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Behavior therapist vs social services assistant

The differences between behavior therapists and social services assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a behavior therapist, becoming a social services assistant takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a social services assistant has an average salary of $37,445, which is higher than the $36,864 average annual salary of a behavior therapist.

The top three skills for a behavior therapist include autism, applied behavior analysis and behavior analysis. The most important skills for a social services assistant are social work, patients, and rehabilitation.

Behavior therapist vs social services assistant overview

Behavior TherapistSocial Services Assistant
Yearly salary$36,864$37,445
Hourly rate$17.72$18.00
Growth rate14%12%
Number of jobs90,578152,760
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age4143
Years of experience412

What does a behavior therapist do?

A behavior therapist is an individual psychologist who is responsible for helping patients with mental disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. Behavior therapists must equip patients with psychological tools to help them diminish unhealthy thoughts so that they can effectively deal with the challenges of their daily lives. They are required to devise problem-solving methods such as psychotherapy and counseling to help patients improve their quality of life. Behavior therapists must also collaborate with the families of their patients to help them overcome behavioral issues more effectively.

What does a social services assistant do?

A social services assistant is responsible for supporting the social needs of citizens within society. Social services assistants work within the community office or health institutions to assist patients and their families in processing their needs and obtaining medical information. They also coordinate with other organizations to gather additional resources and financial assistance to plan community programs that will be beneficial for society. A social services assistant provides counseling to the families to identify the services and referrals they needed.

Behavior therapist vs social services assistant salary

Behavior therapists and social services assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Behavior TherapistSocial Services Assistant
Average salary$36,864$37,445
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $49,000Between $29,000 And $47,000
Highest paying CityChicago, ILTacoma, WA
Highest paying stateAlabamaWashington
Best paying companyRegis CollegeResearch Foundation of The City University of New York
Best paying industryEducationGovernment

Differences between behavior therapist and social services assistant education

There are a few differences between a behavior therapist and a social services assistant in terms of educational background:

Behavior TherapistSocial Services Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common majorPsychologySocial Work
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - Long BeachSUNY at Binghamton

Behavior therapist vs social services assistant demographics

Here are the differences between behavior therapists' and social services assistants' demographics:

Behavior TherapistSocial Services Assistant
Average age4143
Gender ratioMale, 19.5% Female, 80.5%Male, 17.0% Female, 83.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8%
LGBT Percentage6%11%

Differences between behavior therapist and social services assistant duties and responsibilities

Behavior therapist example responsibilities.

  • Teach family members and teachers different ways to achieve cooperation with child and transfer skills to ensure an efficient learning environment.
  • Provide applied behavior analysis services to individuals diagnose with autism and other developmental disabilities to enhance their quality of life.
  • Provide basic parent education of correct implementation of ABA principles.
  • Provide one-on-one aba-base treatment to children who have been diagnose with autism and other developmental disorders.
  • Solve certify as well as first aid and CPR certify.
  • Complete all requirements need to be certify as an RBT.
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Social services assistant example responsibilities.

  • Initial triage of members, administrative intake of members and managing the admission/discharge information post-notification.
  • Assist individuals and families in need with applications for food stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, cash assistance and housing.
  • Develop, organize and conduct programs to prevent and resolve problems relevant to substance abuse, human relationships and rehabilitation.
  • Verify Medicare coverage/ benefits/ obtain prior authorization.
  • Process specialize Medicaid applications receive from government agencies and social service organizations which require urgent processing.
  • Establish, maintain and generate military and community contacts structure to address various services available to respective patients.
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Behavior therapist vs social services assistant skills

Common behavior therapist skills
  • Autism, 19%
  • Applied Behavior Analysis, 18%
  • Behavior Analysis, 10%
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder, 7%
  • Behavior Analysts, 5%
  • BCBA, 4%
Common social services assistant skills
  • Social Work, 17%
  • Patients, 15%
  • Rehabilitation, 9%
  • Discharge Planning, 6%
  • Term Care, 6%
  • Community Resources, 3%

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