Substance abuse technician vs crisis counselor

The differences between substance abuse technicians and crisis 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 technician, becoming a crisis counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a crisis counselor has an average salary of $51,142, which is higher than the $35,408 average annual salary of a substance abuse technician.

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

Substance abuse technician vs crisis counselor overview

	Substance Abuse Technician	Crisis Counselor
Yearly salary	$35,408	$51,142
Hourly rate	$17.02	$24.59
Growth rate	4%	12%
Number of jobs	90,710	76,255
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age	39	41
Years of experience	6	4

What does a substance abuse technician do?

A substance abuse technician works at facilities that aim to support the treatment of clients suffering from alcoholism, drug addiction, and other interfering behavior. They work alongside counselors and fellow technicians in the joint effort to implement rehabilitation programs and help patients reach their journey to sobriety. Moreover, a substance abuse technician develops and coordinates treatment plans with health care professionals, conducts research and assessments, administers medications according to protocols, and monitors the patients' progress throughout the rehabilitation processes.

What does a crisis counselor do?

A crisis counselor is responsible for providing assistance and emotional support to clients under crises or mental health emergencies caused by stress, trauma, grief, and other factors. Most crisis counselors work at clinics or counseling centers, and there are instances where they can be at schools and organizations. Aside from diagnosing and providing specific treatments, a crisis counselor must also build rapport with clients, helping them feel comfortable every step of the way, and serving as a positive influence in their journey to recovery.

Substance abuse technician vs crisis counselor salary

Substance abuse technicians and crisis counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Substance Abuse Technician	Crisis Counselor
Average salary	$35,408	$51,142
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $49,000	Between $37,000 And $69,000
Highest paying City	Kingman, AZ	-
Highest paying state	Hawaii	-
Best paying company	Sea Mar Community Health Centers	-
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	-

Differences between substance abuse technician and crisis counselor education

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

	Substance Abuse Technician	Crisis Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Substance abuse technician vs crisis counselor demographics

Here are the differences between substance abuse technicians' and crisis counselors' demographics:

	Substance Abuse Technician	Crisis Counselor
Average age	39	41
Gender ratio	Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3%	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%
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 technician and crisis counselor duties and responsibilities

Substance abuse technician example responsibilities.

Work with outside counsel to develop patent and trademark portfolio and manage patent litigation.
Coordinate community base services, identifies high-risk patients, veterans and provides case management and crisis intervention services.
Provide care to chemically dependent patients in short-term social model detox program working directly with patients/families in all areas of recovery.
Collect sample for DNA testing.
Compose written reports of data collect from patient evaluation and present to department chief for thorough analysis of patient diagnosis.
Maintain the integrity of all specimens under DOT/non-DOT guidelines.

Crisis counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Conduct mental health evaluations and behavioral health crisis assessments for determination of functioning and mental status of patients.
Provide education to patients about relevant aspects of mental illness and/or chemical dependency to support maximum utilization of treatment.
Train to use CPI, MOAB, and CPR as needed.
Aid callers/chatters suffering from various life crises by use of strong listening skills, empathy, and compassion.
Make patient referrals to outpatient medical clinics, community services, or rehabilitation facilities.

Substance abuse technician vs crisis counselor skills

Common substance abuse technician skills

Substance Abuse Treatment, 16%
Patients, 13%
Mental Health, 10%
Rehabilitation, 8%
Patient Care, 7%
Client Transportation, 5%

Common crisis counselor skills

Social Work, 21%
Patients, 8%
Mental Health Crisis, 6%
Social Services, 5%
Crisis Management, 4%
Suicide Prevention, 4%

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Substance Abuse Technician
Substance Abuse Technician vs Crisis Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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