What You'll Do

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Counsel or aid family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, or supporting the client or patient.
  • Modify treatment plans according to changes in client status.
  • Plan or conduct programs to prevent substance abuse, combat social problems, or improve health or counseling services in community.
  • Supervise or direct other workers who provide services to clients or patients.
  • Develop or advise on social policy or assist in community development.
  • Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.

Essential Skills

Social Perceptiveness 4.25/5
Active Listening 4.12/5
Speaking 4.12/5
Reading Comprehension 4.0/5
Critical Thinking 4.0/5
Monitoring 4.0/5
Coordination 3.88/5
Service Orientation 3.88/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.88/5
Writing 3.75/5
Learning Strategies 3.75/5
Persuasion 3.75/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to sense whether the day to day rhythm and focus of this path line up with what energizes you.

Top passions

  • Helper: Supporting people and making a difference matters to you.
  • Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.

Common styles

Concern for Others, Integrity, Self-Control, Stress Tolerance, Adaptability/Flexibility

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Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 4.5/5
Oral Expression 4.25/5
Written Comprehension 4.12/5
Written Expression 4.12/5
Problem Sensitivity 4.12/5
Deductive Reasoning 4.0/5
Inductive Reasoning 4.0/5
Speech Clarity 4.0/5

Technologies & Tools

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 Microsoft Excel Microsoft Internet Explorer Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Publisher Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft Word Netscape Navigator Patient electronic medical record EMR software

Work Environment & Style

Common Styles for This Career

  • Concern for Others (High importance: 4.95/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.7/5)
  • Self-Control (High importance: 4.62/5)
  • Stress Tolerance (High importance: 4.56/5)
  • Adaptability/Flexibility (High importance: 4.55/5)

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How to Become One

This career requires extensive preparation, typically including a graduate degree (Master's or Doctoral) and several years of experience. Most professionals in this field have invested significant time in education and training.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Addictions Counselor Alcoholism Worker Assessment Specialist Behavior Specialist Behavioral Case Manager Behavioral Clinician Behavioral Health Care Manager (BHCM) Behavioral Health Case Manager Behavioral Health Social Worker Behavioral Health Worker Behavioral Technician Case Manager Case Therapist Chemical Dependency Counselor Clinical Social Worker Clinical Therapist Clinician Community Mental Health Social Worker Community Mental Health Worker Community Support Worker Counselor Crisis Intervention Counselor Crisis Intervention Specialist Crisis Worker Direct Care Counselor Direct Service Provider Drug Abuse Social Worker Drug Abuse Worker Group Home Counselor Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHP) Licensed Social Worker LTSS Service Coordinator (Long Term Services and Supports Service Coordinator) LTTS Service Clinician (Long Term Services and Supports Service Clinician) Mental Health Case Manager Mental Health Clinician Mental Health Practitioner Mental Health Professional Mental Health Social Worker Mental Health Therapist Mental Health Worker Outpatient Clinician Outpatient Therapist Psychiatric Social Worker Psychotherapist Social Worker Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) Residential Case Manager Social Worker Substance Abuse Clinician Substance Abuse Specialist Therapist Treatment Coordinator