Substance abuse services director vs mental health case manager

The differences between substance abuse services directors and mental health case managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a substance abuse services director and a mental health case manager. Additionally, a substance abuse services director has an average salary of $83,088, which is higher than the $42,574 average annual salary of a mental health case manager.

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

Substance abuse services director vs mental health case manager overview

	Substance Abuse Services Director	Mental Health Case Manager
Yearly salary	$83,088	$42,574
Hourly rate	$39.95	$20.47
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	57,827	128,509
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	4	4

Substance abuse services director vs mental health case manager salary

Substance abuse services directors and mental health case managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Substance Abuse Services Director	Mental Health Case Manager
Average salary	$83,088	$42,574
Salary range	Between $54,000 And $125,000	Between $33,000 And $54,000
Highest paying City	-	Oakland, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Washington State University
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between substance abuse services director and mental health case manager education

There are a few differences between a substance abuse services director and a mental health case manager in terms of educational background:

	Substance Abuse Services Director	Mental Health Case Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	California State University - Long Beach

Substance abuse services director vs mental health case manager demographics

Here are the differences between substance abuse services directors' and mental health case managers' demographics:

	Substance Abuse Services Director	Mental Health Case Manager
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 48.1% Female, 51.9%	Male, 24.3% Female, 75.7%
Race ratio	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%	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	15%	15%

Differences between substance abuse services director and mental health case manager duties and responsibilities

Substance abuse services director example responsibilities.

Manage the departmental budget by adjusting therapist schedules to more efficiently schedule patients.
Re-Accredite program with CARF and new accreditation (CARF) of adolescent outpatient and intensive outpatient program.
Refocuse strategic mission of psychiatry toward integration and support of hospital services.
Perform patient chart audits ensuring proper documentation and patient care are provided per Medicare and Medicaid guidelines.
Negotiate contracts for inpatient detoxification and rehabilitation for HMO patients.
Create and implement psycho-educational groups pertaining to methadone and substance abuse and behavioral health.

Mental health case manager example responsibilities.

Manage the care of patients with tuberculosis (TB) during their hospitalization and their discharge follow-up care.
Coordinate, collaborate, and refer to various community agencies to assist in meeting consumer's needs and maximizing their rehabilitation.
Perform intensive early intervention behavior therapy for children diagnose on the autism spectrum disorder using the principles of apply behavior analysis.
Organize and participate in the development, review and evaluation of IFSP meeting.
Assist the individual to access activities, supports and services identify in the ISP.
Coordinate cases with supervisor, team members, providers, DCF and attorneys as needed.

Substance abuse services director vs mental health case manager skills

Common substance abuse services director skills

Substance Abuse, 24%
Social Work, 14%
Substance Abuse Treatment, 10%
Treatment Programs, 6%
Treatment Services, 5%
Clinical Supervision, 5%

Common mental health case manager skills

Mental Health, 15%
Social Work, 14%
Patients, 8%
Management Services, 5%
Rehabilitation, 4%
Crisis Intervention, 4%

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Substance Abuse Services Director
Substance Abuse Services Director vs Mental Health Case Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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