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The differences between child protective specialists and crisis intervention specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a child protective specialist and a crisis intervention specialist. Additionally, a crisis intervention specialist has an average salary of $54,678, which is higher than the $52,032 average annual salary of a child protective specialist.
The top three skills for a child protective specialist include social work, social services and mental health. The most important skills for a crisis intervention specialist are social work, patients, and substance abuse.
| Child Protective Specialist | Crisis Intervention Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $52,032 | $54,678 |
| Hourly rate | $25.02 | $26.29 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 75,325 | 80,817 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Child Protective Specialist is a social worker who handles suspected cases of abuse and neglect in children. They focus on performing research and investigation, conducting home visits and inspections, interviewing families and potential witnesses, gathering evidence, and reaching out to hospitals or schools to collect and analyze data. Through the findings of their investigation, a Child Protective Specialist draws conclusions and develops recommendations for the children's safety and welfare. Moreover, there are instances where they conduct interventions, refer families to other agencies, or coordinate with law enforcement.
A crisis intervention specialist provides counseling services and intervention to patients in high-stress situations. Their responsibilities include conducting assessments to understand the clients' conditions, studying their medical histories and personal background, developing treatment plans, and regularly monitoring their behavior and progress. They may also coordinate with the patients' families or guardians, provide care advice, or refer patients to other specialists when necessary. Moreover, a crisis intervention specialist gives emotional support and guidance to patients, helping them deal with stress.
Child protective specialists and crisis intervention specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child Protective Specialist | Crisis Intervention Specialist | |
| Average salary | $52,032 | $54,678 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $65,000 | Between $40,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Hoboken, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Children's National Medical Center | Legacy Health |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a child protective specialist and a crisis intervention specialist in terms of educational background:
| Child Protective Specialist | Crisis Intervention Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between child protective specialists' and crisis intervention specialists' demographics:
| Child Protective Specialist | Crisis Intervention Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.2% Female, 78.8% | Male, 29.6% Female, 70.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | 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 | 10% | 15% |