Substance abuse counselor vs community health counselor

The differences between substance abuse counselors and community health counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a substance abuse counselor, becoming a community health counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a community health counselor has an average salary of $43,304, which is higher than the $43,069 average annual salary of a substance abuse counselor.

The top three skills for a substance abuse counselor include patients, substance abuse treatment and social work. The most important skills for a community health counselor are social work, behavioral health, and patients.

Substance abuse counselor vs community health counselor overview

	Substance Abuse Counselor	Community Health Counselor
Yearly salary	$43,069	$43,304
Hourly rate	$20.71	$20.82
Growth rate	-	9%
Number of jobs	78,643	131,804
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age	39	41
Years of experience	6	4

What does a substance abuse counselor do?

Substance abuse counselors act as a support system for people with drug and alcohol problems and other behavioral issues. They help the patients control their behavior until they achieve a full recovery. The mental health counselors aid patients to overcome their chemical dependencies and become self-sufficient individuals. Part of their duty includes meeting clients to evaluate their health and substance issues while creating goals and treatment plans. They teach clients coping mechanisms, refer them to support groups, and engage them in group therapy sessions. Once the patient is stable, they help them re-establish their careers and give updates and reports of progress to the courts. Requirements for the job include a master's degree in counseling and social work.

What does a community health counselor do?

A community health counselor typically provides health and welfare support to the disadvantaged members of a community. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies to reach out to community members, coordinating with schools and other institutions, and building positive relationships with the communities that they serve. They may also provide counseling sessions to individuals of all ages, conduct observations and assessments, perform interventions, and identify any signs of abuse or neglect, reporting to the authorities right away. Furthermore, they may refer families or individuals to other social services unit if necessary.

Substance abuse counselor vs community health counselor salary

Substance abuse counselors and community health counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Substance Abuse Counselor	Community Health Counselor
Average salary	$43,069	$43,304
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $67,000	Between $29,000 And $63,000
Highest paying City	Trenton, NJ	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New Hampshire	California
Best paying company	Erlanger Health System	Apple
Best paying industry	Non Profits	Health Care

Differences between substance abuse counselor and community health counselor education

There are a few differences between a substance abuse counselor and a community health counselor in terms of educational background:

	Substance Abuse Counselor	Community Health Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Substance abuse counselor vs community health counselor demographics

Here are the differences between substance abuse counselors' and community health counselors' demographics:

	Substance Abuse Counselor	Community Health Counselor
Average age	39	41
Gender ratio	Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7%	Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	12%	15%

Differences between substance abuse counselor and community health counselor duties and responsibilities

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.

Community health counselor example responsibilities.

Provide group and individual therapy along with social service coordination for patients in short term stabilization psychiatric unit.
Train in medication administration, therapeutic holds and CPR.
Maintain cleanliness of home provide assistance with cleaning rooms and common areas.
Train in MNT, TCI, first aide and CPR with several other essential trainings.
Complete insurance verification information for Medicaid participants.
Maintain caseload paperwork in accordance with Georgia Medicaid requirements.

Substance abuse counselor vs community health counselor skills

Common substance abuse counselor skills

Patients, 16%
Substance Abuse Treatment, 11%
Social Work, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 8%
Intake Assessments, 5%
Rehabilitation, 4%

Common community health counselor skills

Social Work, 19%
Behavioral Health, 17%
Patients, 17%
Crisis Intervention, 7%
Rehabilitation, 4%
Discharge Planning, 3%

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Community and Social Services Industry
Substance Abuse Counselor
Substance Abuse Counselor vs Community Health Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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