Human Services Assistant Schools

Schools by State
for Human Service Assistants:

AK AL AR AZ CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MD ME MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK OR PA PR RI SC SD TN TX UT VA VT WA WI WV WY

Career Highlights for
Human Service Assistants

Training generally required for this career includes: Moderate-term on-the-job training.

Jobs and Salary
Median Salary (2008)	$27,280
Unemployment Vs. Other Jobs	Low
Jobs (2006)	339,000
Job Growth (2006-2016)	33.6%
Jobs (2016 forecast)	453,000

Flexibility
Working Part-Time	12%
Self-Employed	0%

Education of Current Workers
Bachelor Degree or Higher	58%
Some College	26%
High School or Less	16%

Relevant Job Titles

(Supplied by experts and industry contributors for this career category)

Activities of Daily Living Specialist
Addictions Counselor Assistant
Advocate
Boy's Adviser
Case Aide
Case Manager
Case Work Aide
Case Worker
Casework Specialist
Caseworker
Child Care Counselor
Child Care Worker
Children's Aide
Clerical Aide
Clinical Assistant
Clinical Social Work Aide
Community Advocate
Community Aide
Community Coordinator
Community Development Aide
Community Development Worker
Community Organization Aide
Community Program Assistant
Community Service Worker
Correctional Case Manager
Counseling Aide
Counselor Aide
Court Advocate
Day Program Instructor
Discharge Planner
Domestic Violence Advocate
Family Development Specialist
Family Self-Sufficiency Case Manager (FSS Case Manager)
Family Self-Sufficiency Specialist
Family Service Aide
Family Support Specialist
Family Support Worker
Field Representative
Field Service Representative
Field Worker
Food Management Aide
Foster Care and Family Services Case Worker (FCFS Case Worker)
Group Worker
Head Worker
Health and Human Service Aide
Home Visitor
Homebased Assistant
Hope VI Case Manager
House Visitor
Housing Assistant
Housing Counselor
Human Service Specialist
Human Service Technician
Human Services Assistant
Human Services Program Specialist
Human Services Worker
Independent Living Specialist
Job Opportunity Specialist
Licensed Social Worker
Management Aide
Mental Health Technician
Neighborhood Aide
Neighborhood Coordinator
Neighborhood Worker
Offender Employment Specialist (OES)
Offender Job Retention Specialist
Office Specialist
Outreach Coordinator
Outreach Specialist
Outreach Worker
Peer Counselor
Peer Educator
Personal Development Coach
Personal Development Educator
Personal Development Mentor
Phone Counselor
Probation Officer
Red Cross Worker
Residential Care Assistant
Residential Program Worker
Residential Worker
Service Aide
Shelter Advocate
Social and Human Services Assistant
Social Contact Worker
Social Human Services Assistants
Social Service Aide
Social Service Specialist
Social Service Worker
Social Services Aide
Social Services Assistant
Social Services Resource Manager
Social Welfare Clerk
Social Work Assistant
Social Work Associate
Social Worker
Social Worker Aide
Social Worker Assistant
Travelers' Aid Worker
Visitor
Welfare Aide
Welfare Service Aide
Welfare Visitor
Youth Counselor

Information Sources

BrainTrack's information on colleges and careers is drawn from many sources, including government databases, BrainTrack's own research, and results from original data analysis algorithms.

Human Service Assistant Job Description

Career tips, salaries, and lists of schools.

Social and human service assistants provide support to social work, health care and other professionals as they provide services to people to assist them in improving their quality of life. There are a variety of roles that human service assistants can occupy, including:

social work assistant
human service worker
gerontology aide
mental health aide
community support worker
case management aide
community outreach worker
life skills counselor

Although their daily tasks differ according to role, the general responsibilities of human service assistants include:

assessing and documenting the needs of clients, and providing assistance in meeting those needs
determining eligibility for services such as food stamps or welfare, or benefits such as Medicaid
arranging crisis intervention or counseling, and providing emotional support to clients
setting up transportation and arranging for escorts as needed
tracking and reporting on the progress of cases
serving as a leader or organizer of community activities and social benefit programs like food banks

Human service assistants who work in halfway houses, government-supported housing programs and group homes have responsibilities that include:

providing support to adults in need of supervision, such as helping with personal hygiene, teaching daily living skills and making sure they take their medication
reviewing client records and communicating a client's needs to medical staff or other caregivers
talking with family members and friends, and providing emotional support
encouraging clients to become involved in recreation programs and other community activities

In outpatient clinics, rehabilitation programs and psychiatric hospitals, human service assistants:

provide support to clients as they work to master communication, living and relationship skills
work together with psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers to follow a treatment plan for the client which may include occupational therapy or counseling

Human Service Assistant Degrees and Schools

Although a formal postsecondary education is not required for many entry-level human service assistants, some college-level courses can provide career advantage - especially when it comes to career growth. An associates degree or certificate from a community college or vocational school in social work, public policy, human development, psychology, human services, gerontology or related fields is likely to meet the requirements of most employers, while a bachelors degree in one of these areas can help move up in the field.

Human Service Assistant Classes

Students pursuing an education in social work divide their time between class and supervised practical experience. Courses usually consist of:

observation of clients and conducting client interviews
keeping case records, following treatment plans and reporting progress
conflict resolution, rapport building and crisis intervention
case management procedures and referral processes
courses in behavioral and social sciences, arts and humanities
specialized courses in child protection, gerontology, addiction and other areas

Online Human Service Assistant Classes and Programs

Online associates and bachelors degree programs in social work, public policy, human services, psychology, human development, gerontology and related areas are easy to find and convenient. Those offered by colleges that also have a physical campus are more likely to offer internship and job placement opportunities. The Accreditation Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) accredits online programs that meet industry standards. Online programs may also be part of schools with other US Department of Education accreditation.

Human Service Assistant Requirements

Although a high school diploma or equivalent is the minimum requirement for most entry-level human service assistant jobs, many employers prefer to hire candidates who have completed some formal postsecondary education. An associates degree or certificate in social work, human services, gerontology or related areas meets the requirements of many employers. While all employers provide some on-the-job training, the more college training and relevant leadership experience a human service assistant has, the more likely they will start with greater responsibility and be involved in the direct care of clients sooner.

Human service assistants are frequently expected to pass a criminal background check and have a valid driver's license.

How to Evaluate Human Service Assistant Schools

Students comparing associates degree programs in social-work related fields of study may find asking these questions helpful:

Relevance to field of interest - Is the program geared more towards specific roles within human services, such as mental health or community outreach?
Classes and subjects - Are classes crowded or difficult to get into? Are there sufficient course offerings in areas of specialty, such as gerontology or child protection?
Practical experience - Do program requirements include substantial time dedicated to direct experience through internships? Are internships coordinated by the school, and are there a variety of desirable opportunities?
Financial aid and expenses - Are student loan, grant, work / study or scholarship opportunities well presented to students to make it easy to take advantage of them?
Graduate success - What is the program's track record for placing graduates in human service jobs?

Relevant Schools That Respond Quickly to Info Requests Through This Site

School names link to detailed profiles. Use the Info from the School link to contact the school directly for more information. You may request information from as many schools as you like.

School	Campuses	Awards	Info
Abilene Christian University Online	Online	Certificate, Master	Info From School
Ashford University	Online	Bachelor	Info From School
Baker College Campus	MI	Associate, Bachelor	Info From School
Capella University	Online	Doctorate, Master	Info From School
Goodwin College	CT	Associate	Info From School
Post University	Online	Master	Info From School
Rasmussen College	MN	Associate	Info From School
University of Phoenix	AZ, UT, MI, CA, OK, NM, MO, VA, AL, WA, KY, OR, NV, PR, CO, ID, FL, WI, HI	Bachelor, Master	Info From School
University of Phoenix Online	Online	Associate, Bachelor	Info From School
Walden University	Online	Doctorate	Info From School

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