Addiction impacts every facet of a patient’s life: their physical and mental health, relationships, job outlook and overall quality of life. Substance abuse professionals help patients create a better future, free from drugs or alcohol. This work is indispensable to each patient they work with, providing health care, mental health counseling and social services to support a life-changing recovery.

Substance abuse is a massive problem in the United States. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, of the 19.9 million individuals (8.1% of the U.S. population) who needed substance abuse treatment in 2016, only 10.8% or 2.1 million received treatment at a rehab facility. The need for a new generation of addiction professionals is critical. Substance abuse and mental health counseling jobs, for example, are expected to grow 22% between 2018 and 2028.

Addiction treatment requires a variety of professional roles with different levels of expertise. People can work at hospitals, private practices, public and private rehab facilities, community centers, non-profits organizations and more. At a rehabilitation treatment facility like The Recovery Village, there are medical doctors, substance abuse counselors, mental health counselors, substance abuse nurses and behavioral health technicians, among others. Teletherapy is also growing in popularity.