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The differences between family intervention specialists and alcohol and drug counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a family intervention specialist, becoming an alcohol and drug counselor takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an alcohol and drug counselor has an average salary of $45,758, which is higher than the $42,045 average annual salary of a family intervention specialist.
The top three skills for a family intervention specialist include social work, family therapy and at-risk youth. The most important skills for an alcohol and drug counselor are patients, social work, and crisis intervention.
| Family Intervention Specialist | Alcohol And Drug Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $42,045 | $45,758 |
| Hourly rate | $20.21 | $22.00 |
| Growth rate | 9% | - |
| Number of jobs | 76,990 | 77,461 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A family intervention specialist provides family-centered care by visiting children and youth with alcohol addiction, substance abuse, and mental or behavioral health disorders. Typical duties include providing assessment and counseling using evidence-based practices, coordinating with treatment providers to implement services for children and their families. Additionally, as a family intervention specialist, you will be responsible for maintaining up-to-date and accurate reporting, clinical charts, and billing records.
A drug & alcohol counselor treats addicts in either one-on-one or group settings. They help by educating and developing possible treatment plans for patients to support them in coping with their addictive personalities. A drug and alcohol counselor will evaluate to determine the progress has been successfully made towards recovery. They help patients better understand and overcome their addictions. Counselors help through offering support, rehabilitation, and guidance by using various techniques. Drug & alcohol counselors seek to help an addict find the source of their addiction.
Family intervention specialists and alcohol and drug counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Family Intervention Specialist | Alcohol And Drug Counselor | |
| Average salary | $42,045 | $45,758 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $49,000 | Between $30,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Montage Health |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between a family intervention specialist and an alcohol and drug counselor in terms of educational background:
| Family Intervention Specialist | Alcohol And Drug Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Hunter College of the City University of New York | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between family intervention specialists' and alcohol and drug counselors' demographics:
| Family Intervention Specialist | Alcohol And Drug Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 22.4% Female, 77.6% | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 12% |