Social services specialist vs case management specialist

The differences between social services specialists and case management specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a social services specialist and a case management specialist. Additionally, a social services specialist has an average salary of $48,359, which is higher than the $41,553 average annual salary of a case management specialist.

The top three skills for a social services specialist include social work, patients and substance abuse. The most important skills for a case management specialist are patients, social work, and mental health.

Social services specialist vs case management specialist overview

	Social Services Specialist	Case Management Specialist
Yearly salary	$48,359	$41,553
Hourly rate	$23.25	$19.98
Growth rate	12%	12%
Number of jobs	154,022	153,985
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	12	12

What does a social services specialist do?

A Social Services Specialist provides social services to children and adults in communities, facilities, institutions, or hospitals. They develop and implement specialized treatment programs.

What does a case management specialist do?

In healthcare facilities, a case management specialist is in charge of ensuring that patients get quality service. Their responsibilities often include handling admission and discharge procedures, preparing and processing documents, gathering and organizing patient information, and developing strategies to optimize case management operations. There are also instances where they must address patient concerns and issues, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a case management specialist, it is essential to function while adhering to the facility's policies and regulations.

Social services specialist vs case management specialist salary

Social services specialists and case management specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Social Services Specialist	Case Management Specialist
Average salary	$48,359	$41,553
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $65,000	Between $27,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	San Mateo, CA
Highest paying state	New Mexico	Hawaii
Best paying company	McKinsey & Company Inc	McKinsey & Company Inc
Best paying industry	Insurance	Technology

Differences between social services specialist and case management specialist education

There are a few differences between a social services specialist and a case management specialist in terms of educational background:

	Social Services Specialist	Case Management Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Social Work	Nursing
Most common college	California State University - Dominguez Hills	SUNY at Binghamton

Social services specialist vs case management specialist demographics

Here are the differences between social services specialists' and case management specialists' demographics:

	Social Services Specialist	Case Management Specialist
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 21.5% Female, 78.5%	Male, 19.6% Female, 80.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.5% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 6.7% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%	Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 6.9% White, 55.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between social services specialist and case management specialist duties and responsibilities

Social services specialist example responsibilities.

Provide comprehensive case management to DCFS clients and their families to achieve case goals as outlined in the client service plan.
Provide supervision to social services assistant and MSW intern.
Retain potential clients base on the strength of their SSDI claim.
Participate in group staffing to discuss the best interest of children and families who have open cases with DSS.
Plan and execute case work activities to expedite safety first, permanence and well-being of child in DSS custody.
Develop working relationships with other DHS umbrella agencies.

Case management specialist example responsibilities.

Manage caseload by providing care coordination to individuals with a primary intellectual/developmental disability diagnosis all of whom receive community-base waiver services.
Provide case management to give emergency financial assistance to veterans and their families during a financial crisis.
Complete admission, stay and discharge reviews utilizing Interqual criteria to evaluate medical necessity as indicated by corporate standards.
Fax documents to skil nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities.
Perform psycho-social management, intervention, advocacy, and referral services for patients and significant others.
Supervise in educating patients and direct care staff about self-management of chronic illness tailoring instructions to patient's individual circumstances.

Social services specialist vs case management specialist skills

Common social services specialist skills

Social Work, 25%
Patients, 15%
Substance Abuse, 10%
Discharge Planning, 7%
Term Care, 7%
MDS, 6%

Common case management specialist skills

Patients, 19%
Social Work, 15%
Mental Health, 8%
Community Resources, 4%
Patient Care, 4%
Crisis Intervention, 4%

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Social Services Specialist
Social Services Specialist vs Case Management Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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