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The differences between community health counselors and behavioral health 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 community health counselor and a behavioral health specialist. Additionally, a behavioral health specialist has an average salary of $44,808, which is higher than the $43,304 average annual salary of a community health counselor.
The top three skills for a community health counselor include social work, behavioral health and patients. The most important skills for a behavioral health specialist are patients, social work, and substance abuse.
| Community Health Counselor | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $43,304 | $44,808 |
| Hourly rate | $20.82 | $21.54 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 131,804 | 130,222 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A community health counselor typically provides health and welfare support to the disadvantaged members of a community. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies to reach out to community members, coordinating with schools and other institutions, and building positive relationships with the communities that they serve. They may also provide counseling sessions to individuals of all ages, conduct observations and assessments, perform interventions, and identify any signs of abuse or neglect, reporting to the authorities right away. Furthermore, they may refer families or individuals to other social services unit if necessary.
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.
Community health counselors and behavioral health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Community Health Counselor | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Average salary | $43,304 | $44,808 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $63,000 | Between $29,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Apple | Maxim Healthcare Group |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a community health counselor and a behavioral health specialist in terms of educational background:
| Community Health Counselor | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between community health counselors' and behavioral health specialists' demographics:
| Community Health Counselor | Behavioral Health Specialist | |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6% | Male, 29.2% Female, 70.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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 | 15% | 15% |