Case planner vs substance abuse counselor

The differences between case planners and substance abuse counselors 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 substance abuse counselor takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a case planner has an average salary of $43,496, which is higher than the $43,069 average annual salary of a substance abuse counselor.

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

Case planner vs substance abuse counselor overview

	Case Planner	Substance Abuse Counselor
Yearly salary	$43,496	$43,069
Hourly rate	$20.91	$20.71
Growth rate	12%	-
Number of jobs	36,065	78,643
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	43	39
Years of experience	12	6

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 substance abuse counselor do?

Substance abuse counselors act as a support system for people with drug and alcohol problems and other behavioral issues. They help the patients control their behavior until they achieve a full recovery. The mental health counselors aid patients to overcome their chemical dependencies and become self-sufficient individuals. Part of their duty includes meeting clients to evaluate their health and substance issues while creating goals and treatment plans. They teach clients coping mechanisms, refer them to support groups, and engage them in group therapy sessions. Once the patient is stable, they help them re-establish their careers and give updates and reports of progress to the courts. Requirements for the job include a master's degree in counseling and social work.

Case planner vs substance abuse counselor salary

Case planners and substance abuse counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Case Planner	Substance Abuse Counselor
Average salary	$43,496	$43,069
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $57,000	Between $27,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	Islandia, NY	Trenton, NJ
Highest paying state	New Jersey	New Hampshire
Best paying company	The New York Foundling	Erlanger Health System
Best paying industry	Professional	Non Profits

Differences between case planner and substance abuse counselor education

There are a few differences between a case planner and a substance abuse counselor in terms of educational background:

	Case Planner	Substance Abuse Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Case planner vs substance abuse counselor demographics

Here are the differences between case planners' and substance abuse counselors' demographics:

	Case Planner	Substance Abuse Counselor
Average age	43	39
Gender ratio	Male, 19.2% Female, 80.8%	Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7%
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, 11.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	11%	12%

Differences between case planner and substance abuse counselor 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.

Substance abuse counselor example responsibilities.

Ensure and manage the compliance with Didi Hirsch policies and procedures, contracts and other regulatory agencies, HIPAA and DMH.
Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Perform assessment of patients using ASAM criteria and recommendation for appropriate level of programming.
Process detox patient admissions on computer system which include - conducting alcohol and drug assessment, taking psycho/social history.
Provide clinical services, patient care, education and opiate addiction counseling services to patients receiving methadone maintenance and detoxification treatment.
Certify for first aid and CPR.

Case planner vs substance abuse counselor skills

Common case planner skills

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

Common substance abuse counselor skills

Patients, 16%
Substance Abuse Treatment, 11%
Social Work, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 8%
Intake Assessments, 5%
Rehabilitation, 4%

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Case Planner vs Substance Abuse Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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