Chemical dependency therapist vs mental health therapist

The differences between chemical dependency therapists and mental health therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a chemical dependency therapist, becoming a mental health therapist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a chemical dependency therapist has an average salary of $56,575, which is higher than the $50,259 average annual salary of a mental health therapist.

The top three skills for a chemical dependency therapist include patients, chemical dependency and treatment services. The most important skills for a mental health therapist are social work, patients, and mental health.

Chemical dependency therapist vs mental health therapist overview

	Chemical Dependency Therapist	Mental Health Therapist
Yearly salary	$56,575	$50,259
Hourly rate	$27.20	$24.16
Growth rate	14%	9%
Number of jobs	34,075	114,386
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Master's Degree, 49%
Average age	39	45
Years of experience	6	4

Chemical dependency therapist vs mental health therapist salary

Chemical dependency therapists and mental health therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Chemical Dependency Therapist	Mental Health Therapist
Average salary	$56,575	$50,259
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $83,000	Between $35,000 And $70,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	Tykes And Teens
Best paying industry	-	Non Profits

Differences between chemical dependency therapist and mental health therapist education

There are a few differences between a chemical dependency therapist and a mental health therapist in terms of educational background:

	Chemical Dependency Therapist	Mental Health Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Master's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Psychology	Social Work
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Chemical dependency therapist vs mental health therapist demographics

Here are the differences between chemical dependency therapists' and mental health therapists' demographics:

	Chemical Dependency Therapist	Mental Health Therapist
Average age	39	45
Gender ratio	Male, 28.8% Female, 71.2%	Male, 23.3% Female, 76.7%
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, 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	12%	15%

Differences between chemical dependency therapist and mental health therapist duties and responsibilities

Chemical dependency therapist example responsibilities.

Utilize ASAM's criteria to determine the appropriate therapeutic level of care for patients/clients.
Direct weekly psycho-educational group for parents of patients.
Coordinate intake process for new patients including preliminary individual treatment plans.
Develop and increase knowledge of federal, state and agency regulations regarding confidentiality methadone treatment and substance abuse counseling certification.
Conduct psychological test batteries and write integrative reports for IEP meetings.
Administer state require DWI protocols including breathalyzer tests and obtaining specimens.

Mental health therapist example responsibilities.

Create and lead PTSD group for women, depression and stress management groups for men and women.
Collaborate with patients to develop individualize treatment plans and evaluate plans periodically to monitor progress towards achieving identify goals and objectives.
Provide clinical supervision for MFT intern and participate in peer to peer reviews.
Receive training in diagnoses, physical restraints and CPR.
Care for children with autism and document daily data collection.
Utilize therapy techniques from various modalities including EMDR, TF-CBT, and DBT

Chemical dependency therapist vs mental health therapist skills

Common chemical dependency therapist skills

Patients, 31%
Chemical Dependency, 19%
Treatment Services, 11%
OASAS, 7%
ASAM, 6%
Substance Abuse, 3%

Common mental health therapist skills

Social Work, 35%
Patients, 10%
Mental Health, 6%
Group Therapy Sessions, 5%
Mental Health Issues, 3%
Community Resources, 3%

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Chemical Dependency Therapist
Chemical Dependency Therapist vs Mental Health Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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