2023 Job Aid | What Does a Social Worker Substance Abuse Job Description Look Like?
Best 2023 Guide to the Duties of a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker
Substance use disorder (SUD) is classified as a mental disorder, and one of the requirements of social work with substance users is to understand that this mental disorder can lead to a person’s inability to control their addiction to alcohol, medications, and legal or illegal drugs.
Social workers play an important role in the recovery of individuals from substance use addictions, and mental health and substance abuse social worker job opportunities can be found in multiple industries.
In this guide on social worker substance abuse roles and responsibilities, you’ll learn all about the substance abuse social worker job description, and what’s required to get a mental health and substance abuse social workers degree. We’ll also touch on the types of jobs available to a social worker substance abuse counselor.
Role of Social Worker in Drug Rehabilitation
In the social work world, there are several distinct areas of expertise. Each requires a particular skill set and understanding of human nature. Some may also come with specific education requirements.
One of these distinct areas of social work is a social worker for drug addiction and alcohol addiction. These social work professionals work with those who are going through challenges with substance use and assist them with treatment, referrals, and ongoing support.
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Table of Contents: Social Workers Substance Abuse Guide
Keep on scrolling down this page to read each section or click any link below to go directly to that section.
- How is Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Work Related?
- What’s the Role of Social Workers in the Treatment of Addictions?
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Job Description
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Education Requirements
- Is There a Social Work Substance Abuse Certification?
- What Are Some Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Colleges?
- Where Can I Find Substance Abuse Social Worker Jobs?
- How Much Does a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker Earn?
- Conclusion | Best Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker Guide
- FAQ | Alcohol & Drug Addiction Social Work
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How is Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Work Related?
Substance abuse is classified as a mental disorder. The technical term for substance use-related diagnoses is Substance Use Disorders (SUD). SUDs can be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe. This is based on how many of the 11 criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DMS) the individual has. This guide is used worldwide for the diagnosis of mental disorders.
The eleven criteria that an addiction social worker will look at to classify a diagnosis of SUDS are grouped into four Criteria types. These types and criteria are:
- Impaired control over substance use
- Consuming a substance for longer and in larger amounts than intended.
- Continued desire to cut down or regulate their use of the substance. The individual may have tried to quit in the past and been unsuccessful.
- Spending a lot of time on activities that have to do with obtaining, using, or recovering from the impacts of substance use.
- Getting cravings to use the substance.
- Social impairment
- Substance use impairs the ability to fulfill major obligations at work, school, or home.
- Continuing to use the substance even though it’s causing significant social or interpersonal problems.
- Reducing or stopping social, occupational, or recreational activities because of substance use.
- Risky use
- Recurrent substance use in physically unsafe environments
- Persistent substance use despite knowing that it may cause or exacerbate physical or psychological problems.
- Pharmacologic
- Tolerance: the individual needs increasingly higher doses to achieve the desired effect.
- Withdrawal: the individual experiences signs and symptoms of withdrawal when stopping the substance.
Because substance abuse is a mental disorder, a drug and alcohol social worker will also often be working in the general field of mental health. Their knowledge and expertise help them understand the mental health aspect of substance use, which is an often-misinterpreted disorder.
Social work and substance abuse are intertwined because, in many social work settings, social workers will come across signs of substance abuse. This is true even if the setting isn’t specifically for drug or alcohol-related issues and if the practitioner isn’t an alcohol or drug abuse social worker.
Social work drug and alcohol counselors often see co-occurring disorders. Common risk factors in individuals (environmental, stress, trauma) can result in different types of mental disorders, including substance abuse.
Additionally, SUDs can cause or exacerbate other mental disorders, and other mental disorders can lead to SUDs.
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Do you have feedback about the role of social worker in de addiction centre? Or, do you have any questions about social workers and substance abuse or where to find a role of social worker in substance abuse PDF? If so, contact the Social Work Portal Team.
What’s the Role of Social Workers in the Treatment of Addictions?
The role of an alcohol and drug abuse social worker involves the diagnosis of substance abuse disorders, and any co-occurring disorders, creating a treatment plan for the individual, and carrying out that treatment plan.
Working in addiction and social work also entails making referrals to the appropriate agencies that can provide resources to help the individual reach their goals in overcoming their addiction and any other mental health issues.
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) has a guide on “NASW Standards for Social Work Practices with Clients with Substance Use Disorders.” This NASW substance abuse guide includes guidelines for the mental health substance abuse social worker to follow.
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For feedback about how your organization handles social work and addiction management, or for feedback about the role of social worker in drug rehabilitation at your organization, contact the Social Work Portal Team.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Job Description
A social work and drug abuse professional can work in a wide variety of settings, such as hospitals, clinics, non-profit organizations, government or military facilities, prisons, and private practices.
A basic job description for a social worker addiction specialist is to diagnose and treat individuals suffering from drug, alcohol, nicotine, or other substance addictions. This can include conducting therapy, group programs, and working one-on-one with clients to help them overcome their addictions.
Typical Duties of a Substance Abuse Social Worker
One job description for a social worker for substance abuse on Indeed for a military facility describes the typical job duties as:
- Makes clinical assessments to inform decisions on treatment.
- Applies complex rehabilitation principles to carry out comprehensive substance use evaluations.
- Develops and implements treatment plans.
- Documents case findings, diagnoses, and recommendations.
- Performs qualitative and quantitative analyses of data for evaluation of patient progress and program evaluation.
Depending on which setting a substance abuse and mental health social worker is in, duties may include one or more of the following:
- Counsel clients in a group or one-on-one setting.
- Interview clients to gather information.
- Coordinate and confer with other mental or physical health professionals on patient needs.
- Monitor and evaluate client progress.
- Work with the patient’s family to improve the patient’s outcome potential.
- Refer client or their family to community resources for addiction/mental health treatment.
- Develop and adjust treatment plans as needed.
- Plan and conduct proactive programs to prevent substance abuse.
- Oversee other social work and drug addiction employees.
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Do you have any questions about a role of social worker in substance abuse PDF or job duties for the mental health and substance abuse social worker? If so, contact the Social Work Portal Team.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Education Requirements
Substance abuse social worker education requirements typically consist of a Master’s in social work. While a Bachelor’s degree can qualify someone for more entry-level social work positions, due to the clinical nature of substance abuse in social work, including diagnosing and treating SUDS, a Master’s is often required.
In some states, such as South Carolina, to earn a social work substance abuse certification, the applicant must hold a Bachelor’s Degree or higher in a human services field for the Alcohol and Drug Counselor certification, and a Master’s Degree in a human services field to achieve the Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor certification.
Learn more about social work degrees by reading, “Best Social Work Degree Programs for Social Workers – Online & Near You.”
Do you have any questions about social workers working with substance abuse or the educational requirements for substance abuse in social work certifications? If so, contact the Social Work Portal Team.
Is There a Social Work Substance Abuse Certification?
As mentioned in the section above, there are various state certifications for social work drug addiction counselors. You can find a list of substance abuse counselor certification requirements by state here.
The National Association of Social Workers has a social work and addiction certification program. Social workers substance abuse professions can earn an advanced practice specialty credential as a Certified Clinical Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs Social Worker (C-CATODSW).
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Do you have any questions about social work with drug addicts, a social worker alcohol abuse certification, or social workers substance abuse programs? If so, contact the Social Work Portal Team.
What Are Some Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Colleges?
If you are interested in finding mental health and substance abuse social worker jobs, then you’ll need to have a degree that meets the educational requirements for these types of positions.
Here are a few of the colleges where you can find social worker substance abuse degrees and specialty programs:
- University of Kentucky College of Social Work: Substance Use Disorder Certificate (learn more)
- Fayetteville State University: Substance Abuse Studies (Graduate Certificate) (learn more)
- Wake Technical Community College: Addiction and Recovery Studies AAS (learn more)
- University of North Carolina School of Social Work: Substance Use and Addiction Specialist Program (learn more)
- Community College of Rhode Island: Substance Abuse Major (learn more)
- Tulane University School of Social Work: Mental Health, Addiction, and the Family Focus Area (learn more)
- University of Maine at Augusta: Graduate Certificate in Substance Use Disorders (learn more)
There are many other schools that either offer a mental health and substance abuse social work certificate or a specialty field of study in social work and substance abuse. You can find them by searching online for social workers substance abuse degree programs.
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Please let us know if you have any questions about the role of social worker in de addiction centre, social worker substance abuse degrees, or mental health and substance abuse social work. Contact the Social Work Portal Team.
Where Can I Find Substance Abuse Social Worker Jobs?
Jobs for the substance addiction social worker can be found in many different industries and settings. The industry sectors where mental health and substance abuse social workers jobs can be found include:
- Private (e.g., therapy, private practice)
- Finance and Insurance (e.g., direct health and medical insurance carriers)
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (e.g., research and development in the social sciences and humanities)
- Management of Companies and Enterprises (e.g., management of a for-profit or non-profit rehabilitation center)
- Administrative and Support (e.g., support agencies in the social services area)
- Educational Services (e.g., school counselors and social workers)
- Health Care and Social Assistance (e.g., hospitals, doctor’s offices, outpatient centers, psychiatric facilities, residential care facilities, etc.)
- Other Services (e.g., religious organizations, civic and social organizations)
- Federal, State, and Local Government (e.g., military bases, government agencies, prisons)
Addiction and Social Work Job List from US BLS
See below for the salary pay that social workers in the substance abuse sector earn on an annual basis
How Much Does a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker Earn?
The median salary pay for a mental health and substance abuse social worker job is $49,140 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a mental health and substance abuse social worker earns between $31,010 and $97,300 annually.
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Conclusion | Best Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker Guide
The role of an addiction social worker in facilitating the identification and treatment of substance use disorders is significant. Social workers are often interacting with individuals who suffer from one or more mental disorders, of which a SUD may be one.
Individuals that are interested in getting into the social workers substance abuse field have many options for certifications at the college/university level, as well as through the NASW and state licensing agencies for substance abuse counseling.
With the opioid epidemic still very much a major problem, there is a significant need for social workers and substance abuse counselors in multiple settings.
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FAQ | Alcohol & Drug Addiction Social Work
What’s a social worker’s role in substance abuse?
The role of an alcohol and drug abuse social worker involves the diagnosis of substance abuse disorders, and any co-occurring disorders, creating a treatment plan for the individual and carrying out that treatment plan.
How can social workers treat addiction effectively?
There are a number of treatments that a drug and alcohol social worker can implement in a patient’s treatment plan. These include:
•Detox
•Inpatient rehabilitation
•Outpatient rehabilitation
•Therapy
•Medications
What is the best intervention for substance abuse?
The intervention that is the best for one patient, may not be the best for another. Social work with substance users will include various assessments to identify the type and level of substance use disorder the individual is suffering from and the best treatment plan for that individual.
How are substance abuse and mental health related?
Substance abuse is classified as a mental disorder. The technical term for substance use-related diagnoses is Substance Use Disorders (SUD).
Social work drug and alcohol counselors often see co-occurring disorders. Common risk factors in individuals (environmental, stress, trauma) can result in different types of mental disorders, including substance abuse.
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