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The differences between youth mentors and treatment specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a youth mentor, becoming a treatment specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a treatment specialist has an average salary of $53,673, which is higher than the $32,750 average annual salary of a youth mentor.
The top three skills for a youth mentor include mental health, substance abuse and eating disorders. The most important skills for a treatment specialist are social work, mental health, and rehabilitation.
| Youth Mentor | Treatment Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $32,750 | $53,673 |
| Hourly rate | $15.75 | $25.80 |
| Growth rate | 12% | - |
| Number of jobs | 68,561 | 67,604 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
Youth mentors are adult individuals who are responsible for creating programs to improve the well-being of young people by providing role models that can support them academically and socially. These mentors must educate the community on issues related to mental health while making regular home visits to youth and young adults. They should provide direct care and assistance to adolescents who are with substance abuse issues by creating an educational curriculum on the said topic. Youth mentors are also required to collaborate with mental health professionals and social workers to coordinate counseling efforts.
The duties of a treatment specialist depend on their line of work or industry of employment. In the medical industry, a treatment specialist is primarily responsible for developing treatments according to the needs and conditions of a patient. They gather and analyze a patient's medical history and records, conduct extensive tests and examinations, coordinate with other medical experts, and discuss the extent of treatments to patients. Furthermore, a treatment specialist must maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Youth mentors and treatment specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Youth Mentor | Treatment Specialist | |
| Average salary | $32,750 | $53,673 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $41,000 | Between $34,000 And $82,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Alaska |
| Best paying company | LifeWorks | Delaware State Government |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a youth mentor and a treatment specialist in terms of educational background:
| Youth Mentor | Treatment Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between youth mentors' and treatment specialists' demographics:
| Youth Mentor | Treatment Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.0% Female, 53.0% | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 2.1% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 10% |