Substance abuse is a habit that can be broken with professional help.
Substance abuse touches millions of lives each year and can damage or destroy those fighting addiction to drugs or alcohol. Besides the person fighting addiction, there are often family members, spouses or children who are adversely affected by the addiction. Jobs in the substance abuse field aim to help the victims of substance abuse.
Substance Abuse Counselor
Substance abuse counselors work in locations where people who are addicted seek treatment, including in hospitals, in mental health facilities and in rehab centers. Substance abuse counselors work with patients to help them understand their addictions and learn overcome them. The job is often a full-time position with many of these facilities are open 24 hours a day. Higher education is required to qualify for a substance abuse counselor job, ranging from an associate's degree to a master's degree. Specialized training in substance abuse is also necessary.
Drug Court Case Managers
Those interested in the legal side of the substance abuse profession can choose to become drug court case managers. Drug courts handle non-violent, drug-related offenders, with the goal of helping them overcome their addictions. A drug court case manager coordinates the many people involved in a participant's case, including judges, attorneys, probation officers, job counselors, housing and rehab program coordinators. The drug court case manager's goal is to help everyone work together on behalf of a drug court participant. This job is commonly a full-time position and requires a bachelor's degree in social work.
Social Worker
Social workers assist recovering patients and their families overcome challenges in their lives. A social worker can help a client handle issues ranging from relationship conflicts to securing a job or housing. Social workers help families coping with child or spousal abuse and must be able to assess their clients' needs to determine ways to meet those needs. This is generally a full-time job; social workers may be called upon to work weekends and evenings. A bachelor's degree is required to get a job in social work.
Volunteer Child Advocate
Not all jobs in the substance abuse profession are full-time. Those who want to help can volunteer to become a child advocate in many communities in the U.S. A child advocate must work with and represent a child in court hearings and other meetings, including parental rights hearings, school meetings or through consultations with medical professionals. These children are often under the care of a child protective services organization and they may have been victims of abuse. Training is often provided for volunteer child advocates.
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