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Medical social worker vs mental health specialist

The differences between medical 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 medical social worker, becoming a mental health specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a medical social worker has an average salary of $57,093, which is higher than the $47,321 average annual salary of a mental health specialist.

The top three skills for a medical social worker include social work, patients and home health. The most important skills for a mental health specialist are patients, social work, and rehabilitation.

Medical social worker vs mental health specialist overview

Medical Social WorkerMental Health Specialist
Yearly salary$57,093$47,321
Hourly rate$27.45$22.75
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs87,792131,449
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeMaster's Degree, 48%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age4545
Years of experience24

What does a medical social worker do?

A medical social worker specializes in managing a patient's health care and welfare while communicating with guardians or families, focusing on helping them cope and understand the medical conditions and situations. They are primarily responsible for assessing a patient's condition to identify their needs, conducting interviews to gather background information regarding the patient and family, and referring any social service programs that may provide them with the assistance or help they need. Furthermore, it is crucial to identify any signs of abuse or neglect and conduct intervention procedures right away.

What does a mental health specialist do?

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.

Medical social worker vs mental health specialist salary

Medical social workers and mental health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Medical Social WorkerMental Health Specialist
Average salary$57,093$47,321
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $77,000Between $31,000 And $71,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaCalifornia
Best paying companyHealth AdvocatesResearch Foundation For Mental Hygiene Inc
Best paying industryHealth CareGovernment

Differences between medical social worker and mental health specialist education

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

Medical Social WorkerMental Health Specialist
Most common degreeMaster's Degree, 48%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common majorSocial WorkPsychology
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaCalifornia State University - Long Beach

Medical social worker vs mental health specialist demographics

Here are the differences between medical social workers' and mental health specialists' demographics:

Medical Social WorkerMental Health Specialist
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 14.3% Female, 85.7%Male, 32.9% Female, 67.1%
Race ratioBlack 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 Percentage13%15%

Differences between medical social worker and mental health specialist duties and responsibilities

Medical social worker example responsibilities.

  • Understand manage care, Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
  • Humanize the medical setting for elderly patients by using appropriate compassion in explaining complex information.
  • Provide crisis intervention, supportive counseling and trauma/grief counseling for patients and their families experiencing acute or chronic traumatic events.
  • Provide hands-on assessment and monitoring of suspect child abuse and neglect cases of children needing intensive rehabilitation and specialize care.
  • Provide social casework to patients having difficulty in social functioning, primarily as it affects their health and emotional rehabilitation.
  • Facilitate family counseling, crisis intervention, and assessments of specials population including geriatrics, homeless and substance abusing veterans.
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Mental health specialist example responsibilities.

  • Provide individualize intervention for problematic behaviors using TCI techniques such as de-escalation, to prevent and/or manage crisis.
  • Assist and encourage patients with ADL's including feeding, ambulating, and hygiene to promote patient care.
  • Utilize rehabilitation principles to support individuals, families and communities in developing effective strategies to improve client mental health functioning.
  • Provide psychological care to patients in an in-patient psych unit, including facilitating group activities, crisis intervention, implementing therapeutic approaches
  • Meet physical requirements to complete SAMA and CPR training.
  • Provide kindness and compassion to the deceased and their families.
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Medical social worker vs mental health specialist skills

Common medical social worker skills
  • Social Work, 24%
  • Patients, 19%
  • Home Health, 11%
  • MSW, 7%
  • Patient Care, 6%
  • Crisis Intervention, 3%
Common mental health specialist skills
  • Patients, 19%
  • Social Work, 11%
  • Rehabilitation, 6%
  • Mental Health, 5%
  • CPR, 5%
  • Vital Signs, 4%

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