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Health program specialist vs clinical social worker

The differences between health program specialists and clinical social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a health program specialist, becoming a clinical social worker takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a clinical social worker has an average salary of $63,056, which is higher than the $48,114 average annual salary of a health program specialist.

The top three skills for a health program specialist include health education, data collection and patients. The most important skills for a clinical social worker are social work, patients, and behavioral health.

Health program specialist vs clinical social worker overview

Health Program SpecialistClinical Social Worker
Yearly salary$48,114$63,056
Hourly rate$23.13$30.32
Growth rate6%9%
Number of jobs114,825124,816
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Master's Degree, 54%
Average age4545
Years of experience62

What does a health program specialist do?

A health program specialist is in charge of planning and developing health programs in communities or facilities. Their responsibilities include performing research and analysis to identify client needs, gathering and analyzing data, spearheading different activities that promote healthy lifestyles, assessing existing programs to determine areas needing improvement, and coordinating with health care experts. Furthermore, as a health program specialist, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while adhering to the vision and mission of the organization or community.

What does a clinical social worker do?

A clinical social worker is an individual in social work, which provides help to individuals in need of improving their lives and their well-being. Clinical social workers must work with different individuals to help them address difficulties that they are trying to overcome. To perform counseling services, clinical social workers must take and pass the professional licensure examination. They also help disadvantaged individuals connect to resources and services that they may benefit from.

Health program specialist vs clinical social worker salary

Health program specialists and clinical social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Health Program SpecialistClinical Social Worker
Average salary$48,114$63,056
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $69,000Between $42,000 And $92,000
Highest paying CitySan Rafael, CASanta Rosa, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaCalifornia
Best paying companyAppleTucson Electric Power
Best paying industryGovernmentEducation

Differences between health program specialist and clinical social worker education

There are a few differences between a health program specialist and a clinical social worker in terms of educational background:

Health Program SpecialistClinical Social Worker
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Master's Degree, 54%
Most common majorPsychologySocial Work
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Health program specialist vs clinical social worker demographics

Here are the differences between health program specialists' and clinical social workers' demographics:

Health Program SpecialistClinical Social Worker
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 30.6% Female, 69.4%Male, 21.7% Female, 78.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%Black or African American, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage7%13%

Differences between health program specialist and clinical social worker duties and responsibilities

Health program specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage and maintain medical and legal case files in compliance with HIPAA.
  • Conduct screenings for cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressure and osteoporosis.
  • Coordinate appointments with court and third-party medical facilities and accompany patients to legal appointments, rehabilitation and therapy groups.
  • Serve as lead staff and successfully provide direct inpatient care in psychiatric setting in support of patient rehabilitation.
  • Create exercise prescriptions for rehabilitation.
  • Program communication and development working with service providers, healthcare association and organizations to establish a state-wide tobacco treatment safety network.
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Clinical social worker example responsibilities.

  • Understand manage care, Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
  • Screen, identify, diagnose using DSM nomenclature, treat and manage mental health and/or substance abuse problems.
  • Provide clinical services to patients in rehabilitation and oncology including assessment, crisis intervention, grief therapy, and discharge planning.
  • Provide individual, group, family therapy, team coordination, discharge planning, utilization review and MSW student supervision.
  • Participate in weekly interdisciplinary team meetings to determine Medicare length of skil nursing stay.
  • Facilitate therapy, symptom management, and rehabilitation groups for mental health clients in partial hospitalization setting.
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Health program specialist vs clinical social worker skills

Common health program specialist skills
  • Health Education, 12%
  • Data Collection, 12%
  • Patients, 9%
  • Technical Assistance, 8%
  • Social Work, 8%
  • Rehabilitation, 4%
Common clinical social worker skills
  • Social Work, 28%
  • Patients, 17%
  • Behavioral Health, 6%
  • Patient Care, 5%
  • Community Resources, 4%
  • MSW, 3%

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