Mental Health And Substance Abuse Social Workers: Schools and Careers

About Mental Health And Substance Abuse Social Workers

Social workers are responsible for assisting people who face one or more type of social problem and are trying to deal with the problem(s) and improve their lives. Assistance is often provided through direct counseling, where the social worker can help clients identify effective solutions, seek out reliable resources, and arrange for services that can help them. After referring the client to the most appropriate and effective specialist, the social worker will typically follow through with the client to assure that the services are providing help and that the client is taking full advantage of the services being offered. Social workers will help the client fill out forms and applications, visit them on a regular basis, and provide support during crises.

Most social workers specialize and there are many specialties, including (but not limited to) the following:

• Clinical social workers
• Child welfare or family services social workers
• Child or adult protective services social workers
• Healthcare social workers
• School social workers
• Criminal justice social workers
• Occupational social workers
• Gerontology social workers

One increasingly prominent specialty in this field is the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker. This type of specialist assesses and treats individuals with mental illness or substance abuse problems. Categories of substance abuse include abuse of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. There are a wide variety of treatments typically considered for use by this type of social worker. Some of these include crisis intervention, individual and group therapy, social rehabilitation, prevention, and education. Mental health and substance abuse social workers are likely to be found in hospitals, family services agencies, substance abuse treatment centers, and at various government agencies.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker Responsibilities

The specific duties of mental health and substance abuse social workers are wide and varied. Some of their daily tasks may include any of the following:

• interview clients
• evaluate mental or physical condition of clients
• confer with other professionals
• plan and coordinate patient treatment
• make modifications to treatment plans
• evaluate, monitor, and record client progress
• refer patients to appropriate community resources
• counsel and aid family members of patients

Treatment of patients with mental or emotional problems may include individual and group therapy, outreach, social rehabilitation, crisis intervention, training in skills of everyday living, and support in easing transition to normal life in the community. Treatment for drug and alcohol abusers usually involves counseling during recovery from their dependencies. Other types of support include arranging for services to help clients find employment, or finding training opportunities for the client.

Social workers practice in a variety of settings. In general, they tend to spend the bulk of their time in an office or residential facility, but a significant amount of travel is not uncommon. Workers are often called upon to visit clients, attend meetings, and/or meet with service providers. Those who work full-time typically put in a standard 40-hour work week; however, occasional evening and weekend work is sometimes required for meetings or emergencies. Some mental health and substance abuse social workers, particularly those employed by voluntary nonprofit agencies, work part time.

As a profession devoted to improving the lives of people, social work in general can be very satisfying. Work in the mental health and substance abuse field in particular can be especially fulfilling in terms of helping people overcome adversity. Although satisfying, the work can also be emotionally draining. In some agencies, large caseloads and/or understaffing can acerbate the tension and pressure associated with the job.

In order to be a successful social worker, a person needs a large measure of objectivity, emotional maturity, personal responsibility, and most importantly, sensitivity to people and their problems. Social workers must be able to work independently, but they also need exceptional people skills with an ability to maintain good working relationships with coworkers and clients.

Employment Outlook

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (USDL BLS), employment for social workers is projected to grow at a much faster rate than that of the average profession over the next several years. Growing needs for public welfare and family services will contribute to job growth in the state and local government sector and/or among private contracting agencies. The growing popularity of employee assistance programs is also expected to help spur job growth; however, the influx of these programs may fluctuate with the business cycle and be among the services most likely to be impacted by recessions.

In particular, demand for social workers in both the mental health and substance abuse fields is expected to be especially strong. To an increasing extent, substance abusers are being placed into treatment programs as an alternative to prison. Those who do face prison time or are put on probation are often required by correctional systems to have substance abuse treatment included as a condition to their sentence or probation. This trend is expected to grow and correspondingly, demand for social workers who specialize in assisting abusers on the road to recovery will increase.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker Degrees, Certification, and Licensing

To qualify as a social worker, an individual needs at least a bachelor's degree as a minimum requirement. Depending on where they work, social workers may additionally need an advanced degree of some type. Employment in health and clinical settings usually requires a master's degree in social work (MSW) and some jobs in public and private agencies require a master's degree in social services policy or administration. Supervisory and administrative positions typically require a master's degree or higher, and college or university teaching positions normally require a doctorate in social work.

There are currently hundreds of bachelor's and master's degree programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. In addition, there are several dozen doctoral programs in social work (DSW or Ph. D.) listed by the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE). Master's programs generally last two years, although part-time programs can take up to four years. Most master's programs include a minimum of 900 hours of supervised field instruction or internship. Advanced standing in master's programs is generally granted to those with a bachelor's degree from an accredited social work program.

At the present time, every state has some licensure, certification, or registration requirement for social work; however, standards and regulations vary. Most states require two years (or 3,000 hours) of supervised clinical experience for licensure of clinical social workers. Other specific requirements vary by state; however, a growing number of states are placing emphasis on demonstration of communication skills, professional ethics, and sensitivity to cultural diversity issues.

Although voluntary in most cases, advanced certification credentials can be important for social workers in private practice. Also, some health insurance providers require advanced credentials in order for social workers to be reimbursed for services. Some of the more prominent certifications are awarded to qualified social workers by the National Association of Social Workers. These certifications include the Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW), the Qualified Clinical Social Worker (QCSW), and the Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (DCSW) credentials. Eligibility for these certifications is based on some combination of education (usually a master's degree is required) and professional experience.

Resources for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

• National Association of Social Workers
• The New Social Worker Online
• Association of Social Work Boards
• Social Work & Society Online Journal
• Community Care
• Council on Social Work Education
• The Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE)

Major Employers of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

About half of all social workers are employed by health care and social assistance industries. Another 30% work for state and local government agencies, most prominently in departments of health and human services. The most common employers of mental health and substance abuse social workers in particular tend to be hospitals, local governments, substance abuse treatment centers, and family service agencies.

Schools for Mental Health And Substance Abuse Social Workers are listed in the column to the left.

The Top Cities tab shows employment statistics for Mental Health And Substance Abuse Social Workers by major metro area.

The Top Industries tab shows which industries have the most jobs for Mental Health And Substance Abuse Social Workers, along with salary data by industry.

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