Mental Health and Substance Abuse 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.

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

First Interest High-Point

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Third Interest High-Point

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Second Interest High-Point

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

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.

Modify treatment plans according to changes in client status.

Assist clients in adhering to treatment plans, such as setting up appointments, arranging for transportation to appointments, or providing support.

Educate clients or community members about mental or physical illness, abuse, medication, or available community resources.

Counsel or aid family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, or supporting the client or patient.

Refer patient, client, or family to community resources for housing or treatment to assist in recovery from mental or physical illness, following through to ensure service efficacy.

Increase social work knowledge by reviewing current literature, conducting social research, or attending seminars, training workshops, or classes.

Plan or conduct programs to prevent substance abuse, combat social problems, or improve health or counseling services in community.

Develop or advise on social policy or assist in community development.

Desktop computers

Notebook computers

Personal computers

Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Systems Adobe PageMaker

Client records software

Corel WordPerfect

Database software

Email software

Information presentation software

James Frazier Associates DataStart

Medical condition coding software

Medical procedure coding software

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Publisher

Microsoft SharePoint

Microsoft Word

Netscape Navigator

Patient electronic medical record EMR software

Scheduling software

Social Solutions ETO

Social Work Software ClientTouch

Spreadsheet software

Web browser software

Word processing software

Gathering as much knowledge as they can about their field of study.

I stressed over the cost of my education. I then realized it was worth it to me and to keep going.

A day filled with mental health clients of all ages, races, and sexes. Many of the clients are substance abuse clients in treatment. 
Counseling is from 9-5. Some have to take drug tests. Some are individual clients and some are couples or family.

Social Worker

Your degree will not make you any more money than you already make. I don't know why, at your age, you would go back to school.

Catherine Pacher

Social Worker

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Medicine

Education

Helping People

Day to Day

Advice for Getting Started

Recommended Education

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Friends:

Challenges I Overcame

Financial

Catherine Pacher

Social Worker

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Medicine

Education

Helping People

Day to Day

Advice for Getting Started

Recommended Education

My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Friends:

Challenges I Overcame

Related Leaders