Corrections counselor vs mental health counselor

The differences between corrections counselors and mental health counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a mental health counselor has an average salary of $49,471, which is higher than the $48,875 average annual salary of a corrections counselor.

The top three skills for a corrections counselor include mental health, substance abuse and social work. The most important skills for a mental health counselor are social work, patients, and crisis intervention.

Corrections counselor vs mental health counselor overview

	Corrections Counselor	Mental Health Counselor
Yearly salary	$48,875	$49,471
Hourly rate	$23.50	$23.78
Growth rate	10%	9%
Number of jobs	77,132	110,752
Job satisfaction	-	2
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	42	41
Years of experience	-	4

What does a corrections counselor do?

A corrections counselor develops and implements rehabilitation plans for parolees and inmates. They work directly with criminal offenders to facilitate individual or group counseling sessions to identify the reasons for their behavior, help them work through their issues, give the necessary interventions, and determine whether they can be released back into society. Besides monitoring the progress of the inmates, a corrections counselor may also help parolees and offenders prepare for their release to prevent them from going back to the life of crime. Additionally, a corrections counselor keeps records of all inmates and regularly reports to senior staff.

What does a mental health counselor do?

A mental health counselor is responsible for helping patients deal with their emotional and mental disorders by developing treatment plans and conducting regular counseling to track the patient's progress and condition. Mental health counselors encourage active communication from their patients, provide coping strategies for triggering situations, seek advice from other health care professionals, and guide patients on doing other activities that would help them relax. A mental health counselor must have excellent knowledge of the mental health disciplines to assist patients in their healthy lifestyle development.

Corrections counselor vs mental health counselor salary

Corrections counselors and mental health counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Corrections Counselor	Mental Health Counselor
Average salary	$48,875	$49,471
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $66,000	Between $34,000 And $70,000
Highest paying City	Santa Rosa, CA	Longview, WA
Highest paying state	California	Washington
Best paying company	Maxim Healthcare Group	Family Life Counseling & Psychiatric Services
Best paying industry	Government	Health Care

Differences between corrections counselor and mental health counselor education

There are a few differences between a corrections counselor and a mental health counselor in terms of educational background:

	Corrections Counselor	Mental Health Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Corrections counselor vs mental health counselor demographics

Here are the differences between corrections counselors' and mental health counselors' demographics:

	Corrections Counselor	Mental Health Counselor
Average age	42	41
Gender ratio	Male, 49.3% Female, 50.7%	Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	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%
LGBT Percentage	11%	15%

Differences between corrections counselor and mental health counselor duties and responsibilities

Corrections counselor example responsibilities.

Train in pepper spray, handcuffs, and CPR.
Provide first aid and or CPR as needed.
Administer risk/needs assessment to offenders using motivational interviewing techniques.
Utilize and demonstrate proficiency in risk reduction skills including motivational interviewing and cognitive strategies.
Develop re-entry plans for offenders within establish time frames and in accordance with departmental procedures.
Assist inmates with selecting educational and job training programs to enhance their opportunity for rehabilitation and future employment.

Mental health counselor example responsibilities.

Provide clinical consultation to consumers and clients regarding manage care services and other benefits available to them through their EAP programs.
Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Certify in CPI (crisis intervention technique).
Assist with crisis intervention, (CPI) maintains treatment activities.
Provide mental health assessment and evaluation of detainees refer by facility staff or identify by pre-screening (booking or nursing).
Assess for special needs during booking process.

Corrections counselor vs mental health counselor skills

Common corrections counselor skills

Mental Health, 16%
Substance Abuse, 16%
Social Work, 10%
Crisis Intervention, 6%
Rehabilitation, 6%
Criminal Justice, 6%

Common mental health counselor skills

Social Work, 17%
Patients, 16%
Crisis Intervention, 9%
Patient Care, 6%
Mental Health Issues, 5%
Rehabilitation, 4%

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Corrections Counselor
Corrections Counselor vs Mental Health Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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