Mental health social worker
Also known as: approved mental health professional, care coordinator (mental health), mental health advocate, mental health community social worker, care coordinator, mental health gateway worker
About this occupation
Mental health social workers assist and provide counselling to people with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems. They focus on providing personalised support to cases and monitor the recovery process of their clients by providing therapy, crisis intervention, client advocacy and education. Mental health social workers may contribute to mental health services improvement and mental health outcomes for citizens.
A specialisation of social worker.
Essential skills and knowledge
- promote the safeguarding of young people
- have computer literacy
- build helping relationship with social service users
- manage ethical issues within social services
- adhere to organisational guidelines
- reflect on practice
- meet standards of practice in social services
- maintain records of work with service users
- legal requirements in the social sector
- use clinical assessment techniques
- manage stress in organisation
- advise on mental health
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (O*NET 21-1023.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- 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.
- Typical education (US)
- Master's Degree
- Preparation
- Job Zone 5 of 5
- Interests
- Social, Investigative, Conventional
Top skills: Social Perceptiveness, Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Monitoring
US median pay: US$60,280 a year (2025), 132,810 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyExtremely important (4.7)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.9)
- SociologyO*NET: Sociology and AnthropologyVery important (3.6)
- Divinity or PhilosophyO*NET: Philosophy and TheologyImportant (3.0)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Master's Degree
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Mental Health Counselors
- Healthcare Social Workers
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Rehabilitation Counselors
- Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
- Psychiatrists
- Clinical Neuropsychologists
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.