Hospice social worker vs substance abuse counselor

The differences between hospice social workers and substance abuse counselors 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 substance abuse counselor takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a hospice social worker has an average salary of $52,859, which is higher than the $43,069 average annual salary of a substance abuse counselor.

The top three skills for a hospice social worker include social work, patients and home health. The most important skills for a substance abuse counselor are patients, substance abuse treatment, and social work.

Hospice social worker vs substance abuse counselor overview

	Hospice Social Worker	Substance Abuse Counselor
Yearly salary	$52,859	$43,069
Hourly rate	$25.41	$20.71
Growth rate	9%	-
Number of jobs	110,787	78,643
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	45	39
Years of experience	2	6

What does a hospice social worker do?

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.

What does a substance abuse counselor do?

Substance abuse counselors act as a support system for people with drug and alcohol problems and other behavioral issues. They help the patients control their behavior until they achieve a full recovery. The mental health counselors aid patients to overcome their chemical dependencies and become self-sufficient individuals. Part of their duty includes meeting clients to evaluate their health and substance issues while creating goals and treatment plans. They teach clients coping mechanisms, refer them to support groups, and engage them in group therapy sessions. Once the patient is stable, they help them re-establish their careers and give updates and reports of progress to the courts. Requirements for the job include a master's degree in counseling and social work.

Hospice social worker vs substance abuse counselor salary

Hospice social workers and substance abuse counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Hospice Social Worker	Substance Abuse Counselor
Average salary	$52,859	$43,069
Salary range	Between $41,000 And $67,000	Between $27,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	-	Trenton, NJ
Highest paying state	-	New Hampshire
Best paying company	-	Erlanger Health System
Best paying industry	-	Non Profits

Differences between hospice social worker and substance abuse counselor education

There are a few differences between a hospice social worker and a substance abuse counselor in terms of educational background:

	Hospice Social Worker	Substance Abuse Counselor
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Social Work	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	California State University - Long Beach

Hospice social worker vs substance abuse counselor demographics

Here are the differences between hospice social workers' and substance abuse counselors' demographics:

	Hospice Social Worker	Substance Abuse Counselor
Average age	45	39
Gender ratio	Male, 13.8% Female, 86.2%	Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7%
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, 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	13%	12%

Differences between hospice social worker and substance abuse counselor duties and responsibilities

Hospice social worker example responsibilities.

Collaborate with multidisciplinary team to provide necessary referrals and counseling to achieve establish patient goals.
Provide support, education and compassion to patients and family members.
Assist patients and families with obtaining necessary insurances such as Medicaid, etc.
Provide advocacy and support services to terminally ill patients, families and/or significant others to maximize benefits and limit out-of-pocket expenses.
Work as lead MSW on all pediatric hospice cases.
Work with other members of the IDT to track and document changes to the patient's status, coping, etc.

Substance abuse counselor example responsibilities.

Ensure and manage the compliance with Didi Hirsch policies and procedures, contracts and other regulatory agencies, HIPAA and DMH.
Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Perform assessment of patients using ASAM criteria and recommendation for appropriate level of programming.
Process detox patient admissions on computer system which include - conducting alcohol and drug assessment, taking psycho/social history.
Provide clinical services, patient care, education and opiate addiction counseling services to patients receiving methadone maintenance and detoxification treatment.
Certify for first aid and CPR.

Hospice social worker vs substance abuse counselor skills

Common hospice social worker skills

Social Work, 29%
Patients, 19%
Home Health, 11%
MSW, 5%
Patient Care, 4%
Crisis Intervention, 4%

Common substance abuse counselor skills

Patients, 16%
Substance Abuse Treatment, 11%
Social Work, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 8%
Intake Assessments, 5%
Rehabilitation, 4%

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Hospice Social Worker
Hospice Social Worker vs Substance Abuse Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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