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The differences between psychiatric social workers and crisis intervention 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 psychiatric social worker, becoming a crisis intervention specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a psychiatric social worker has an average salary of $59,144, which is higher than the $54,678 average annual salary of a crisis intervention specialist.
The top three skills for a psychiatric social worker include social work, patients and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a crisis intervention specialist are social work, patients, and substance abuse.
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Crisis Intervention Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $59,144 | $54,678 |
| Hourly rate | $28.43 | $26.29 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 57,284 | 80,817 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A psychiatric social worker specializes in providing mental health treatments and other services to patients and their families, referring them to other agencies and programs as needed. They conduct assessments and interviews to determine the condition of patients, devise specific treatment and care plans, update and maintain patient records, conduct regular counseling sessions, and monitor the progress of every patient to ensure their health and welfare. They may also provide interventions, train junior psychiatric social workers, and conduct reviews and evaluations on existing care plans.
A crisis intervention specialist provides counseling services and intervention to patients in high-stress situations. Their responsibilities include conducting assessments to understand the clients' conditions, studying their medical histories and personal background, developing treatment plans, and regularly monitoring their behavior and progress. They may also coordinate with the patients' families or guardians, provide care advice, or refer patients to other specialists when necessary. Moreover, a crisis intervention specialist gives emotional support and guidance to patients, helping them deal with stress.
Psychiatric social workers and crisis intervention specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Crisis Intervention Specialist | |
| Average salary | $59,144 | $54,678 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $79,000 | Between $40,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | Hoboken, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Highmark | Legacy Health |
| Best paying industry | Government | Professional |
There are a few differences between a psychiatric social worker and a crisis intervention specialist in terms of educational background:
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Crisis Intervention Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between psychiatric social workers' and crisis intervention specialists' demographics:
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Crisis Intervention Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2% | Male, 29.6% Female, 70.4% |
| 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% |