Case planner vs behavioral health specialist

The differences between case planners and behavioral health specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a case planner, becoming a behavioral health specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a behavioral health specialist has an average salary of $44,808, which is higher than the $43,496 average annual salary of a case planner.

The top three skills for a case planner include social work, foster care and NYC. The most important skills for a behavioral health specialist are patients, social work, and substance abuse.

Case planner vs behavioral health specialist overview

	Case Planner	Behavioral Health Specialist
Yearly salary	$43,496	$44,808
Hourly rate	$20.91	$21.54
Growth rate	12%	9%
Number of jobs	36,065	130,222
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	43	45
Years of experience	12	4

What does a case planner do?

Case planners are social workers who provide assistance to children and their families to improve their social and psychological functioning as well as maximize the well-being of families. These planners are required to design service plans that address the safety, behavioral, education, and permanency needs of families and adolescents. They must identify potential child abuse and report any suspected abuses to the appropriate authorities. Case planners must also facilitate counseling to domestic violence victims and assist families in obtaining protection orders from victim service nonprofit organizations.

What does a behavioral health specialist do?

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.

Case planner vs behavioral health specialist salary

Case planners and behavioral health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Case Planner	Behavioral Health Specialist
Average salary	$43,496	$44,808
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $57,000	Between $29,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City	Islandia, NY	Anchorage, AK
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Alaska
Best paying company	The New York Foundling	Maxim Healthcare Group
Best paying industry	Professional	Insurance

Differences between case planner and behavioral health specialist education

There are a few differences between a case planner and a behavioral health specialist in terms of educational background:

	Case Planner	Behavioral Health Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Case planner vs behavioral health specialist demographics

Here are the differences between case planners' and behavioral health specialists' demographics:

	Case Planner	Behavioral Health Specialist
Average age	43	45
Gender ratio	Male, 19.2% Female, 80.8%	Male, 29.2% Female, 70.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 25.9% Asian, 6.1% White, 48.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%	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	11%	15%

Differences between case planner and behavioral health specialist duties and responsibilities

Case planner example responsibilities.

Manage a caseload of families with children in DSS custody awaiting return home to family of origin base upon progress make.
Keep current on Medicaid rates/services they will reimburse for Medicaid recipients.
Sign patients up for all Medicare and Medicaid benefits that are offer to them.
Perform concurrent review to assure appropriateness of admission, inpatient/acute care, rehabilitation/SNF status, and discharge using establish InterQual guidelines.
Make referrals to home care and/or DME vendors using Medicare/Medicaid criteria/eligibility.

Behavioral health specialist example responsibilities.

Provide individualize intervention for problematic behaviors using TCI techniques such as de-escalation, to prevent and/or manage crisis.
Complete training in CPR, self-defense, and mental health.
Monitor meals for residents suffering from eating disorders and provide compassion and encouragement when an individual are struggling with eating.
Work with kids who have special needs.
Ensure departments are in compliance with MSHA and OSHA regulations.
Provide daily and weekly detail reports on client and BHP interaction.

Case planner vs behavioral health specialist skills

Common case planner skills

Social Work, 18%
Foster Care, 16%
NYC, 5%
Substance Abuse, 5%
Crisis Intervention, 5%
NYS, 4%

Common behavioral health specialist skills

Patients, 16%
Social Work, 16%
Substance Abuse, 8%
Rehabilitation, 6%
Patient Care, 6%
Mental Illness, 5%

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Case Planner vs Behavioral Health Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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