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Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in Florida

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in Florida

Considering working as a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in Florida? Here’s what the data says. 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.

What do Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Make in Florida?

For a mental health and substance abuse social workers working in Florida, the median annual wage is $50,860 per year (or about $24.45/hour).Annual wages span from $38,420 at the 10th percentile to $76,810 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic Annual Hourly
10th percentile $38,420 $18.47
25th percentile $44,350 $21.32
Median (50th) $50,860 $24.45
75th percentile $67,630 $32.52
90th percentile $76,810 $36.93
Salary ranges for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in Florida

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Florida compared to the national average — is 0.78, meaning fewer mental health and substance abuse social workers per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, mental health and substance abuse social workers earn a median of $58,560 per year ($28.15/hour), below the Florida median.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers earnings in Florida vs. the national average

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 239,687 mental health and substance abuse social workers across the United States. In Florida alone, approximately 6,260 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 1,360 mental health and substance abuse social workers.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers in Florida vs. the average state Forecasted number of jobs for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

Top Florida Metros for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

The metro areas below employ the most mental health and substance abuse social workers in Florida.

Metro Area Number Employed Annual Median Salary
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 780 $49,040
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 580 $49,650
Jacksonville, FL 480 $52,250
North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL 190 $51,740
Tallahassee, FL 170 $46,730
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL 160 $53,700
Gainesville, FL 130 $61,570
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL 120 $56,260
Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL 120 $51,330
Port St. Lucie, FL 120 $50,360
Naples-Marco Island, FL 110 $59,820
Ocala, FL 100 $46,020
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL 100 $49,010
Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL 80 n/a
Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL 70 $47,450
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 50 $50,300
Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL 30 $61,810

Top States for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers Employment

The table below shows the states where the most mental health and substance abuse social workers work.

State Number Employed
California 18,020
New York 14,180
Ohio 6,870
Massachusetts 6,790
Florida 6,260
Texas 5,810
Michigan 5,130
Pennsylvania 4,150
Arizona 3,610
Washington 3,490
Minnesota 3,430
New Jersey 3,140
Virginia 3,130
North Carolina 2,700
Missouri 2,530
Oregon 2,160
Tennessee 2,130
Indiana 2,060
Colorado 1,980
Wisconsin 1,950

Highest-Paying States for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

Where mental health and substance abuse social workers earn the most: mental health and substance abuse social workers.

State Annual Median Salary
New York $80,230
Connecticut $78,820
Minnesota $77,100
California $75,320
District of Columbia $72,720
Oregon $71,830
New Jersey $70,420
Hawaii $70,340
Vermont $69,540
Washington $69,060

Skills

Top mental health and substance abuse social workers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Social Perceptiveness  4.2 / 5
0
5
Speaking  4.1 / 5
0
5
Active Listening  4.1 / 5
0
5
Critical Thinking  4.0 / 5
0
5
Reading Comprehension  4.0 / 5
0
5
Monitoring  4.0 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Therapy and Counseling  4.8 / 5
0
5
Psychology  4.7 / 5
0
5
English Language  3.9 / 5
0
5
Customer and Personal Service  3.8 / 5
0
5
Education and Training  3.7 / 5
0
5
Sociology and Anthropology  3.6 / 5
0
5

Abilities

Key abilities for mental health and substance abuse social workers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Oral Comprehension  4.5 / 5
0
5
Oral Expression  4.2 / 5
0
5
Written Comprehension  4.1 / 5
0
5
Written Expression  4.1 / 5
0
5
Problem Sensitivity  4.1 / 5
0
5
Inductive Reasoning  4.0 / 5
0
5

Daily Tasks

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers typically:

  • 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.

Work Activities

  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  • Documenting/Recording Information
  • Assisting and Caring for Others
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
  • Getting Information
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Related college programs include:

  • Social Work
  • Mental & Social Health Services

Careers similar to mental health and substance abuse social workers include:

Also Known As

Addictions Counselor, Alcoholism Worker, Assessment Specialist, BHC (Behavioral Health Consultant), Behavior Specialist, Behavioral Case Manager, Behavioral Clinician, Behavioral Health Care Manager (BHCM), Behavioral Health Case Manager, Behavioral Health Social Worker, Behavioral Health Utilization Management Representative (Behavioral Health Utilization Management Rep), Behavioral Health Worker, Behavioral Technician, Case Manager, Case Therapist.

References

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