How To Become A Drug And Alcohol Treatment Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a drug and alcohol treatment specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Erik Longnecker,

Dr. Chantrelle Varnado-Johnson

The average drug and alcohol treatment specialist salary is $32,253. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an psychology major. It usually takes 4-6 years of experience to become a drug and alcohol treatment specialist. Drug and alcohol treatment specialists with a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 0% and produce 100 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a drug and alcohol treatment specialist?

Erik Longnecker

Program Manager, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Office of Public and Governmental Affairs Public Affairs Division

ATF Deputy Assistant Director of Human Resources & Professional Development, Peter J. Forcelli, who oversees Training & Professional Development for the agency commented, "There have been a number of challenges in 2020 to onboarding new ATF Special Agents. COVID restrictions made changes to the way we were recruiting. In the past, we primarily recruited in person; in March we turned to technology and the use of the internet to participate in virtual job fairs. We followed the recommendations on the wearing of masks and using appropriate social distancing and continued to get Special Agent applicants through the examination, the Physical Task Test, the panel interview, the polygraph and medical examinations, and a rigorous background investigation, in order to receive a Top-Secret Security Clearance. In addition to continuing these requirements, I am happy to report that in Fiscal Year 2020, despite challenges from COVID and the civil unrest, 186 individuals from very diverse backgrounds became ATF Special Agents. Many have already completed the entire training regimen to include the Criminal Investigator's Training Program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, Georgia, followed by ATF's Special Agent Basic Training Program at the ATF National Academy, which is 14-weeks long, and involves extensive training in firearms technology, interviewing, case management, tactics, post-blast investigations, arson investigations, and federal firearms laws. Law enforcement is a calling for most who enter this field, and we persevere. As a former NYPD Detective and having been an ATF Agent for almost 20 years, it is a rewarding career - and I have never looked back. I expect the young men and women who became ATF Special Agents during this unpredictable year to feel the same way. I'm proud they chose ATF and confident in their abilities to meet our mission and continue protecting the American people from violent gun crime.

ScoreDrug And Alcohol Treatment SpecialistUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $32,253

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

5.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.86%

Asian 4.56%

Black or African American 11.43%

Hispanic or Latino 15.39%

Unknown 4.56%

White 63.21%

Gender

female 66.12%

male 33.88%

Age - 37

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 37

Stress level

9.9

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.9

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a drug and alcohol treatment specialist

Explore drug and alcohol treatment specialist education requirements

Most common drug and alcohol treatment specialist degrees

Bachelor's

60.1 %

Master's

23.7 %

Associate

9.2 %

Start to develop specific drug and alcohol treatment specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
Mental Health	30.74%
Crisis Intervention	8.67%
Group Therapy Sessions	8.27%
Substance Abuse Issues	7.98%
Motivational	7.41%

Complete relevant drug and alcohol treatment specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New drug and alcohol treatment specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a drug and alcohol treatment specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real drug and alcohol treatment specialist resumes.

Research drug and alcohol treatment specialist duties and responsibilities

Provide individualize intervention for problematic behaviors using TCI techniques such as de-escalation, to prevent and/or manage crisis.
Conduct substance abuse assessments and submit treatment recommendations for DUI and felony offenders.
Facilitate positive consumer and personal relationships base on positive consumer and personal relationships base on courtesy, compassion, and respect.
Provide individualize intervention for problematic behaviors using TCI techniques such as de-escalation, to prevent and/or manage crisis.

Prepare your drug and alcohol treatment specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your drug and alcohol treatment specialist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a drug and alcohol treatment specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable drug and alcohol treatment specialist resume templates

Build a professional drug and alcohol treatment specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your drug and alcohol treatment specialist resume.

Apply for drug and alcohol treatment specialist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a drug and alcohol treatment specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average drug and alcohol treatment specialist salary

The average drug and alcohol treatment specialist salary in the United States is $32,253 per year or $16 per hour. Drug and alcohol treatment specialist salaries range between $26,000 and $39,000 per year.

Average drug and alcohol treatment specialist salary

$32,253 Yearly

$15.51 hourly

How do drug and alcohol treatment specialists rate their job?

5/5

Based on 1 ratings

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Drug and alcohol treatment specialist reviews

5.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2020

Pros

love being of service. Helping people move on in life with positive attitude about life.

Cons

When people refuse to believe they can do and be a better person.

What is a drug and alcohol treatment specialist and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a drug and alcohol treatment specialist?

Drug and alcohol treatment specialist career paths

Key steps to become a drug and alcohol treatment specialist

Explore drug and alcohol treatment specialist education requirements

Most common drug and alcohol treatment specialist degrees

Start to develop specific drug and alcohol treatment specialist skills

Complete relevant drug and alcohol treatment specialist training and internships

Research drug and alcohol treatment specialist duties and responsibilities

Prepare your drug and alcohol treatment specialist resume

Choose from 10+ customizable drug and alcohol treatment specialist resume templates

Apply for drug and alcohol treatment specialist jobs

How did you land your first drug and alcohol treatment specialist job

Average drug and alcohol treatment specialist salary

How do drug and alcohol treatment specialists rate their job?

Drug and alcohol treatment specialist reviews