Behavioral Health Career Descriptions
This webpage provides general descriptions and available federal funding support for each behavioral health career included in the Behavioral Health Career Navigator (Navigator). While SAMHSA regularly reviews licensure and certification information in the Navigator, updates may not occur in real-time. Please consult materials from the credentialing entity to ensure you have the most up-to-date information before applying for a license or certification. Note: in general, a license is issued by a state governmental agency and grants legal authority to practice in an occupation. A certification is awarded by a professional organization or other nongovernmental body and is not typically a legal provision to practice independently.
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 requirements for certified or licensed addiction counselors vary widely, from a high school diploma (or GED) to a graduate degree.
Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Paraprofessionals and Opioid-Impacted Family Support Program provide funding to organizations to support the training of people seeking certification in addiction counseling.
Additional Information:
- International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC)
- The Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC)
- National Board for Certified Counselors
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Practitioners
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Practitioners (APRNs) provide primary and specialty healthcare. They work in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, physicians' offices, and clinics. APRNs must earn at least a master’s degree, 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 nursing schools, state and local governments, and other public or private nonprofit entities to support the training and graduation of APRN trainees in the disciplines of primary care, mental health and substance use disorder care, and maternal health care.
Additional Information:
- American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board
- American Association of Nurse Practitioners
- American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board
Social Worker and Clinical Social Worker
Social workers assist people by helping them cope with issues in their everyday lives, deal with their relationships, and solve personal and family problems. Social workers are employed in a variety of settings, including child welfare and human service agencies, healthcare facilities, 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. Licensing and supervised clinical experience requirements vary by state.
Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for 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.
Additional Information:
- Clinical Social Work Association
- Council on Social Work
- National Association of Social Workers
- School Social Work Association of America
Community Health Worker
Community Health Workers (CHWs) connect individuals to health and social services, support preventive care and chronic disease management, and provide culturally appropriate health services to community members. They work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, public health departments, and community-based organizations. CHWs require at least a high school diploma or equivalent and some training, but specific requirements vary by state. Several states offer CHW certification.
Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Community Health Worker Training Program provides funding to state and local governments, institutions of higher education, and other nonprofit entities to train community health workers to provide public health emergency response and to address the health needs of underserved communities.
Additional Information:
- National Association of Community Health Workers
- American Public Health Association – Community Health Workers
Marriage and Family Therapist
Marriage and family therapists (MFTs) diagnose and treat cognitive, behavioral, or similar disorders in the context of marriage, couples, family systems, and other relationships. MFTs work in a variety of settings, including private practice, mental health clinics, hospitals, schools, and government agencies. MFTs typically require a master’s degree, and every state requires therapists to be licensed.
Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Professionals to enable accredited institutions of higher education to support the didactic and clinical training of behavioral health trainees, including masters-level marriage and family therapy students.
Additional Information:
Mental Health Counselor/Licensed Professional Counselor
Mental health counselors, also called licensed professional counselors (LPCs), work with and advise individuals, families, couples, or groups 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 mental health counselors generally need at least a master’s degree. States typically require licensure or certification.
Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Professionals provides funding to accredited institutions of higher education to support the didactic and clinical training of behavioral health trainees including master’s level mental health counseling students.
Additional Information:
- American Counseling Association
- American Mental Health Counselors Association
- National Board for Certified Counselors
Peer Recovery Support Specialist/Peer Support Workers
Peer recovery support specialists (PRSSs), also called peer support workers, use their lived experience, either directly, or through a family member, in recovery from a mental health or substance use disorder to support individuals experiencing similar challenges in a wide range of nonclinical activities including advocacy, navigation and linkage to resources, sharing experiences, social support, community and relationship building, group facilitation, skill building, and mentoring. PRSSs work in a wide range of settings, including hospitals, community centers, and behavioral health facilities. PRSSs typically require at least a high school diploma or equivalent, but requirements vary widely by state.
Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Paraprofessionals and Opioid-Impacted Family Support Program provide funding to organizations to support training for people obtaining a certificate in peer recovery and other behavioral health paraprofessional training tracks.
Additional Information:
- Association for Addiction Professionals: National Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist
- National Association of Peer Supporters
- National Peer Recovery Alliance
Physician Assistant
Physician assistants or associates (PAs) examine, diagnose, and treat patients under the supervision of a physician. PAs typically work in physicians’ offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and other healthcare settings. PAs must obtain a master’s degree from an accredited PA program. All states require PAs 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 centers, or other qualifying health centers to train physician assistants and other practicing professionals who provide prevention, treatment, and recovery services.
Additional Information:
- American Academy of Physician Associates
- Association of PAs in Psychiatry
- How to Become a PA Specialized in Psychiatry/Mental Health
Prevention Specialist
Prevention specialists coordinate and deliver evidence-based policies, programs, and practices to prevent problem substance use and substance use disorder within communities. Prevention Specialists work in a variety of settings, including community organizations, schools, public health departments and behavioral health settings. Prevention specialists typically require at least a high school diploma or equivalent or a bachelor’s degree, but requirements vary by state. Additional certification requirements also vary by state.
Federal Funding Support: SAMHSA’s Prevention Technology Transfer Centers (PTTCs) provide opportunities for Prevention Fellowships. These fellowships develop a knowledgeable and well-trained cadre of Prevention Fellows in substance use prevention and prepare them to achieve certification from the International Certificate & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC) Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) exam.
Additional Information:
- Core Trainings for Prevention Specialist Certification
- Prevention Technology Transfer Center – Prevention Specialist Information
- The International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC)
Psychiatric Aide
Psychiatric aides or technicians provide care for people with mental health conditions, substance use disorder, or developmental disabilities by helping with daily living activities and supporting overall well-being. They work primarily in healthcare settings such as psychiatric hospitals or residential mental health facilities. Psychiatric aides typically require at least a high school diploma or equivalent and training. Requirements vary by state. Some states offer psychiatric aide certification.
Federal Funding Support: No specific funding program.
Additional Information:
Addiction Medicine Physician/Psychiatrist
Addiction medicine physicians are licensed medical or osteopathic doctors with advanced training to provide prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery services for patients with problematic substance use and substance use disorders. They practice in a variety of clinical settings, including hospitals, emergency departments, primary care facilities, and specialty substance use disorder or mental health facilities. Addiction medicine physicians must complete an accredited fellowship training program following completion of a primary internship and residency program in a medical, psychiatric, or surgical specialty.
Psychiatrists are medical or osteopathic doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They work in a variety of healthcare settings including private practices, hospitals and medical clinics, specialized care facilities, and community and government agencies. Psychiatrists complete an accredited 4-year residency program following medical school. Some psychiatrists have advanced training through fellowships in topics such as addiction, forensics, or child psychiatry.
Both addiction medicine physicians and psychiatrists must be graduates of an accredited medical school and licensed as a Medical Doctor or an Osteopathic Doctor. State medical and/or osteopathic licensing boards may have additional requirements to practice addiction medicine or psychiatry.
Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program works to expand access to opioid and other substance use disorder treatment in rural areas by funding addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry fellowship programs. Funding is available to U.S. based sponsoring institutions of accredited addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry fellowship programs or a consortium of at least one domestic teaching health center and one domestic addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry fellowship program.
Additional Information:
- American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry
- American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
- American Board of Addiction Medicine
- American College of Academic Addiction Medicine—Developing Your Career in Addiction Medicine
- American Psychiatric Association
- American Society of Addiction Medicine
- Association of American Medical Colleges
- The American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine
Psychologist
Psychologists study cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how people interact with others and their environments. Psychologists work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, schools, and private practice. Psychologists typically require a master’s or doctoral degree in psychology. Additional licensing requirements vary by state but typically require supervised experience and passing an examination.
Federal Funding Support: HRSA’s Graduate Psychology Education Program helps prepare and grow the doctoral health psychology workforce. Funding is available to American Psychological Association (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.
Additional Information: