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Social worker assistant vs case worker

The differences between social workers assistant and case workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a social worker assistant, becoming a case worker takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a case worker has an average salary of $41,459, which is higher than the $37,542 average annual salary of a social worker assistant.

The top three skills for a social worker assistant include social work, patients and public assistance. The most important skills for a case worker are social work, crisis intervention, and patients.

Social worker assistant vs case worker overview

Social Worker AssistantCase Worker
Yearly salary$37,542$41,459
Hourly rate$18.05$19.93
Growth rate12%9%
Number of jobs115,098107,329
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4342
Years of experience124

What does a social worker assistant do?

A social worker assistant is in charge of performing support tasks for social workers in the joint effort to assist disadvantaged families in communities. Their responsibilities include preparing and processing documentation, managing schedules, arranging appointments with clients and external parties, handling calls and correspondence, maintaining records, and running errands on behalf of staff. Furthermore, a social worker assistant may reach out to families to identify their needs, conduct interviews and assessments, facilitate activities, and monitor the progress of families or individuals, referring them to other agencies as needed.

What does a case worker do?

Caseworkers are social workers who watch over the welfare of underprivileged individuals and at-risk families by counseling and providing them with assistance. Usually employed under the government or a local non-profit organization, a caseworker must conduct a thorough interview and house visits to determine the needs of the family. They then refer them to any programs or agencies that can give them the specific care and help needed. Furthermore, it is crucial to identify neglect and abuse signs, reporting them to the authorities right away.

Social worker assistant vs case worker salary

Social workers assistant and case workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Social Worker AssistantCase Worker
Average salary$37,542$41,459
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $51,000Between $30,000 And $55,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WANew York, NY
Highest paying stateHawaiiNew Jersey
Best paying companyMinnesota State FairAppalachian Regional Healthcare
Best paying industryFinanceEducation

Differences between social worker assistant and case worker education

There are a few differences between a social worker assistant and a case worker in terms of educational background:

Social Worker AssistantCase Worker
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorSocial WorkPsychology
Most common collegeSUNY at BinghamtonUniversity of Pennsylvania

Social worker assistant vs case worker demographics

Here are the differences between social workers assistant' and case workers' demographics:

Social Worker AssistantCase Worker
Average age4342
Gender ratioMale, 34.9% Female, 65.1%Male, 26.8% Female, 73.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.8% Asian, 7.0% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage11%10%

Differences between social worker assistant and case worker duties and responsibilities

Social worker assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage the clinic's Medicaid enrollment process and assist clients with their application process under proper guidance.
  • Assist patients in coping with their lifestyle changes and overall help patients achieve optimum independence and reduce re-hospitalizations.
  • Case manage in-district and out-of-district students with emotional disabilities, autism, other health impair and physical disabilities.
  • Refer patients and their families to relevant community resources and coordinate with social services at other community agencies.
  • Maintain accurate records to comply with ESRD and CMS regulations.
  • Participate in monthly interdisciplinary team meetings regarding patient care.
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Case worker example responsibilities.

  • Establish collaborative relationships with patients within a supportive atmosphere to assist in confronting drug relate behavior and achieving sobriety.
  • Review and research leads regarding personal injury cases by obtaining information from the Medicaid recipient's attorney and insurance adjuster
  • File, close and maintain records in either physical case file or on ETO.
  • Train new employees and assign tasks in driving and all responsibilities in DCS documentations.
  • Provide weekly face to face updates to youth and telephonic updates to family members/sponsor with documentation find in ETO.
  • Facilitate DCS court order supervised visitation during the reunification process.
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Social worker assistant vs case worker skills

Common social worker assistant skills
  • Social Work, 22%
  • Patients, 14%
  • Public Assistance, 11%
  • Community Resources, 5%
  • Mental Health, 5%
  • Social Services, 5%
Common case worker skills
  • Social Work, 20%
  • Crisis Intervention, 8%
  • Patients, 7%
  • Substance Abuse, 6%
  • Community Resources, 6%
  • Child Abuse, 5%

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