Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
SOC Code: 21-1023 Job Zone 5: Extensive Preparation Needed
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.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $38,085 | $76,627 | $115,190 | $153,733 |
| Wasatch Front Fringe Utah nonmetropolitan area | $37,773 | $74,443 | $111,134 | $147,805 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $64,126 | $86,923 | $109,741 | $132,538 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $64,501 | $84,115 | $103,709 | $123,323 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $57,533 | $79,352 | $101,171 | $122,990 |
| Vallejo, CA | $60,840 | $80,038 | $99,237 | $118,435 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $55,952 | $75,130 | $94,328 | $113,506 |
| Las Cruces, NM | $50,877 | $71,386 | $91,874 | $112,382 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $57,782 | $75,192 | $92,581 | $109,990 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $65,146 | $79,810 | $94,494 | $109,158 |
H-1B Filing Data
Top H-1B Employers
| Employer | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| C.C.M.S. | 47 | $65,930 |
| GANDARA Mental HEALTH CENTER Inc | 35 | $48,368 |
| Omni Health Services Inc. | 17 | $50,059 |
| OMNI Health Services, Inc. | 15 | $42,084 |
| The Child Center of NY | 14 | $52,643 |
| Hamilton-Madison House | 11 | $55,844 |
| North Suffolk Community Services, Inc. | 10 | $70,032 |
| Phronetic Psychotherapy LCSW PC | 10 | $107,120 |
| New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation | 9 | $76,296 |
| Connections Health LLC | 6 | $69,491 |
Filing Trend
| Year | Filings | Avg Wage |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 19 | $56,725 |
| 2021 | 18 | $56,892 |
| 2022 | 19 | $60,298 |
| 2023 | 73 | $66,952 |
| 2024 | 113 | $63,341 |
| 2025 | 145 | $69,066 |
| 2026 | 18 | $75,367 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.2 | |
| Speaking | 4.1 | |
| Active Listening | 4.1 | |
| Monitoring | 4.0 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 | |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 | |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 | |
| Coordination | 3.9 | |
| Service Orientation | 3.9 | |
| Persuasion | 3.8 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Therapy and Counseling | 4.8 |
| Psychology | 4.7 |
| English Language | 3.9 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.8 |
| Education and Training | 3.7 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 3.6 |
| Public Safety and Security | 3.3 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 3.0 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 77.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 18.8% |
| Post-doctoral training | 4.0% |
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.
- 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.
- Counsel or aid family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, or supporting the client or patient.
- Modify treatment plans according to changes in client status.
- Supervise or direct other workers who provide services to clients or patients.
- Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
Adobe Acrobat Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft Word Adobe PageMaker Client records software Corel WordPerfect Office Suite Database software Email software Information presentation software James Frazier Associates DataStart Medical condition coding software
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