Drug abuse technician vs behavioral health specialist

The differences between drug abuse technicians and behavioral health specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a drug abuse technician, becoming a behavioral health specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a behavioral health specialist has an average salary of $44,808, which is higher than the $29,180 average annual salary of a drug abuse technician.

The top three skills for a drug abuse technician include drug screens, alcohol screens and drug tests. The most important skills for a behavioral health specialist are patients, social work, and substance abuse.

Drug abuse technician vs behavioral health specialist overview

	Drug Abuse Technician	Behavioral Health Specialist
Yearly salary	$29,180	$44,808
Hourly rate	$14.03	$21.54
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	87,872	130,222
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	39	45
Years of experience	6	4

Drug abuse technician vs behavioral health specialist salary

Drug abuse technicians and behavioral health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Drug Abuse Technician	Behavioral Health Specialist
Average salary	$29,180	$44,808
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $37,000	Between $29,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City	Dana Point, CA	Anchorage, AK
Highest paying state	Oregon	Alaska
Best paying company	Choctaw Nation Of Oklahoma	Maxim Healthcare Group
Best paying industry	Health Care	Insurance

Differences between drug abuse technician and behavioral health specialist education

There are a few differences between a drug abuse technician and a behavioral health specialist in terms of educational background:

	Drug Abuse Technician	Behavioral Health Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Psychology
Most common college	San Diego State University	California State University - Long Beach

Drug abuse technician vs behavioral health specialist demographics

Here are the differences between drug abuse technicians' and behavioral health specialists' demographics:

	Drug Abuse Technician	Behavioral Health Specialist
Average age	39	45
Gender ratio	Male, 41.5% Female, 58.5%	Male, 29.2% Female, 70.8%
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 drug abuse technician and behavioral health specialist duties and responsibilities

Drug abuse technician example responsibilities.

Work with outside counsel to develop patent and trademark portfolio and manage patent litigation.
Complete intake procedures for new clients including UA's.
Compose written reports of data collect from patient evaluation and present to department chief for thorough analysis of patient diagnosis.
Administer state require DWI protocols including breathalyzer tests and obtaining specimens.

Behavioral health specialist example responsibilities.

Provide individualize intervention for problematic behaviors using TCI techniques such as de-escalation, to prevent and/or manage crisis.
Complete training in CPR, self-defense, and mental health.
Monitor meals for residents suffering from eating disorders and provide compassion and encouragement when an individual are struggling with eating.
Work with kids who have special needs.
Ensure departments are in compliance with MSHA and OSHA regulations.
Provide daily and weekly detail reports on client and BHP interaction.

Drug abuse technician vs behavioral health specialist skills

Common drug abuse technician skills

Drug Screens, 17%
Alcohol Screens, 17%
Drug Tests, 14%
Test Results, 12%
Vital Signs, 8%
Custody Procedures, 6%

Common behavioral health specialist skills

Patients, 16%
Social Work, 16%
Substance Abuse, 8%
Rehabilitation, 6%
Patient Care, 6%
Mental Illness, 5%

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Community and Social Services Industry
Drug Abuse Technician
Drug Abuse Technician vs Behavioral Health Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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