Hospital social worker vs alcohol and drug counselor

The differences between hospital social workers and alcohol and drug 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 hospital social worker, becoming an alcohol and drug counselor takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a hospital social worker has an average salary of $54,774, which is higher than the $45,758 average annual salary of an alcohol and drug counselor.

The top three skills for a hospital social worker include social work, patients and patient care. The most important skills for an alcohol and drug counselor are patients, social work, and crisis intervention.

Hospital social worker vs alcohol and drug counselor overview

	Hospital Social Worker	Alcohol And Drug Counselor
Yearly salary	$54,774	$45,758
Hourly rate	$26.33	$22.00
Growth rate	9%	-
Number of jobs	105,520	77,461
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age	45	39
Years of experience	2	6

What does a hospital social worker do?

The job of a hospital social worker is one that constantly puts them in the limelight. They perform duties to help patients as they navigate the process of being sick and hospitalized. They assist patients in dealing with the effects of hospitalization. They function as the middleman between patients and the hospital staff. They must also connect patients to much-needed services and assist with coordinating insurance reimbursements.

What does an alcohol and drug counselor do?

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.

Hospital social worker vs alcohol and drug counselor salary

Hospital social workers and alcohol and drug counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Hospital Social Worker	Alcohol And Drug Counselor
Average salary	$54,774	$45,758
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $77,000	Between $30,000 And $68,000
Highest paying City	Santa Rosa, CA	Santa Rosa, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	California
Best paying company	Medical Billing	Montage Health
Best paying industry	Health Care	Professional

Differences between hospital social worker and alcohol and drug counselor education

There are a few differences between a hospital social worker and an alcohol and drug counselor in terms of educational background:

	Hospital Social Worker	Alcohol And Drug Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common major	Social Work	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	California State University - Long Beach

Hospital social worker vs alcohol and drug counselor demographics

Here are the differences between hospital social workers' and alcohol and drug counselors' demographics:

	Hospital Social Worker	Alcohol And Drug Counselor
Average age	45	39
Gender ratio	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%	Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5%
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 hospital social worker and alcohol and drug counselor duties and responsibilities

Hospital social worker example responsibilities.

Screen, identify, diagnose using DSM nomenclature, treat and manage mental health and/or substance abuse problems.
Provide individual therapy, case management, and insurance coverage reviews for individuals undergoing short-term rehabilitation.
Provide orientation, support and information to patients and their families to facilitate active involvement in the rehabilitation environment.
Perform assessments/social history upon admission to better understand the patient's needs and personal circumstances as they relate to their rehabilitation.
Coordinate care with community providers for follow up if patient are discharged, prepare documentation for admission to inpatient psychiatry unit.
Analyze psychological / psycho-social evaluations, IEP's, and medical histories within a referral packet to determine eligibility.

Alcohol and drug counselor example responsibilities.

Plan and implement follow-up and aftercare programs for clients to be discharge from treatment programs.
Practice cognitive behavioral, motivational enhancement and structural family therapy.
front office, counseling and aftercare.
Administer UA test onsite and send out.
Improve IOP successful completion rate while facilitating seven groups per week.
Collect and organize statistical data as required by DASA, and NEWTA.

Hospital social worker vs alcohol and drug counselor skills

Common hospital social worker skills

Social Work, 28%
Patients, 21%
Patient Care, 7%
MSW, 6%
Behavioral Health, 5%
Acute Care, 4%

Common alcohol and drug counselor skills

Patients, 15%
Social Work, 11%
Crisis Intervention, 8%
Rehabilitation, 7%
Substance Abuse Treatment, 6%
Treatment Services, 6%

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Hospital Social Worker
Hospital Social Worker vs Alcohol And Drug Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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