Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Also called: Addictions Counselor, Alcoholism Worker, Assessment Specialist, Behavior Specialist, Behavioral Case Manager, Behavioral Clinician, Behavioral Health Care Manager (BHCM), Behavioral Health Case Manager
Assess and treat individuals with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems, including abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drugs.
What mental health and substance abuse social workers do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- 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.
- Plan or conduct programs to prevent substance abuse, combat social problems, or improve health or counseling services in community.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers salary
The median annual wage for mental health and substance abuse social workers is $60,280 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $39,740 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $104,170. The mean annual wage is $68,030.
The mean hourly wage of $32.00 is 4.4× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $60,280 → in 3 years $66,600 → in 5 years $71,100 → in 10 years $83,900 (10-year range $72,200–$97,500). The model assumes pay growth of +3.4% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 5 — extensive preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★★☆ Demanding (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become mental health and substance abuse social workers
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as mental health and substance abuse social workers
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.