Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

What Does a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers 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.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• 1Counsel clients in individual or group sessions to assist them in dealing with substance abuse, mental or physical illness, poverty, unemployment, or physical abuse.
• 2Collaborate with counselors, physicians, or nurses to plan or coordinate treatment, drawing on social work experience and patient needs.
• 3Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress with respect to treatment goals.
• 4Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.
• 5Supervise or direct other workers who provide services to clients or patients.
• 6Modify treatment plans according to changes in client status.
• 7Assist clients in adhering to treatment plans, such as setting up appointments, arranging for transportation to appointments, or providing support.
• 8Educate clients or community members about mental or physical illness, abuse, medication, or available community resources.

Required Skills

• Speaking
• Active Listening
• Reading Comprehension
• Critical Thinking
• Monitoring
• Writing
• Learning Strategies
• Adobe Acrobat
• Adobe PageMaker
• Client records software
• Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
• Database software
• Email software
• Information presentation software
• James Frazier Associates DataStart
• Medical condition coding software
• Medical procedure coding software

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Salary