HUMAN SERVICES WORKERS

Nature of the Work

Human services worker is a generic term for people with various job titles, such as social service technician, case management aide, social work assistant, residential counselor, alcohol or drug abuse counselor, mental health technician, child abuse worker, community outreach worker, and gerontology aide.  They generally work under the direction of social workers or, in some cases, psychologists. The amount of responsibility and supervision they are given varies a great deal.  Some are on their own most of the time and have little direct supervision; others work under close direction.

Human services workers help clients obtain benefits or services. They assess the needs and establish the eligibility of clients for services.  They examine financial documents such as rent receipts and tax returns to determine whether the client is eligible for food stamps, Medicaid, or other welfare programs, for example.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

While some employers hire high school graduates, most prefer applicants with some college preparation in human services, social work, or one of the social or behavioral sciences.  Some prefer to hire persons with a 4-year college degree.  The level of formal education of human service workers often influences the kind of work they are assigned and the amount of responsibility entrusted to them.  Workers with no more than a high school education are likely to perform clerical duties, while those with a college degree might be assigned to do direct counseling, coordinate program activities, or manage a group home.  Employers may also look for experience in
other occupations or leadership experience in school or in a youth
group. 

Job Outlook

Opportunities for human services workers are expected to be excellent for qualified applicants.  The number of human services workers is projected to more than double between 1992 and the year 2005 making it among the most rapidly growing occupations.  Also, the need to replace workers who retire or stop working for other reasons will create additional job opportunities.  However, these jobs are not attractive to everyone because the work is responsible and emotionally draining and most offer relatively poor pay, so qualified applicants should have little difficulty finding employment.

Earnings

According to limited data available, starting salaries for human services workers ranged from about $12,000 to $20,000 a year in 1992.  Experienced workers generally earned between $15,000 and $25,000 annually, depending on their education, experience, and employer.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting the following organizations:

National Organization for Human Service Education, Brookdale Community College, Lyncroft, NJ 07738.

Council for Standards in Human Service Education, Montgomery Community College, 340 Dekalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422.

Information on job openings may be available from State employment service offices or directly from city, county, or State departments of health, mental health and mental retardation, and human resources.

Information on academic programs in human services may be found in most directories of 2- and 4-year colleges, available at libraries or career counseling centers.


