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Counseling specialist vs intake specialist

The differences between counseling specialists and intake specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a counseling specialist has an average salary of $44,061, which is higher than the $36,805 average annual salary of an intake specialist.

The top three skills for a counseling specialist include social work, mental health and crisis intervention. The most important skills for an intake specialist are patients, customer service, and social work.

Counseling specialist vs intake specialist overview

Counseling SpecialistIntake Specialist
Yearly salary$44,061$36,805
Hourly rate$21.18$17.69
Growth rate10%12%
Number of jobs64,40440,663
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age4243
Years of experience-12

What does a counseling specialist do?

A counseling specialist guides groups, families, or individuals dealing with mental well-being or mental health issues. These professionals approach their duties holistically by implementing a 'wellness' model that identifies and promotes the client's strengths. Besides developing therapeutic processes and encouraging clients to share their experiences and emotions, counseling specialists also refer the clients to professional psychologists and more services. They work with families and examine aging, relationships, suicide, stress, depression, self-image, careers, bullying, substance abuse, anger management, and LGBTQ issues.

What does an intake specialist do?

Intake coordinators manage the registration of clients or patients for medical services in a health care facility. They talk to patients and their families, determine their needs, and ask for patients' medical history and their mental and physical state. It is part of their job to obtain the insurance information of the patients. The necessary skills to become an intake coordinator include good writing and reading skills, good communication, and attention to detail.

Counseling specialist vs intake specialist salary

Counseling specialists and intake specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Counseling SpecialistIntake Specialist
Average salary$44,061$36,805
Salary rangeBetween $32,000 And $59,000Between $26,000 And $51,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyChicago Public SchoolsCiti
Best paying industryFinanceGovernment

Differences between counseling specialist and intake specialist education

There are a few differences between a counseling specialist and an intake specialist in terms of educational background:

Counseling SpecialistIntake Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common majorPsychologyBusiness
Most common collegeBoston UniversitySUNY at Binghamton

Counseling specialist vs intake specialist demographics

Here are the differences between counseling specialists' and intake specialists' demographics:

Counseling SpecialistIntake Specialist
Average age4243
Gender ratioMale, 36.6% Female, 63.4%Male, 20.7% Female, 79.3%
Race ratioBlack 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, 11.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 21.4% Asian, 6.3% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between counseling specialist and intake specialist duties and responsibilities

Counseling specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage assignments of paying medical bills limit in depth that include organizing and researching regulations as pertain to veterans eligibility.
  • Follow member verification process, ensuring member's HIPAA rights.
  • Provide HIV pre- and post-test counseling, and conduct confidential HIV testing using rapid OraQuick.
  • Coordinate housing efforts with HUD also, verify yearly rental and income checks with social security.
  • Identify and recruit students, assess academic, motivational, and social needs, and develop individual work plans.
  • Develop social histories and rehabilitation treatment plans.
  • Show more

Intake specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage assignments of paying medical bills limit in depth that include organizing and researching regulations as pertain to veterans eligibility.
  • Provide information to potential patients and referral sources regarding inpatient and outpatient programs offer and intake process.
  • Verify Medicare eligibility, provide patients with Medicare guideline information as related to home health care and their coverage.
  • Review U.S. DHS immigration compliance of participants.
  • Peg claimants claim and establish medial conditions to VA worksheets.
  • Respond to telephone and e-mail inquiries regarding CM/ECF and court relate procedures.
  • Show more

Counseling specialist vs intake specialist skills

Common counseling specialist skills
  • Social Work, 25%
  • Mental Health, 20%
  • Crisis Intervention, 10%
  • HIPAA, 7%
  • Substance Abuse, 7%
  • Community Resources, 6%
Common intake specialist skills
  • Patients, 16%
  • Customer Service, 14%
  • Social Work, 7%
  • Data Entry, 6%
  • Phone Calls, 4%
  • Home Health, 3%

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