or bullying. Additionally, school social workers meet with families to discuss issues such as access to special education resources or frequent student absences.

Healthcare social workers help clients understand their diagnosis and adjust their lifestyle, housing, or healthcare. For example, they may help people transition from the hospital to their homes and communities. In addition, they may provide information about services, such as home healthcare or support groups, to help clients manage their illness or disease. Social workers help doctors and other healthcare workers understand the effects that diseases and illnesses have on clients’ mental and emotional health. Some healthcare social workers specialize in geriatric social work, hospice and palliative care, or medical social work.

Mental health and substance abuse social workers help clients with mental illnesses or addictions. They provide information on services, such as support groups and 12-step programs, to help clients cope with their illness. These workers often are licensed clinical social workers.

Work Environment

Social workers held about 728,600 jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up social workers was distributed as follows:

Child, family, and school social workers	355,300
Healthcare social workers	191,400
Mental health and substance abuse social workers	113,500
Social workers, all other	68,400

The largest employers of social workers were as follows:

Individual and family services	17%
Ambulatory healthcare services	14
Local government, excluding education and hospitals	14
State government, excluding education and hospitals	13
Hospitals; state, local, and private	10

Most social workers work in an office setting. They may spend time visiting clients and meeting with colleagues and community specialists or other support workers. School social workers may be assigned to multiple schools and travel around the school district to see students. Understaffing and large caseloads may cause the work to be stressful.

Injuries and Illnesses

Social workers, all other have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. (“Social workers, all other” includes criminal justice social workers, adult protective service social workers, and forensic social workers, among other titles.)

Work Schedules

Most social workers are employed full time. They sometimes work evenings, weekends, and holidays to see clients or attend meetings, and they may be on call.

Getting Started

Education:

77%

Master's Degree

19%

Bachelor's Degree

How to Become a Social Worker

Clinical social workers need a master's degree, supervised experience, and a license to provide mental health or counseling services.

Social workers typically need a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. They also may need a license; specific requirements vary by state.

Clinical social workers need a master’s degree, supervised clinical experience, and a license from the state in which they practice.

Education and Training

Most social workers need either a bachelor’s or a master’s degree from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

A bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) is the most common requirement for entry-level nonclinical social worker positions. BSW programs teach students about diverse populations, human behavior, social welfare policy, and ethics in social work. All programs require students to complete supervised fieldwork or an internship.

Clinical social workers typically need a master’s degree in social work (MSW). These programs prepare students for work in their chosen specialty by developing clinical assessment and diagnostic skills. Some nonclinical social workers also may complete master’s-level programs. MSW programs generally take 2 years to complete and include a supervised practicum or internship.

A bachelor’s degree in social work is not required in order to enter a master’s degree program in social work. Although a bachelor’s degree in almost any field is acceptable, common majors include public policy and social services, psychology, or social science. Recommended coursework includes sociology, economics, and political science. Some programs allow graduates with a bachelor’s degree in social work to earn their master’s degree in under 2 years.

After obtaining an MSW degree, clinical social workers must complete supervised training and experience. The length of clinical training varies by state but may take several years.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

All states require clinical social workers to be licensed. Some states also require nonclinical social workers to have a license or credential.

Becoming a licensed clinical social worker requires a master’s degree in social work from an accredited program and supervised clinical experience after graduation. After completing their supervised experience, clinical social workers must pass a clinical exam to be licensed.

Because licensing requirements vary by state, those interested should contact their state licensure board. For more information about regulatory licensure boards by state, visit the Association of Social Work Boards.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of social workers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 63,800 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.

Employment

Projected employment of social workers varies by occupation (see table).

Child, family, and school social workers will be needed to help strengthen parenting skills, prevent child abuse, and identify alternative homes for children who are unable to live with their biological families. However, employment growth for these social workers may be limited by federal, state, and local budget constraints.

Healthcare social workers will continue to be needed to help aging populations and their families adjust to new treatments, medications, and lifestyles.

Employment of mental health and substance abuse social workers will grow as more people seek treatment for mental illness and for substance abuse, especially recovery from opioid use disorder. In addition, drug offenders are increasingly being directed to treatment programs, which are staffed by these social workers, as a supplement or occasionally an alternative to incarceration.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about social workers and clinical social workers, visit

Association for Community Organization and Social Action

National Association of Social Workers

School Social Work Association of America

For more information about accredited social work degree programs, visit

Council on Social Work Education

For more information about licensure requirements, visit

Association of Social Work Boards

Occupational Requirements Survey

For a profile highlighting selected BLS data on occupational requirements, see

Mental health and substance abuse social workers (PDF)

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of social workers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Health Education Specialists	Health education specialists develop programs to teach people about conditions affecting well-being.	Bachelor's degree	$59,990
Marriage and Family Therapists	Marriage and family therapists help people manage and overcome problems with family and other relationships.	Master's degree	$56,570
Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists	Probation officers and correctional treatment specialists assist in rehabilitating law offenders in custody or on probation or parole.	Bachelor's degree	$59,860
Psychologists	Psychologists study cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how individuals relate to one another and to their environments.	See How to Become One	$85,330
Rehabilitation Counselors	Rehabilitation counselors help people with physical, mental, developmental, or emotional disabilities live independently.	Master's degree	$39,990
School and Career Counselors and Advisors	School counselors help students develop academic and social skills. Career counselors and advisors help people choose a path to employment.	Master's degree	$60,140
Social and Community Service Managers	Social and community service managers coordinate and supervise programs and organizations that support public well-being.	Bachelor's degree	$74,240
Social and Human Service Assistants	Social and human service assistants provide client services in a variety of fields, such as psychology, rehabilitation, and social work.	High school diploma or equivalent	$38,520
Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors	Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors advise people on a range of issues, such as those relating to alcoholism, addictions, or depression.	Bachelor's degree	$49,710

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

Social Worker

What they do: