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The differences between hospice social workers and mental health specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a hospice social worker, becoming a mental health specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a hospice social worker has an average salary of $52,859, which is higher than the $47,321 average annual salary of a mental health specialist.
The top three skills for a hospice social worker include social work, patients and home health. The most important skills for a mental health specialist are patients, social work, and rehabilitation.
| Hospice Social Worker | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $52,859 | $47,321 |
| Hourly rate | $25.41 | $22.75 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 110,787 | 131,449 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A hospice social worker is primarily in charge of providing emotional support and guidance to terminally-ill patients and their families, aiming to give them comfort and assistance in various procedures. Their responsibilities include identifying the needs of patients and their families through visitations or appointments, coordinating with nurses and physicians, and serving as a patient advocate by providing them with spiritual and emotional comfort. Furthermore, as a hospice social worker, it is essential to assist families with the bereavement processes, referring them to other programs as necessary.
A mental health specialist is responsible for evaluating a patient's mental health condition and develop appropriate treatment plans to help the patients cope up with their mental difficulties. Mental health specialists provide counseling to the patients, listening to their situation, and responding with the utmost consideration. They also create regular progress reports and medical charts to monitor ongoing medication, updating treatment plans as needed. A mental health specialist must have excellent communication and organization skills, helping the patients deal with their mental stress and return to a healthy lifestyle.
Hospice social workers and mental health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hospice Social Worker | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Average salary | $52,859 | $47,321 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $67,000 | Between $31,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene Inc |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a hospice social worker and a mental health specialist in terms of educational background:
| Hospice Social Worker | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between hospice social workers' and mental health specialists' demographics:
| Hospice Social Worker | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 13.8% Female, 86.2% | Male, 32.9% Female, 67.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 13% | 15% |