Jobs / Education and social services / 21-1011.00
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors
Counsel and advise individuals with alcohol, tobacco, drug, or other problems, such as gambling and eating disorders. May counsel individuals, families, or groups or engage in prevention programs.
- US jobs
- Not reported by BLS
- Job family
- Education and social services
Can agents do the work of substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors?
We read the evidence at the level of the job family, Education and social services:
- Task levelUnexploredNo task-level benchmark in our collection tests teaching, counseling, or casework.
- Project levelPartialThin, adjacent evidence only. GDPval, which spans 44 occupations, is the one benchmark in our collection mapped here. OpenAI reports that GPT-5.5's deliverables won or tied against professionals' work in 84.9% of comparisons across all GDPval occupations. No benchmark tests work with students or clients.
Benchmarks for the job family
These cover work in education and social services, not always this occupation's tasks.
Typical tasks
From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.
- Counsel clients or patients, individually or in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, or making changes.
- Attend training sessions to increase knowledge and skills.
- Develop client treatment plans based on research, clinical experience, and client histories.
- Complete and maintain accurate records or reports regarding the patients' histories and progress, services provided, or other required information.
- Review and evaluate clients' progress in relation to measurable goals described in treatment and care plans.
- Plan or implement follow-up or aftercare programs for clients to be discharged from treatment programs.
- Intervene as an advocate for clients or patients to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations.
- Coordinate counseling efforts with mental health professionals or other health professionals, such as doctors, nurses, or social workers.
- Interview clients, review records, and confer with other professionals to evaluate individuals' mental and physical condition and to determine their suitability for participation in a specific program.
- Participate in case conferences or staff meetings.
- Coordinate activities with courts, probation officers, community services, or other post-treatment agencies.
- Conduct chemical dependency program orientation sessions.
Other job titles for this occupation (40)
Addictions Counselor · CADC (Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor) · Case Manager · Chemical Dependency Counselor (CD Counselor) · Chemical Dependency Professional · Counselor · Drug and Alcohol Treatment Specialist (DATS) · LADC (Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor) · Residential Substance Abuse Counselor · SA Counselor (Substance Abuse Counselor) · Addiction Counselor · Addiction Recovery Specialist · Addiction Specialist · Addiction Therapist · Alcohol and Drug Counselor · Alcoholic Counselor · Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor · Behavior Therapist · CADC (Certified Alcohol Drug Counselor) · CASAC (Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor) · Certified Abuse and Drug Addiction Counselor · Certified ADC (Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor) · Certified Alcohol Counselor · Certified Drug Counselor · Certified Substance Abuse Counselor · Correctional Substance Abuse Counselor · Direct Care Counselor · Drug Abuse Counselor · Drug and Alcohol Therapist · Drug Counselor · Drug or Alcohol Abuse Human Relations Counselor · Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) · LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) · Quitline Counselor · Student Assistance Counselor (SAC) · Substance Abuse Specialist · Substance Abuse Therapist · Substance Use Counselor · Substance Use Disorder Counselor · Treatment Counselor