Substance Abuse And Behavioral Disorder Counselors

Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors

Description

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.

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

Knowledge

Therapy and Counseling: Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Psychology: Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Clerical: Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Skills

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities

Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Work Activities

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Work Context

Face-to-Face Discussions: How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Telephone: How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Work With Work Group or Team: How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Contact With Others: How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Deal With External Customers: How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Letters and Memos: How often does the job require written letters and memos?
Frequency of Decision Making: How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled: How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Electronic Mail: How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Structured versus Unstructured Work: To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?

Interests

Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Work Style

Self Control: Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance: Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Concern for Others: Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Dependability: Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity: Job requires being honest and ethical.
Social Orientation: Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Cooperation: Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Adaptability/Flexibility: Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Attention to Detail: Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Independence: Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Work Values

Relationships: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
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.
Recognition: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Independence: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Support: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

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Lay Titles

Addiction Counselor

Addiction Specialist

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Adolescent Substance Abuse Program Coordinator

Alcohol and Drug Counselor

Alcoholic Counselor

Assessment Specialist

Behavior Therapist

Behavioral Analyst

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Certified Abuse and Drug Addiction Counselor

Certified Addictions Counselor

Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (CADAC)

Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor

Certified Alcohol Counselor

Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor

Certified Drug Counselor

Certified Substance Abuse Counselor

Chemical Dependancy Counselor

Chemical Dependency Counselor (CD Counselor)

Chemical Dependency Professional

Clinical Counselor

Clinical Director

Clinical Manager

Clinical Supervisor

Clinician

Counselor

Direct Care Counselor

Domestic Violence Advocate

Domestic Violence Counselor

Drug Abuse Counselor

Drug Abuse Technician

Drug Aftercare Counselor

Drug Counselor

Drug or Alcohol Abuse Human Relations Counselor

Employee Assistance Program Counselor (EAP Counselor)

Group Counselor

Group Home Counselor

Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

Licensed Social Worker

Mental Health Counselor

Mental Health Therapist

Outreach Worker

Prevention Specialist

Primary Substance Abuse Counselor

Psychiatric Social Worker

Quitline Counselor

Residential Substance Abuse Counselor

Social Worker

Student Assistance Counselor

Substance Abuse Counselor (SA Counselor)

Substance Abuse Specialist

Therapist

Treatment Coordinator

Treatment Counselor

Youth Counselor

National Wages and Employment Info

Median Wages (2008):: $18.52 hourly, $38,520 annual.

Employment (2008):: 80,130 employees