Human services is a generic term covering many jobs in fields that provide assistance to people in need. Human service positions may be found in both the government and private sectors and are available to individuals with all levels of employment. Read on for more information about a career relating to human services.
Industry Overview
Human services encompasses careers supporting people in vulnerable situations like abuse, addiction, mental or physical illness, advancing age, or poverty. Human and social service assistants work in many industries helping social workers, health-care workers, and professionals provide services to people in need. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, www.bls.gov), common human services jobs include:
- Human services worker
- Case management aide
- Social work assistant
- Community support worker
- Mental health aide
- Community outreach worker
- Life skills counselor
- Gerontology aide
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutTheHumanServicesField">Important Facts About the Human Services Field</h3><p></p><table border="1"><tr><td>Entry-Level Education</td><td>High School Diploma; GED</td></tr>
<tr><td>Training</td><td>On-the-job training</td></tr>
<tr><td>Similar Occupations</td><td>Childcare workers; health educators; personal care aides; probation officers</td></tr>
<tr><td>Number of Jobs (2021)</td><td>420,600</td></tr>
<tr><td> Median Salary (2021) </td><td> $37,610 (for social and human service assistants)*</td></tr>
<tr><td> Job Outlook (2021-2031)</td><td> 12% (for social and human service assistants)*</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WorkEnvironment">Work Environment</h3><p>A person working in human services performs various roles in the community, working in halfway houses, group homes, and government-supported housing programs. Residential rehabilitation programs and government agencies are the two largest employers in human services, according to the BLS. A social and human service assistant may:
</p><ul><li>Organize and lead group activities
</li><li>Counsel or intervene in a crisis
</li><li>Work in food banks and emergency fuel programs
</li><li>Supervise and assist the elderly and special-needs adults with daily life skills, such as hygiene, proper medication administration, and food preparation
</li><li>Work with psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and other professionals to help clients communicate and interact more effectively
</li><li>Support a client's participation in a treatment plan such as occupational therapy or individual or group counseling.
</li></ul><h3 id="section---EmploymentOutlook">Employment Outlook</h3><p>According to the BLS, the employment of social and human service assistants is expected to rise by approximately 12% between 2021 and 2031. New jobs are expected to rise to about 71,500 over the projected time frame. The BLS published in May 2021 the median annual salary earned by social and human service assistants as $37,610</p>
