Counselor (Substance Abuse)

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Work Tasks

• Counsel families and help them deal with drug and alcohol abuse problems
• Interview people with abuse problems, look at their records, and make a treatment plan
• Meet with other professionals to see how the client is doing and see if treatment is working
• Refer clients to other support services as needed
• Work for community mental health centers, social service agencies, nonprofit organizations, correctional institutions, halfway houses for criminal offenders, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities
• Work with people of all ages, computers, patient records, reference books, other mental health specialists, and health maintenance organizations

Salary, Size & Growth

• $45,500 average per year ($22.00 per hour)
• A medium occupation (77,900 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow rapidly (2.1% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: A master's degree in substance abuse counseling
• Employers Prefer: A master's degree from a regionally accredited institution, and at least 2 years of professional counseling experience
• Skills/Courses: College courses are usually in the departments of education or psychology.
• Certification/Licensing: Certification and licensing are required by most states.