Behavioral Health Career Descriptions

This list provides general descriptions and available federal funding for each career category found in the Behavioral Health Career Navigator.

Addiction Counselor

Addiction counselors work with and advise people on a range of issues related to substance use and substance use disorders. Addiction counselors work in a variety of settings, such as substance use treatment facilities, mental health centers, community health centers, and private practice. Education and training requirements vary, but typically addiction counselors need at least a bachelor’s degree. States typically require licensure or certification.

Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program–Paraprofessionals and Opioid-Impacted Family Support Program provides funding to organizations to support the training of people obtaining a certificate in addiction counseling. HRSA makes these awards to the organizations and not individuals. SAMHSA’s Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) aims to improve behavioral health care outcomes for racial and ethnic populations by growing the nation’s behavioral health workforce. MFP fellowships are open to people pursuing graduate degrees in various fields of behavioral health. Through national behavioral health organizations selected by SAMHSA to administer the program, some 400 MFP fellows are awarded educational scholarships and receive training each year under the program.

Additional Information:

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Practitioners

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Practitioners provide primary and specialty healthcare. The practitioners work in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, physicians' offices, and clinics. Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Practitioners must earn at least a master’s degree. They must also be licensed in their state and pass a national certification exam.

Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) Program provides funding to accredited organizations, state and local govt and other public or private nonprofit entities to support the training and graduation of advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) trainees preparing to become primary care nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and certified nurse midwives trained and prepared to provide primary care services, mental health and substance use disorder care, and/or maternal health care. HRSA makes these awards to the organizations and not individuals. SAMHSA’s Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) aims to improve behavioral health care outcomes for racial and ethnic populations by growing the nation’s behavioral health workforce. MFP fellowships are open to people pursuing graduate degrees in various fields of behavioral health. Through national behavioral health organizations selected by SAMHSA to administer the program, some 400 MFP fellows are awarded educational scholarships and receive training each year under the program.

Additional Information:

Social Worker and Clinical Social Worker

Social workers are employed in a variety of settings, including child welfare and human service agencies, healthcare providers, and schools. Social workers typically need a bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. They also may need a license; specific requirements vary by state. Clinical social workers need a master’s degree, supervised clinical experience, and a license from the state in which they practice.

Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program–Professionals provides funding to accredited institutions of higher education to support the didactic and clinical training of behavioral health trainees including masters and doctorate level social work students. HRSA makes these awards to the organizations and not individuals. SAMHSA’s Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) aims to improve behavioral health care outcomes for racial and ethnic populations by growing the nation’s behavioral health workforce. MFP fellowships are open to people pursuing graduate degrees in various fields of behavioral health. Through national behavioral health organizations selected by SAMHSA to administer the program, some 400 MFP fellows are awarded educational scholarships and receive training each year under the program.

Additional Information:

Marriage and Family Therapist

Marriage and family therapists diagnose and treat cognitive, behavioral, or similar disorders in the context of couples and other relationships. Marriage and family therapists work in a variety of settings, such as offices and mental health centers. Marriage and family therapists typically need a master’s degree to enter the occupation. Every state requires therapists to be licensed.

Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program–Professionals provides funding to accredited institutions of higher education to support the didactic and clinical training of behavioral health trainees including masters and marriage and family therapists students. HRSA makes these awards to the organizations and not individuals. SAMHSA’s Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) aims to improve behavioral health care outcomes for racial and ethnic populations by growing the nation’s behavioral health workforce. MFP fellowships are open to people pursuing graduate degrees in various fields of behavioral health. Through national behavioral health organizations selected by SAMHSA to administer the program, some 400 MFP fellows are awarded educational scholarships and receive training each year under the program.

Additional Information:

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

Mental Health Counselor/Licensed Professional Counselor

Mental Health Counselors work with and advise people on a range of issues related to mental health. They work in a variety of settings, such as mental health centers, community health centers, and private practice. Education and training requirements vary, but typically mental health counselors need at least a master’s degree and an internship. States typically require licensure or certification.

Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program–Professionals provides funding to accredited institutions of higher education to support the didactic and clinical training of behavioral health trainees including masters mental health counseling students. HRSA makes these awards to the organizations and not individuals. SAMHSA’s Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) aims to improve behavioral health care outcomes for racial and ethnic populations by growing the nation’s behavioral health workforce. MFP fellowships are open to people pursuing graduate degrees in various fields of behavioral health. Through national behavioral health organizations selected by SAMHSA to administer the program, some 400 MFP fellows are awarded educational scholarships and receive training each year under the program.

Additional Information:

Peer Recovery Support Specialist

A person with lived/living experience, either directly or through a current/former dependent, involving a problematic mental health and/or substance use condition(s), and who supports other people experiencing similar challenges in a wide range of nonclinical activities, including advocacy, navigation and linkage to resources, sharing of experience, social support, community and relationship building, group facilitation, skill building, mentoring, goal setting, and more. To enter the occupation, Peer Recovery Support Specialists typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent, but requirements vary by state. Certification requirements also vary by state.

Additional Information:

Physician Assistant

Physician assistants examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of a physician. Physician assistants work in physicians’ offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and other healthcare settings. Physician assistants typically need a master’s degree from an accredited program. All states require physician assistants to be licensed.

Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Integrated Substance Use Disorder Training Program provides funding to teaching health centers, federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, community mental health center, etc. to support physician assistants and other practicing professionals providing prevention, treatment, and recovery services. HRSA makes these awards to the organizations and not individuals.

Additional Information:

Prevention Specialist

Prevention Specialist coordinate and deliver evidence-based prevention policies, programs, and practices nationally and in states, tribes, territories, and communities and organizations targeting substance use and substance use disorder prevention. They manage or provide intervention and education programs and/or policies across the lifespan to prevent substance use and substance use disorder for individuals, families, and communities. They may guide strategic planning, conduct community needs assessments, and collaborate on culturally inclusive planning initiatives. Prevention Specialists typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent or a bachelor’s degree, but requirements vary by state. Certification requirements also vary by state.

Federal Funding Support: SAMHSA’s Prevention Technology Transfer Centers (PTTCs) provide opportunities for Prevention Fellowships. These fellowships are intended to develop a knowledgeable and well-trained cadre of prevention fellows in the area of substance use prevention and prepare them to achieve certification from the International Certificate & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) exam.

Additional Information:

Psychiatric Aide

Psychiatric aides care for people who have mental health conditions, substance use disorders or developmental disabilities. Psychiatric aides work primarily in healthcare settings, such as psychiatric hospitals and residential mental health facilities. To enter the occupation, psychiatric aides typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Requirements for credentialing and training vary by state.

Federal Funding Support: No specific funding program.

Additional Information:

American Association of Psychiatric Technicians

Addiction Medicine Physician/Psychiatrist

Addiction Medicine Physicians are physicians who have advanced training in providing prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment services for patients with substance use and substance use disorders. Psychiatrists are physicians who specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental, emotional and behavioral disorders. These providers work in a variety of healthcare and office-based settings. All states require physicians to be licensed.

Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program helps to expand Addiction Medicine and Addiction Psychiatry fellowship programs. Funding is available to U.S. based sponsored institutions of accredited addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry fellowship programs or Consortiums. HRSA makes these awards to the organizations and not individuals. SAMHSA’s Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) aims to improve behavioral health care outcomes for racial and ethnic populations by growing the nation’s behavioral health workforce. MFP fellowships are open to people pursuing graduate degrees in various fields of behavioral health. Through national behavioral health organizations selected by SAMHSA to administer the program, some 400 MFP fellows are awarded educational scholarships and receive training each year under the program.

Additional Information:

Psychologist

Psychologists study cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how people relate to one another and to their environments. Psychologists work in a variety of settings, such as schools, hospitals, and private practice. Psychologists typically need an advanced degree, such as a master’s or doctoral degree, in psychology. Licensing requirements vary by state and position.

Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Graduate Psychology Education Program helps prepare and grow the doctoral health psychology workforce. Funding is available to APA-accredited doctoral, internship, and post-doctoral residency programs of health service psychology (including clinical psychology, counseling, and school psychology) and Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS)-accredited doctoral level schools of psychology. HRSA makes these awards to the organizations and not individuals. SAMHSA’s Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) aims to improve behavioral health care outcomes for racial and ethnic populations by growing the nation’s behavioral health workforce. MFP fellowships are open to people pursuing graduate degrees in various fields of behavioral health. Through national behavioral health organizations selected by SAMHSA to administer the program, some 400 MFP fellows are awarded educational scholarships and receive training each year under the program.

Additional Information:

Last Updated: 10/17/2024