Drug abuse technician vs crisis counselor

The differences between drug abuse technicians and crisis counselors 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 crisis counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a crisis counselor has an average salary of $51,142, 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 crisis counselor are social work, patients, and mental health crisis.

Drug abuse technician vs crisis counselor overview

	Drug Abuse Technician	Crisis Counselor
Yearly salary	$29,180	$51,142
Hourly rate	$14.03	$24.59
Growth rate	9%	12%
Number of jobs	87,872	76,255
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age	39	41
Years of experience	6	4

Drug abuse technician vs crisis counselor salary

Drug abuse technicians and crisis counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Drug Abuse Technician	Crisis Counselor
Average salary	$29,180	$51,142
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $37,000	Between $37,000 And $69,000
Highest paying City	Dana Point, CA	-
Highest paying state	Oregon	-
Best paying company	Choctaw Nation Of Oklahoma	-
Best paying industry	Health Care	-

Differences between drug abuse technician and crisis counselor education

There are a few differences between a drug abuse technician and a crisis counselor in terms of educational background:

	Drug Abuse Technician	Crisis Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Psychology
Most common college	San Diego State University	California State University - Long Beach

Drug abuse technician vs crisis counselor demographics

Here are the differences between drug abuse technicians' and crisis counselors' demographics:

	Drug Abuse Technician	Crisis Counselor
Average age	39	41
Gender ratio	Male, 41.5% Female, 58.5%	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%
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, 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	12%	15%

Differences between drug abuse technician and crisis counselor 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.

Crisis counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Conduct mental health evaluations and behavioral health crisis assessments for determination of functioning and mental status of patients.
Provide education to patients about relevant aspects of mental illness and/or chemical dependency to support maximum utilization of treatment.
Train to use CPI, MOAB, and CPR as needed.
Aid callers/chatters suffering from various life crises by use of strong listening skills, empathy, and compassion.
Make patient referrals to outpatient medical clinics, community services, or rehabilitation facilities.

Drug abuse technician vs crisis counselor 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 crisis counselor skills

Social Work, 21%
Patients, 8%
Mental Health Crisis, 6%
Social Services, 5%
Crisis Management, 4%
Suicide Prevention, 4%

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Drug Abuse Technician
Drug Abuse Technician vs Crisis Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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