Substance Abuse Counselors and Social Workers – Making a Difference in Our Communities

With the drug abuse epidemic affecting communities across the U.S., substance abuse counselors and social workers are on the front lines of providing help to individuals with mental, emotional, and substance abuse problems. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, about 64,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016. In Oregon, there were 506 deaths caused by drug overdoses during the same year, which was more than double the number of deaths in 2000, when 208 deaths were caused by drug overdoses.

Mental health and substance abuse social workers and substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors play a vital role in many people’s lives as they help people find customized solutions to their problems with addiction and substance abuse. They develop specialized treatment plans based on patient histories, clinical experience, and research. They assist individuals in overcoming dependencies, monitor the progress of their patients, and help family members to assist them in understanding and supporting the patient.

There are two types of mental health and substance abuse social work: clinical and non-clinical. Both are important. Clinical work includes mental health diagnosis and addressing issues like trauma, substance abuse, and family dysfunction. Non-clinical social workers impact lives in ways like policy analysis, rehabilitation services, or program implementation. They are also qualified for some types of counseling, such as conflict resolution or emotional health. Due to the sensitive nature of the issues they deal with, mental health and substance abuse social workers must receive specialized training and are often licensed.

In 2017, wages for mental health and substance abuse social workers varied from a starting wage of $13.25 per hour to $31.64 at the higher end of the scale. The median hourly wage for this occupation was $21.60 in 2017. For substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors, wages were between $15.07 and $37.24 with a median hourly wage of $18.94.

Learn more about substance abuse counselors and social workers in the full article written by Economist Felicia Bechtoldt.