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What does a Substance Abuse Counselor do?

Updated January 8, 2025
6 min read
Quoted Expert
Virginia Schwindt
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.

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Substance abuse counselor responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real substance abuse counselor resumes:

  • 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.
  • Maintain medical records in accordance with CARF standards.
  • Verify caller's identity base on HIPAA guidelines.
  • Escort clients to outside activities to include AA and NA meetings.
  • Create and maintain consumer databases and consumer's files ensuring HIPPA compliance.
  • Adhere to treatment planning, procedure and documentation policies to meet CARF standards.
  • Provide support and supervision, maintain client safety, and administer UA's to female clients.
  • Receive training in HIPPA laws, ethics, mandate reporting, CPI, and substance abuse.
  • Feed, hydrate, and monitor client conditions throughout the duration of their stay as they undergo the detox process.
  • Complete new admission intake procedures according to company policies on new clients (UA, belongings search and paperwork).

Substance abuse counselor skills and personality traits

We calculated that 16% of Substance Abuse Counselors are proficient in Patients, Substance Abuse Treatment, and Social Work.

We break down the percentage of Substance Abuse Counselors that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Patients, 16%

    Collaborated with community agencies and Local Management Entity to ensure appropriate linkage to community services to address patients' need.

  • Substance Abuse Treatment, 11%

    Facilitated group and individual substance abuse treatment sessions using evidence-based cognitive-behavioral and behavioral modification curriculum.

  • Social Work, 8%

    Communicated and interacted closely with mental health care professionals including social workers, psychiatrist, and psychologist.

  • Crisis Intervention, 8%

    Facilitate crisis intervention-chemical dependency groups.

  • Intake Assessments, 5%

    Conducted initial intake assessment to determine appropriateness for treatment and developed individualized treatment plans based on the needs of each client.

  • Rehabilitation, 4%

    Participated in policy-shaping rehabilitation committee meetings.

Common skills that a substance abuse counselor uses to do their job include "patients," "substance abuse treatment," and "social work." You can find details on the most important substance abuse counselor responsibilities below.

See the full list of substance abuse counselor skills

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Compare different substance abuse counselors

Substance abuse counselor vs. Mental health therapist

The job of mental health therapists is to guide individuals, groups, couples, and families with problems that are impacting their well-being and mental health. Their duties and responsibilities include encouraging clients to talk about their experiences, examining issues that may affect mental health such as substance abuse and bullying, and assisting clients in defining their goals and action plans. Mental health therapists are also responsible for developing therapeutic processes, referring clients to other services or resources like psychologists, and helping them adjust to life changes.

We looked at the average substance abuse counselor salary and compared it with the wages of a mental health therapist. Generally speaking, mental health therapists are paid $7,190 higher than substance abuse counselors per year.Even though substance abuse counselors and mental health therapists are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require patients, social work, and crisis intervention in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, substance abuse counselor responsibilities require skills like "substance abuse treatment," "criminal justice," "individual sessions," and "treatment services." Meanwhile a typical mental health therapist has skills in areas such as "mental health," "therapeutic services," "foster care," and "therapeutic interventions." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Mental health therapists tend to make the most money working in the non profits industry, where they earn an average salary of $53,528. In contrast, substance abuse counselors make the biggest average salary, $41,273, in the non profits industry.On average, mental health therapists reach higher levels of education than substance abuse counselors. Mental health therapists are 24.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 1.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Substance abuse counselor vs. Primary therapist

Primary therapists are the main point of contact for patients concerning wellness and overall mental health. Those who choose this career path will be expected to supervise and manage efficient treatment according to plan, and to manage between six and eight patients at a time, keeping in constant communication with these patients and various specialists.

Primary therapist positions earn higher pay than substance abuse counselor roles. They earn a $16,757 higher salary than substance abuse counselors per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both substance abuse counselors and primary therapists have skills such as "patients," "social work," and "crisis intervention. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that substance abuse counselor responsibilities requires skills like "substance abuse treatment," "rehabilitation," "excellent interpersonal," and "criminal justice." But a primary therapist might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "excellent organizational," "patient care," "clinical services," and "family therapy sessions."

Primary therapists may earn a higher salary than substance abuse counselors, but primary therapists earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $61,326. On the other hand, substance abuse counselors receive higher pay in the non profits industry, where they earn an average salary of $41,273.In general, primary therapists achieve higher levels of education than substance abuse counselors. They're 24.7% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 1.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Substance Abuse Counselors in the next 3-5 years?

Virginia SchwindtVirginia Schwindt LinkedIn Profile

MSW Field Director/Associate Professor, Union University

Telehealth and the internet. Suppose the Pandemic has taught us one thing, that is that we can still meet people and their needs through the online environment. In my opinion, it is not the best way, but it is a way to meet with people and to be able to assist them, rather than people sitting alone and without assistance.

Substance abuse counselor vs. Family therapist

A Family Therapist works with couples and families to help ameliorate marital and family issues. They can work in hospitals, treatment programs, government agencies, health organizations, and private practices.

An average family therapist eans a higher salary compared to the average salary of substance abuse counselors. The difference in salaries amounts to family therapists earning a $7,705 higher average salary than substance abuse counselors.Using the responsibilities included on substance abuse counselors and family therapists resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "patients," "social work," and "crisis intervention.rdquo;

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a substance abuse counselor is likely to be skilled in "substance abuse treatment," "excellent interpersonal," "criminal justice," and "individual sessions," while a typical family therapist is skilled in "group therapy," "child abuse," "mental health," and "foster care."

Family therapists earn the highest salary when working in the health care industry, where they receive an average salary of $50,267. Comparatively, substance abuse counselors have the highest earning potential in the non profits industry, with an average salary of $41,273.Most family therapists achieve a higher degree level compared to substance abuse counselors. For example, they're 22.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Substance abuse counselor vs. Mental health clinician

A Mental Health Clinician provides psychotherapeutic and rehabilitation services for patients with mental health problems. They manage the treatment of clients and help them to obtain stable physical health.

Mental health clinicians typically earn higher pay than substance abuse counselors. On average, mental health clinicians earn a $11,290 higher salary per year.According to resumes from substance abuse counselors and mental health clinicians, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "patients," "social work," and "crisis intervention. "While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "substance abuse treatment," "excellent interpersonal," "criminal justice," and "individual sessions" are skills that commonly show up on substance abuse counselor resumes. On the other hand, mental health clinicians use skills like mental health, clinical supervision, compassion, and clinical services on their resumes.In general, mental health clinicians earn the most working in the education industry, with an average salary of $57,456. The highest-paying industry for a substance abuse counselor is the non profits industry.The average resume of mental health clinicians showed that they earn higher levels of education compared to substance abuse counselors. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 24.2% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 1.9%.

Types of substance abuse counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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