Behavioral Health Case Managers: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of behavioral health case managers about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for behavioral health case managers to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of behavioral health case managers expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for behavioral health case managers.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Behavioral Health Case Managers?
Do behavioral health case managers need a degree? What kind of experience do behavioral health case managers typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for behavioral health case managers to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Behavioral Health Case Managers
Jobs Postings for Behavioral Health Case Managers By Education
- Master's degree: 7,030 (38%)
- Bachelor's degree: 5,064 (28%)
- No Education Listed: 2,597 (14%)
- High School or GED: 2,364 (13%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,293 (7%)
A master's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of behavioral health case managers. According to job data, a master's degree was required for 38% of positions. In 28% of job listings a bachelor's degree was required and in 14% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Behavioral Health Case Managers
Jobs Postings for Behavioral Health Case Managers By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 2,736 (32%)
- 2-3 Years: 4,615 (55%)
- 4-6 Years: 963 (11%)
- 7-9 Years: 52 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 72 (1%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for behavioral health case managers. In 55% of job postings for Behavioral Health Case Managers, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 32% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 11% of job postings for behavioral health case managers.
What Kind of Degree Do Behavioral Health Case Managers Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for behavioral health case managers, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 12 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective behavioral health case managers, and in 2021 a total of 245,162 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective behavioral health case managers.
Top Degree Programs for Behavioral Health Case Managers
Top 5 Degree Programs for Behavioral Health Case Managers (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 140,792 |
| Social Work. | 56,801 |
| Human Services, General. | 13,224 |
| Human Development and Family Studies, General. | 9,497 |
| Mental Health Counseling/Counselor. | 7,598 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 140,792 |
| Social Work. | 56,801 |
| Human Services, General. | 13,224 |
| Human Development and Family Studies, General. | 9,497 |
| Mental Health Counseling/Counselor. | 7,598 |
| Substance Abuse/Addiction Counseling. | 5,416 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,169 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions, Other. | 4,069 |
| Clinical/Medical Social Work. | 2,202 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, Other. | 676 |
| Social Work, Other. | 419 |
| Adult Development and Aging. | 299 |
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What Skills Do Behavioral Health Case Managers Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by behavioral health case managers to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for behavioral health case managers, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Behavioral Health Case Managers
Based on 14,854 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Behavioral Health Case Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health | 8,041 | 54% |
| Social Work | 6,808 | 46% |
| Behavioral Health | 5,502 | 37% |
| Case Management | 5,140 | 35% |
| Treatment Planning | 4,639 | 31% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Behavioral Health Case Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 4,946 | 33% |
| Coordinating | 2,881 | 19% |
| Management | 2,613 | 18% |
| Advocacy | 2,299 | 15% |
| Planning | 2,114 | 14% |
Based on 14,854 job postings related to behavioral health case managers, mental health was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 54% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for social work, behavioral health, case management, treatment planning and psychiatry were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for behavioral health case managers, followed by coordinating, management, advocacy, planning and multilingualism.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health | 8,041 | 54% |
| Social Work | 6,808 | 46% |
| Behavioral Health | 5,502 | 37% |
| Case Management | 5,140 | 35% |
| Treatment Planning | 4,639 | 31% |
| Psychiatry | 4,481 | 30% |
| Psychology | 4,175 | 28% |
| Substance Abuse | 3,691 | 25% |
| Crisis Intervention | 3,366 | 23% |
| Mental Diseases | 2,870 | 19% |
| Nursing | 2,533 | 17% |
| Human Services | 2,225 | 15% |
| Clinical Experience | 1,774 | 12% |
| Discharge Planning | 1,706 | 11% |
| Behavioral Health Case Management | 1,682 | 11% |
| Family Therapy | 1,664 | 11% |
| Rehabilitation | 1,452 | 10% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 1,417 | 10% |
| Motivational Interviewing | 1,417 | 10% |
| Activities Of Daily Living (ADLs) | 1,348 | 9% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 4,946 | 33% |
| Coordinating | 2,881 | 19% |
| Management | 2,613 | 18% |
| Advocacy | 2,299 | 15% |
| Planning | 2,114 | 14% |
| Multilingualism | 1,755 | 12% |
| Writing | 1,584 | 11% |
| Problem Solving | 1,484 | 10% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,303 | 9% |
| Leadership | 1,223 | 8% |
| Good Driving Record | 1,219 | 8% |
| Customer Service | 1,202 | 8% |
| Coaching | 1,199 | 8% |
| Computer Literacy | 1,159 | 8% |
| Microsoft Office | 1,141 | 8% |
| Operations | 1,080 | 7% |
| English Language | 1,071 | 7% |
| Information Gathering | 1,050 | 7% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 1,002 | 7% |
| Decision Making | 951 | 6% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about behavioral health case managers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for behavioral health case managers.
What do behavioral health case managers do?
How much do behavioral health case managers make?
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