Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Also called: Mental Health Social Workers
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: Addictions Counselor, Alcoholism Worker, Assessment Specialist, Behavior Specialist, Behavioral Case Manager, Behavioral Clinician
Median pay
$60,280
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$39,740 – $104,170
People employed
132,810
Holland code
SIC
Social · Investigative · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 2.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 3.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 4.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 5.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
- Dealing with conflict is part of the job
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers salary in every state →
What mental health and substance abuse social workers do
- 01Counsel clients in individual or group sessions to assist them in dealing with substance abuse, mental or physical illness, poverty, unemployment, or physical abuse.
- 02Collaborate with counselors, physicians, or nurses to plan or coordinate treatment, drawing on social work experience and patient needs.
- 03Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress with respect to treatment goals.
- 04Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.
- 05Supervise or direct other workers who provide services to clients or patients.
- 06Modify treatment plans according to changes in client status.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Learning Strategies
Knowledge
- Therapy and Counseling
- Psychology
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
- Self-Control
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from mental health and substance abuse social workers
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses89% · group pay
- Clinical Nurse Specialists84% · group pay
- Occupational Therapists84% · +66%
- Recreational Therapists83% · +3%
- Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary83% · +29%
Change into mental health and substance abuse social workers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Art Therapists84% · $77,930
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses82% · $97,550
- Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists82% · $100,330
- Neuropsychologists82% · $110,840
- Clergy81% · $60,810
Majors that lead here
- Social Work
- Social Work, Other
- Clinical/Medical Social Work
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.