How to Become a Substance Abuse Social Worker in Texas

Are you an empathetic person with a keen awareness of others’ emotional needs? You may find your calling as a mental health social worker, providing counseling and therapeutic services to those who need it most.

During difficult times, therapy can make all the difference in helping struggling people get back on their feet.

As our understanding of the importance of mental health has risen, so too has our awareness of how many people are wrestling with emotional, behavioral, and psychological issues who could benefit from the support of trained professionals. For those who lack the resources to cover the often staggeringly high cost of therapeutic intervention, mental health social work organizations can offer low-cost or free services that can help individuals, couples, and families when they need it most.

Mental Health Social Workers Can Turn Peoples’ Lives Around

Now more than ever, Americans of all backgrounds are turning to therapy and counseling for support through challenging times. Indeed, many authorities – including the Office of the President of the United States – have acknowledged a mental health crisis in the U.S., attributable to a confluence of factors including financial precarity, the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the volatile state of current events. Sadly, through all this upheaval, many feel that they have no one to talk to.

For vulnerable populations, these issues are only harder to deal with, and the opportunities for mental health support are often prohibitively expensive. This is where social workers step in, offering an opportunity for people who don’t have the means to provide for mental health care to receive quality treatment.

There is a wide range of issues that might lead individuals to mental health supportive services. These include:

Different forms of therapy have been shown to greatly alleviate the worst symptoms of these issues, helping people overcome inner hurdles to live active and rewarding lives.

Despite the challenging nature of our times, one silver lining is that mental health issues are increasingly destigmatized, leading more people to seek out the care they need.

This can include people of all ages, backgrounds, and beliefs. As a mental health practitioner, you are likely to have an area of specialty – in some cases related to the condition you focus on and in others the population you work with. As an incoming mental health social worker, you will have the opportunity to gravitate toward the specific mental health subfield that you would most like to be involved in so that you can help vulnerable people find agency and control in their lives.

Current Issues in Mental Health Social Work

One of the exciting things about joining the mental health profession is the thriving discourse that surrounds the field of psychology and counseling.

With so many methodologies and approaches being deployed by mental health professionals, more and more discoveries are enriching our understanding of what quality care looks like.

This can keep the mental health field engaging for practitioners, who will regularly learn new strategies for their work and insights into patients’ mental health needs.

Below are a few of the biggest trending discussions in the mental health social work field.

Telehealth

One of the foremost topics of conversation among mental health professionals is the arrival of telehealth. Though remote therapy sessions were met with skepticism when videoconferencing technology was first introduced, today it has become a norm of therapeutic practice for many mental health providers. First and foremost, telehealth is regarded as advantageous to patients who might not otherwise be able to make time to commute to and from counseling. It also eases scheduling burdens for therapists, in some cases allowing them to meet with more clients than they previously would have.

These advantages are enough to have made telehealth a widely embraced format for therapeutic services. That said, mental health professionals also concede that telehealth can potentially limit interactions with patients who might benefit from in-person interactions. With this in mind, many mental health professionals are actively concerned with accounting for the limitations of telehealth therapy to ensure the best care possible.

Cultural Competence

Mental health and substance abuse social workers engage with patients of all different backgrounds, lifestyles, and beliefs. Our growing conversation around cultural competence – which calls for active work to undo bias and learn about others’ experiences – has enriched the social work field, helping mental health providers meet their patients where they are.

Those just now entering their MSW programs are likely to devote a portion of their studies to building cultural competence, as this framework is becoming more and more integral to the social work profession. This will allow you to provide the most attentive, discerning, and non-judgmental support you can offer to those who seek your help.

Trauma-Informed Care

A rising concept within the field of psychology, trauma-informed care is an approach to therapy that is especially sensitive to the impact of traumatic events on individuals’ mental health, even long after the fact. Many of the patients mental health and substance abuse social workers see are survivors of painfully difficult circumstances and life events. Because of this, mental health practitioners increasingly aim to integrate a rich understanding of post-traumatic stress and related conditions into the larger mental health picture for each patient they work with so that they can work with patients sensitively and productively.

An Important Note About Ethical Issues in Mental Health Social Work

Ethical considerations are paramount in mental health social work, and practitioners must navigate complex situations with integrity, empathy, and a commitment to the well-being of their clients. By exploring difficult ethical questions, social workers are investing in the best, most competent care possible for patients with any number of needs and concerns.

One age-old question mental health providers are still considering is the issue of privacy and confidentiality. For many patients, therapy offers an opportunity to disclose vulnerable personal information. In some cases, however, mental health social workers are obligated to report what their patients have told them, particularly in instances when there is risk of harm to the client or others. Social workers therefore must work to make their clients aware of all protocols at the outset of their working relationship to ensure that patients understand expectations.

Another important – and somewhat related – issue is the question of patient consent. Mental health and substance abuse social workers can often work with people who have no prior experience with therapy, and therefore may not be aware of what treatment involves. This is another reason why therapists of any type must make a concerted effort to illuminate and define the goals and methods of their practice to incoming patients as soon as they begin working together.

Finally, another important consideration for therapists is maintaining appropriate boundaries with patients. Many people who become mental health practitioners do so because they are deeply empathetic and interested in others. This is a quality that can help someone excel as a mental health provider. However, it’s crucial to maintain a strict professional distance from your patients, even if you feel for them in their struggles. Though it may seem challenging and even unsympathetic to enforce these boundaries, staying mindful of your patient-provider dynamics will allow you to perform your role most effectively, yielding the best outcomes possible.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker Jobs

Mental health and substance abuse social workers can be employed in a wide range of institutions. Some of these organizations are exclusively focused on mental health services, while others, such as schools, employ mental health social workers among a larger workforce with a variety of objectives.

Some of the top employers of mental health and substance abuse professionals include the following:

For prospective mental health and substance abuse social workers, the range of employment opportunities offers exciting career variety.

Though many social workers find a focus area and deepen their expertise over the course of their careers, it can help practicing therapists maintain their commitment to their practices to know that there are so many work environments to choose from.

Some of the top job titles for mental health and substance abuse social workers include the following:

These are just a few of the most common job titles for mental health social workers you may find on your search for your first social work job.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker Salary

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, social workers focused on mental health and substance abuse in the state of Texas earn a mean annual salary of $44,100, breaking down to $21.20 hourly. However, this number can only provide a rough estimate for incoming mental health social workers, as the variety of employment contexts for therapists and counselors means they can earn a wider range of salaries.

The BLS reports that the top-paying industries for mental health and substance abuse social workers nationwide are home health care services, religious organizations, businesses, and health care services. If your salary is a top concern of yours as an incoming social worker, it can be helpful to seek out opportunities in these places.

All data taken from the BLS’ May 2022 salary report, accessed March 2024.

Requirements to Become a Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker

Are you ready to take the next steps to become a mental health and substance abuse social worker?

In the state of Texas, social workers who practice counseling and therapy must possess the following:

If you don’t yet hold an MSW, attending a Master of Social Work degree program will be your first step.

Within the field of social work, therapy and counseling services are considered “clinical practice,” therefore requiring practitioners to hold clinical licensure. The process of becoming an LCSW entails 3,000 hours (approximately two years) of supervised field work following your MSW program, as well as passing the clinical licensing exam. For more information about becoming an LCSW, visit our guide here.

FAQs

What license level do I need to become a mental health and substance abuse social worker?

In order to provide therapy to patients in the state of Texas, one must be credentialed as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). This is the only license level qualified for counseling positions no matter what type of institution you work in. To learn more about social work licenses, visit our guide here.

Can I become a mental health social worker without an MSW?

No. A Master of Social Work degree is required in order to qualify for social work licensure in the state of Texas. This means that if you don’t yet hold an MSW, obtaining one from an accredited institution will be the first step in your journey toward becoming a mental health social worker.

Where are mental health and substance abuse social workers employed?

A wide variety of institutions employ mental health and substance abuse social workers. This can include inpatient treatment facilities, public and private clinics, community centers, schools, nursing homes, and more.

Can mental health and substance abuse social workers lead group therapy sessions?

Absolutely. Mental health and substance abuse social workers who hold LCSW certification are authorized to perform a variety of therapeutic modalities, certainly including group therapy in many contexts.