Chemical dependency professional vs primary counselor

The differences between chemical dependency professionals and primary counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a chemical dependency professional and a primary counselor. Additionally, a chemical dependency professional has an average salary of $47,509, which is higher than the $44,580 average annual salary of a primary counselor.

The top three skills for a chemical dependency professional include patients, CDP and mental health. The most important skills for a primary counselor are group therapy sessions, mental health, and crisis intervention.

Chemical dependency professional vs primary counselor overview

	Chemical Dependency Professional	Primary Counselor
Yearly salary	$47,509	$44,580
Hourly rate	$22.84	$21.43
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	47,704	65,753
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	6	6

Chemical dependency professional vs primary counselor salary

Chemical dependency professionals and primary counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Chemical Dependency Professional	Primary Counselor
Average salary	$47,509	$44,580
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $64,000	Between $31,000 And $63,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between chemical dependency professional and primary counselor education

There are a few differences between a chemical dependency professional and a primary counselor in terms of educational background:

	Chemical Dependency Professional	Primary Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Chemical Engineering	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	Hunter College of the City University of New York

Chemical dependency professional vs primary counselor demographics

Here are the differences between chemical dependency professionals' and primary counselors' demographics:

	Chemical Dependency Professional	Primary Counselor
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 34.4% Female, 65.6%	Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5%
Race ratio	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%	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	12%	12%

Differences between chemical dependency professional and primary counselor duties and responsibilities

Chemical dependency professional example responsibilities.

Lead training for staff on specific counseling interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders.
Observe strict compliance with all HIPPA guidelines
Conduct substance use assessments, diagnose DSM multi-axis clients, and design ISSP treatment plans.
Maintain a positive therapeutic relationship with patients while maintaining professional boundaries.
Encourage patients towards choosing in-patient/out-patient treatment, or transitional living environments, after their detox needs.
Provide daily group and individual psychotherapy at an outpatient rehabilitation facility for clients with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

Primary counselor example responsibilities.

Coordinate individual client treatment plans to achieve individual and department rehabilitation goals.
Conduct intake screenings and assessment for treatment entry and appropriateness per ASAM criteria.
Develop and implement individualized treatment plans base on patient needs and ASAM criteria.
Maintain accurate and complete chart documentation regarding patient attitude and progress in the rehabilitation process following program protocols.
Facilitate group activities, arrange for outside recovery-orient NA/AA meetings, and provide a safe environment for recovering patients.
Facilitate substance abuse group counseling sessions to assist patients in recognizing causal factors of substance abuse and in developing coping behaviors.

Chemical dependency professional vs primary counselor skills

Common chemical dependency professional skills

Patients, 24%
CDP, 16%
Mental Health, 9%
Substance Abuse, 8%
Treatment Services, 4%
Substance USE Disorders, 4%

Common primary counselor skills

Group Therapy Sessions, 10%
Mental Health, 10%
Crisis Intervention, 10%
Patients, 8%
Intake Assessments, 8%
Substance Abuse Treatment, 8%

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Chemical Dependency Professional
Chemical Dependency Professional vs Primary Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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