Data & Research
 
* ELMI Occupation Profile - Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers *
 
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
(O*NET 21-1023.00, SOC 21-1023)
What they do
Assess and treat individuals with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems, including abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drugs. Activities may include individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, case management, client advocacy, prevention, and education.
 
Also called:
Case Manager, Clinical Social Worker, Clinical Therapist, Clinician, Counselor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Mental Health Therapist, Social Worker, Substance Abuse Counselor, Therapist
 
 
Wages
Vermont - 2023
Percentile1HourlyYearly
10% $ 21.48   $44,680  
25% $ 25.34   $52,710  
Median $ 29.36   $61,070  
75% $ 37.27   $77,530  
90% $ 44.41   $92,370  
 
Average $ 31.54   $65,600  
1 What are Percentile Wages?
More at CareerOneStop
 
Industries of Employment
United States - 2020
IndustryPercent of total
  • Ambulatory healthcare services
32%
  • Social assistance
16%
  • Hospitals; state, local, and private
14%
  • Nursing and residential care facilities
12%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals
12%
More at BLS
 
Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about:
  • Therapy and Counseling
    Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
  • Psychology
    Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  • English Language
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Customer and Personal Service
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Education and Training
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
More at O*NET
 
Skills
People in this career often have these skills:
  • Social Perceptiveness
    Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Active Listening
    Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Speaking
    Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Critical Thinking
    Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Monitoring
    Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
More at O*NET
 
Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments:
  • Social
    Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
  • Investigative
    Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
  • Artistic
    Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler
 
Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need:
  • Concern for Others
    Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
  • Integrity
    Job requires being honest and ethical.
  • Self-Control
    Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
  • Stress Tolerance
    Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
  • Adaptability/Flexibility
    Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
More at O*NET
 
Tasks
On the job, you would:
  • Counsel clients in individual or group sessions to assist them in dealing with substance abuse, mental or physical illness, poverty, unemployment, or physical abuse.
  • Collaborate with counselors, physicians, or nurses to plan or coordinate treatment, drawing on social work experience and patient needs.
  • Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress with respect to treatment goals.
  • Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.
  • Supervise or direct other workers who provide services to clients or patients.
More at O*NET
 
Related Occupations
More at O*NET
 
 
Career Video
Watch at CareerOneStop with transcript or at YouTube.
 
Projected Employment
 Vermont
2020 employment 645
2030 employment 738
Annual percent change
(compounded)
1.4%
Annual projected job openings
(due to change and separations)
72
More at Occupational Projections
 
Education and Experience:
  • Typical education needed for entry
    Master's degree
  • Work experience in a related occupation
    None
  • Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
    Internship/residency
Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications
 
Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
 
  • Physical activity is Somewhat Important
  • Level of activity is Low
Importance
Low   High
Level
Compare Occupations at O*NET
 
Job Zone
Extensive Preparation Needed
  • Specific Vocational Preparation Range
    (8.0 and above) - A typical worker will require over 4 years up to and including 10 years or more of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP
 
Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have?
Education level Percent of
U.S. Workers
Doctoral or professional degree
or post-MA certificate
  4%
Master's degree or
post-BA certificate
  77%
Bachelor's degree   19%
Associate's degree   0%
Certificate or some college,
no degree
  0%
High school diploma
or equivalent
  0%
Less than high school diploma   0%
More at O*NET
 
Licensing
Vermont may require an occupational license:
Select a license for details
 
Abilities
People in this career often have talent in:
  • Oral Comprehension
    The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression
    The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Problem Sensitivity
    The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Written Comprehension
    The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Written Expression
    The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
More at O*NET
 
Work Activities
In general, what you might do:
  • Assisting and Caring for Others
    Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Documenting/Recording Information
    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
More at O*NET
 
Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day:
  • Counsel clients or patients regarding personal issues.
  • Counsel clients or patients with substance abuse issues.
  • Collaborate with other professionals to assess client needs or plan treatments.
  • Maintain client records.
  • Monitor clients to evaluate treatment progress.
More at O*NET
 
Other Resources
  • CareerOneStop
    resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
  • O*NET Online
    nation's primary source of occupational information
 
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This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

BLS

This page includes information produced in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and State Occupational Projections programs.

 
 
 
 
Vermont.gov State of Vermont Department of Labor