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The differences between adoption specialists and behavioral health specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an adoption specialist and a behavioral health specialist. Additionally, a behavioral health specialist has an average salary of $44,808, which is higher than the $41,070 average annual salary of an adoption specialist.
The top three skills for an adoption specialist include foster care, social work and adoption process. The most important skills for a behavioral health specialist are patients, social work, and substance abuse.
| Adoption Specialist | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $41,070 | $44,808 |
| Hourly rate | $19.75 | $21.54 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 84,209 | 130,222 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Adoption Specialists are responsible for evaluating and arranging both adoptive parents' and child's needs to ensure a good family fit. Their duties include undertaking adoption research on families, completing paperwork requirements, carrying out adoption education for families before and following children's placements at their house, and assisting in post-placement services. They are also responsible for developing adoption plans, act as main family advisors, and organize community resources needed by both adoptive parents and children, such as education, health care, and counseling.
Typically working for clinics and learning institutions, a behavioral health specialist is in charge of counseling and treating patients with behavioral issues. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial assessment through interview and observation, maintaining records and data, developing treatment plans, and referring patients to other support services when necessary. Moreover, a behavioral health specialist must communicate with the patient's families or guardians, discuss conditions, and provide advice on taking care of them. Aside from treating patients, it is also essential to continuously monitor their behavior while building positive relationships with them.
Adoption specialists and behavioral health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Adoption Specialist | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Average salary | $41,070 | $44,808 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $57,000 | Between $29,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | Maxim Healthcare Group |
| Best paying industry | - | Insurance |
There are a few differences between an adoption specialist and a behavioral health specialist in terms of educational background:
| Adoption Specialist | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between adoption specialists' and behavioral health specialists' demographics:
| Adoption Specialist | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4% | Male, 29.2% Female, 70.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 15% |