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.
$59,350 a year (for the broader BLS group this job sits in).
of the working time. Estimate.
- 61%
- 39%
- 1%
Anthropic's data does not cover this job.
On the chosen pace and reliability. Estimate.
Share of the working time within reach, now to 2030
What each choice means: , , , , . Every pace starts from .
At this date and pace, models finish tasks up to 4.4 h long four times in five.
How far this has come
With GPT-4, measured in March 2023, 0% of this job's working time was within reach at . With Claude 3.7 Sonnet, measured in February 2025, 0%. With Claude Mythos Preview (early), measured in April 2026, 43%. Today's estimate: 46%.
A backcast: today's task data with the best model METR had measured by each date. It shows how fast the models have moved, not what anyone forecast at the time.
The tasks
Sorted by . 23 tasks from .
| Task | Kind | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Counsel clients or patients, individually or in group sessions, to assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, or making changes.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 13% | 50 min25 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Develop, implement, or evaluate public education, prevention, or health promotion programs, working in collaboration with organizations, institutions, or communities.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 12% | 1.7 work days3.3 h to 4.2 work days | 2%Half by Feb 2028 | |
| 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.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 9% | 1.3 h38 min to 2.1 h | Stays with people | |
| Complete and maintain accurate records or reports regarding the patients' histories and progress, services provided, or other required information.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 8% | 33 min13 min to 50 min | 100%Half by now | |
| Develop client treatment plans based on research, clinical experience, and client histories.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 8% | 1.7 h50 min to 2.5 h | 97%Half by now | |
| Instruct others in program methods, procedures, or functions.Done daily by most who do it. | 6% | 1.3 h25 min to 2.1 h | Stays with people | |
| Participate in case conferences or staff meetings.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 5% | 1.3 h50 min to 1.7 h | 100%Half by now | |
| Supervise or direct other workers providing services to clients or patients.Done more than yearly by most who do it. | 5% | 50 min25 min to 1.7 h | Stays with people | |
| Train or supervise student interns or new staff members.Done daily by most who do it. | 4% | 1.7 h50 min to 2.5 h | Stays with people | |
| Review and evaluate clients' progress in relation to measurable goals described in treatment and care plans.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 4% | 38 min17 min to 1.3 h | 100%Half by now | |
| Attend training sessions to increase knowledge and skills.Done more than monthly by most who do it. | 4% | 2.5 h50 min to 6.7 h | 46%Half by Oct 2026 | |
| Plan or implement follow-up or aftercare programs for clients to be discharged from treatment programs.Done more than weekly by most who do it. | 3% | 1.3 h38 min to 2.1 h | 99%Half by now |
Within reach, per task: the share of the task's time whose instances are short enough for a model to finish at the chosen date, pace and reliability. Half by: the date half of that time comes within reach.
Jobs that share skills with this one
From O*NET's related occupations. Within reach now and by the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers21% now, 44% by 2028
- Mental Health Counselors65% now, 67% by 2028
- Marriage and Family Therapists57% now, 65% by 2028
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists39% now, 65% by 2028
- Rehabilitation Counselors66% now, 79% by 2028
- Healthcare Social Workers42% now, 62% by 2028
Where this job works
The industry groups that employ the most of it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.
- Offices of Other Health Practitioners106,780 people
- Outpatient Care Centers98,150 people
- Individual and Family Services80,530 people
- Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities47,510 people
- Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals28,270 people
Where the most of these jobs are
The metro areas with the most people in it (BLS, May 2025). Counts are for the broader BLS group this job sits in.