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Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors

Counsel and advise individuals with alcohol, tobacco, drug, or other problems, such as gambling and eating disorders. May counsel individuals, families, or groups or engage in prevention programs.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: Master's Degree

Related Work Experience: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Up to and including 1 month

On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months

Detailed Work Activities

Administer drug screening tests.
Train staff members in social services skills.
Supervise workers providing client or patient services.
Counsel clients or patients with substance abuse issues.
Write reports or evaluations.
Maintain client records.
Develop treatment plans for patients or clients.
Monitor clients to evaluate treatment progress.
Interview clients to gather information about their backgrounds, needs, or progress.
Collaborate with other professionals to assess client needs or plan treatments.
Intervene in crisis situations to assist clients.
Present social services program information to the public.
Refer clients to community or social service programs.
Modify treatment plans to accommodate client needs.
Collaborate with other professionals to assess client needs or plan treatments.
Maintain professional social services knowledge.
Develop treatment plans for patients or clients.
Lead classes or community events.
Counsel family members of clients or patients.
Collaborate with other professionals to assess client needs or plan treatments.
Advocate for individual or community needs.
Collaborate with other professionals to assess client needs or plan treatments.
Confer with family members to discuss client treatment plans or progress.
Train staff members in social services skills.
Monitor clients to evaluate treatment progress.
Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling or educational programs.
Plan programs to address community health issues.
Collaborate with other professionals to develop education or assistance programs.
Supervise workers providing client or patient services.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

Complete and maintain accurate records or reports regarding the patients' histories and progress, services provided, or other required information.
Counsel clients or patients, individually or in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, or making changes.
Assess individuals' degree of drug dependency by collecting and analyzing urine samples.
Follow progress of discharged patients to determine effectiveness of treatments.
Conduct chemical dependency program orientation sessions.
Review and evaluate clients' progress in relation to measurable goals described in treatment and care plans.
Coordinate activities with courts, probation officers, community services, or other post-treatment agencies.
Develop client treatment plans based on research, clinical experience, and client histories.
Modify treatment plans to comply with changes in client status.
Coordinate counseling efforts with mental health professionals or other health professionals, such as doctors, nurses, or social workers.
Plan or implement follow-up or aftercare programs for clients to be discharged from treatment programs.
Intervene as an advocate for clients or patients to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations.
Attend training sessions to increase knowledge and skills.
Interview clients, review records, and confer with other professionals to evaluate individuals' mental and physical condition and to determine their suitability for participation in a specific program.
Instruct others in program methods, procedures, or functions.
Participate in case conferences or staff meetings.
Act as liaisons between clients and medical staff.
Provide clients or family members with information about addiction issues and about available services or programs, making appropriate referrals when necessary.
Train or supervise student interns or new staff members.
Counsel family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, and supporting clients or patients.
Confer with family members or others close to clients to keep them informed of treatment planning and progress.
Develop, implement, or evaluate public education, prevention, or health promotion programs, working in collaboration with organizations, institutions, or communities.
Supervise or direct other workers providing services to clients or patients.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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