Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

• Counsel clients in individual or group sessions to assist them in dealing with substance abuse, mental or physical illness, poverty, unemployment, or physical abuse.
• Interview clients, review records, conduct assessments, or confer with other professionals to evaluate the mental or physical condition of clients or patients.
• Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress with respect to treatment goals.
• Collaborate with counselors, physicians, or nurses to plan or coordinate treatment, drawing on social work experience and patient needs.
• Counsel or aid family members to assist them in understanding, dealing with, or supporting the client or patient.
• 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.
• Modify treatment plans according to changes in client status.
• Educate clients or community members about mental or physical illness, abuse, medication, or available community resources.
• Assist clients in adhering to treatment plans, such as setting up appointments, arranging for transportation to appointments, or providing support.
• Increase social work knowledge by reviewing current literature, conducting social research, or attending seminars, training workshops, or classes.
• Plan or conduct programs to prevent substance abuse, combat social problems, or improve health or counseling services in community.
• Supervise or direct other workers who provide services to clients or patients.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.

• 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.
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers.