Perinatal social worker vs substance abuse counselor

The differences between perinatal 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 perinatal social worker, becoming a substance abuse counselor takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a perinatal social worker has an average salary of $58,744, which is higher than the $43,069 average annual salary of a substance abuse counselor.

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

Perinatal social worker vs substance abuse counselor overview

	Perinatal Social Worker	Substance Abuse Counselor
Yearly salary	$58,744	$43,069
Hourly rate	$28.24	$20.71
Growth rate	9%	-
Number of jobs	43,245	78,643
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	45	39
Years of experience	2	6

Perinatal social worker vs substance abuse counselor salary

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

	Perinatal Social Worker	Substance Abuse Counselor
Average salary	$58,744	$43,069
Salary range	Between $44,000 And $77,000	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 perinatal social worker and substance abuse counselor education

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

	Perinatal Social Worker	Substance Abuse Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Social Work	Psychology
Most common college	Emory University	California State University - Long Beach

Perinatal social worker vs substance abuse counselor demographics

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

	Perinatal Social Worker	Substance Abuse Counselor
Average age	45	39
Gender ratio	Male, 5.7% Female, 94.3%	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 perinatal social worker and substance abuse counselor duties and responsibilities

Perinatal social worker example responsibilities.

Screen, identify, diagnose using DSM nomenclature, treat and manage mental health and/or substance abuse problems.
Work closely with the medical team and attend weekly multi-disciplinary rounds.
Work with a complex interdisciplinary team facilitating treatment for patients on medical floors including oncology, dialysis, cardiac and maternity.
Integrate a therapeutic/clinical model base on of DBT that support student academic, behavioral and social success.

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.

Perinatal social worker vs substance abuse counselor skills

Common perinatal social worker skills

Social Work, 20%
OB, 14%
Health Education, 13%
Community Agencies, 12%
Mental Health, 8%
Birth Control, 6%

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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Perinatal Social Worker
Perinatal Social Worker vs Substance Abuse Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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