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Career overview · SOC 21-1023

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.

Also called: Case Manager · Clinical Social Worker · Clinical Therapist · Clinician · Counselor · Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Median pay (national)
$60,060
$39,620–$104,130 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
125,910
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+9.7%
~13,500 openings/yr
Typical entry
Master's degree

What the numbers say

Refit analysis ·Pay for mental health and substance abuse social workers shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $104,130 versus $39,620 at the bottom 10% — 2.6x. The median of $60,060 leaves roughly 73% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +9.7% from 2024 to 2034 — much faster than the 3% average for all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 13,500 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 51 states with released data, New York pays the most for this role (median $80,230, +34% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $26,350 — a 204% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook as in-demand technologies for this role.

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Top skills employers ask for

Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.

  • Active Listening
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking
  • Monitoring
  • Writing
  • Learning Strategies
  • Active Learning
  • Science
  • Mathematics

What they actually do

Core O*NET tasks for this role.

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

Tools & technology

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Adobe PageMaker
  • Client records software
  • Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
  • Database software
  • Information presentation software
  • James Frazier Associates DataStart
  • Medical condition coding software
  • Medical procedure coding software
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer
  • Microsoft Publisher
  • Netscape Navigator
  • Patient electronic medical record EMR software
  • Scheduling software

Knowledge areas

  • Therapy and Counseling
  • Psychology
  • English Language
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Education and Training
  • Sociology and Anthropology
  • Public Safety and Security
  • Medicine and Dentistry