What Do Behavioral Health Workers Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for behavioral health workers?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what behavioral health workers do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Behavioral Health Workers Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about behavioral health workers by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Behavioral Health Workers 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.
Popular Job Titles For Behavioral Health Workers
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Mental Health Workers
- Behavioral Health Case Managers
- Outpatient Clinicians
- Mental Health Social Workers
- Behavioral Health Care Managers
- School Clinicians
- Behavioral Health Case Managers Lead
- Clinical Assessors
- Behavioral Case Managers
- Substance Abuse Specialists
- Early Intervention Service Coordinators
- Crisis Intervention Specialists
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for behavioral health workers can be found.
Best Industries for Behavioral Health Workers
Behavioral Health Workers Jobs By Industry
- Outpatient Care Centers: 23.5%
- Individual and Family Services: 14.9%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 10.7%
- Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities: 10%
- Offices of Other Health Practitioners: 8.9%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 5.2%
- Other: 26.8%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of behavioral health workers can be found working in the Outpatient Care Centers sector. In 2022, about 23.5% of all jobs for behavioral health workers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Individual and Family Services (14.9%), Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (10.7%), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (10%), Offices of Other Health Practitioners (8.9%) and State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (5.2%).
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What Do Behavioral Health Workers Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what behavioral health workers do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work behavioral health workers do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that behavioral health workers tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for behavioral health workers, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Behavioral Health Workers
Based on 14,854 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Behavioral Health Workers
| 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 Workers
| 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 workers, 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 workers, 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% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Behavioral Health Workers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health Workers | 7,693 | 24.7% |
| Behavioral Health Case Managers | 5,087 | 16.3% |
| Outpatient Clinicians | 3,776 | 12.1% |
| Mental Health Social Workers | 1,399 | 4.5% |
| Behavioral Health Care Managers | 1,708 | 5.5% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was mental health workers, with 2,536 unique job postings. Behavioral health case managers were second, with 1,210 postings, followed by outpatient clinicians, mental health social workers and behavioral health care managers.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to behavioral health workers.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health Workers | 7,693 | 24.7% |
| Behavioral Health Case Managers | 5,087 | 16.3% |
| Outpatient Clinicians | 3,776 | 12.1% |
| Mental Health Social Workers | 1,399 | 4.5% |
| Behavioral Health Care Managers | 1,708 | 5.5% |
| School Clinicians | 2,362 | 7.6% |
| Behavioral Health Case Managers Lead | 878 | 2.8% |
| Clinical Assessors | 964 | 3.1% |
| Behavioral Case Managers | 656 | 2.1% |
| Substance Abuse Specialists | 892 | 2.9% |
| Early Intervention Service Coordinators | 772 | 2.5% |
| Crisis Intervention Specialists | 895 | 2.9% |
| Behavioral Health Workers | 786 | 2.5% |
| Substance Abuse Clinicians | 378 | 1.2% |
| Substance Use Counselors | 510 | 1.6% |
| LTSS Service Coordinators | 619 | 2% |
| Crisis Clinicians | 620 | 2% |
| Community Mental Health Workers | 476 | 1.5% |
| Crisis Response Counselors | 417 | 1.3% |
| Assessors | 264 | 0.8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for behavioral health workers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for behavioral health workers.
How much do behavioral health workers make?
Behavioral Health Workers: How do you become one?
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