Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers
National industry · NAICS 621420
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Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers is a U.S. industry in the NAICS classification. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates about 309,640 workers across 158 detailed occupations in it. A typical worker earns around $59,090 a year (Singulariki estimate, see below).
This industry comprises establishments with medical staff primarily engaged in providing outpatient services related to the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders and alcohol and other substance abuse. These establishments generally treat patients who do not require inpatient treatment. They may provide a counseling staff and information regarding a wide range of mental health and substance abuse issues and/or refer patients to more extensive treatment programs, if necessary. Illustrative Examples: Outpatient alcoholism treatment centers and clinics (except hospitals) Outpatient mental health centers and clinics (except hospitals) Outpatient detoxification centers and clinics (except hospitals) Outpatient substance abuse treatment centers and clinics (except hospitals) Outpatient drug addiction treatment centers and clinics (except hospitals) Cross-References.
Employment is national May 2024 OEWS. "Typical pay" is Singulariki's own figure — the employment-weighted average of each occupation's national median wage — a rough center of the industry, not an official BLS number.
How exposed this industry is to AI
Weighting every occupation in this industry by its employment and its unified AI-exposure index (the OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" human-rated task overlap folded with the Felten/Raj/Seamans AIOE index), this industry sits in the High band — 77th percentile across all industries.
Exposure measures how much of the work overlaps with what today's AI can do, not a prediction of automation; high-exposure industries are where AI is most likely to reshape tasks. Employment-weighted across 138 occupations that carry an exposure score. Compare every industry on the AI exposure hub.
How AI is actually used in this industry
Among measured Claude.ai (Free and Pro) conversations mapped to O*NET task statements (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these patterns are most associated with the occupations in this industry, weighted by its employment mix. They are shares of observed AI conversations — not of worker time, revenue, or what could be automated — and reflect one AI assistant's consumer sample, not all AI.
| Signal coverage | 58.6% of employment · 91/152 occupations have AEI task data |
| Augmentation vs. automation | 46.7% working with AI · 30.8% handed to AI |
| Most common pattern | Directive · AI does it; you give the instruction |
| Typical AI autonomy | 3.5 / 5 · higher = AI acts more independently |
Tasks driving the signal
The task families that account for the most AI activity across this industry's occupations (employment × observed usage), each attributed to the occupation it comes from.
| Task | Occupation | How | Share of signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Troubleshoot problems involving office equipment, such as computer hardware and software. | Office Clerks, General | Feedback loop | 28.5% |
| Use computers for various applications, such as database management or word processing. | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | Directive | 5.5% |
| Conduct searches to find needed information, using such sources as the Internet. | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | Directive | 5.1% |
| Direct or provide home health services. | Registered Nurses | Learning | 4.3% |
| Develop or maintain internal or external company Web sites. | Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | Directive | 3.8% |
| Participate in the work of subordinates to facilitate productivity or to overcome difficult aspects of work. | First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | Iteration | 3.1% |
| Educate patients and family members about mental health and medical conditions, preventive health measures, medications, or treatment plans. | Registered Nurses | Learning | 3.0% |
| Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner. | Marriage and Family Therapists | Learning | 1.9% |
| Instruct individuals in career development techniques such as job search and application strategies, resume writing, and interview skills. | Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | Iteration | 1.7% |
| Develop instructional materials and conduct in-service and community-based educational programs. | Medical and Health Services Managers | Iteration | 1.3% |
| Teach patient education programs that include information required to make informed health care and treatment decisions. | Registered Nurses | Directive | 1.2% |
| Process and prepare documents, such as business or government forms and expense reports. | Office Clerks, General | Directive | 1.1% |
Occupations behind the signal
The occupations whose AI-touched tasks contribute most to this industry's signal, by employment here.
| Occupation | Workers | Share | How they use AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | 22,960 | 7.4% | Learning |
| Social and Human Service Assistants | 20,770 | 6.7% | Learning |
| Registered Nurses | 13,130 | 4.2% | Learning |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 10,440 | 3.4% | Iteration |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 9,330 | 3.0% | Iteration |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | 7,590 | 2.5% | Learning |
| Office Clerks, General | 7,250 | 2.3% | Feedback loop |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 6,200 | 2.0% | Directive |
| Nurse Practitioners | 6,040 | 1.9% | Learning |
| Social and Community Service Managers | 5,930 | 1.9% | Iteration |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 5,650 | 1.8% | Directive |
| Receptionists and Information Clerks | 5,040 | 1.6% | Directive |
This rollup is only as complete as the occupation-task matches available for the industry; the coverage figure above is shown so sparse industries do not look falsely precise. AI exposure is not the same as replacement.
Skill & tool metabolism
What this industry's work actually runs on. Each figure is the share of the industry's workers in occupations that significantly rely on a skill, knowledge area, or ability (O*NET importance ≥ 3 of 5), or that use a tool category — its employment reach. This is a measure of how widespread a requirement is across the workforce, not how intensively any one worker uses it. Shares are independent and need not add to 100%.
Based on 68.3% of this industry's employment that maps to a detailed occupation with an O*NET skill profile.
Skills
| Skill | Employment reach | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 68.1% | 210,950 |
| Speaking | 67.9% | 210,320 |
| Critical Thinking | 67.4% | 208,760 |
| Reading Comprehension | 67.0% | 207,340 |
| Writing | 65.8% | 203,640 |
| Time Management | 64.6% | 200,140 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 64.2% | 198,740 |
| Service Orientation | 63.8% | 197,600 |
| Coordination | 63.7% | 197,350 |
| Monitoring | 63.6% | 196,850 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 57.8% | 179,080 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 56.2% | 173,940 |
Knowledge areas
| Knowledge area | Employment reach | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | 67.7% | 209,750 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 67.2% | 207,970 |
| Education and Training | 45.3% | 140,220 |
| Psychology | 44.3% | 137,100 |
| Administrative | 41.4% | 128,210 |
| Therapy and Counseling | 39.2% | 121,410 |
| Computers and Electronics | 39.0% | 120,860 |
| Administration and Management | 37.4% | 115,940 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 35.0% | 108,320 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 30.1% | 93,050 |
| Public Safety and Security | 28.9% | 89,440 |
| Mathematics | 23.9% | 73,890 |
Abilities
| Abilitie | Employment reach | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Near Vision | 68.3% | 211,360 |
| Oral Comprehension | 68.2% | 211,290 |
| Oral Expression | 68.2% | 211,150 |
| Speech Clarity | 67.6% | 209,330 |
| Speech Recognition | 67.6% | 209,370 |
| Written Comprehension | 67.2% | 208,040 |
| Written Expression | 66.7% | 206,470 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 66.3% | 205,260 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 65.9% | 204,060 |
| Information Ordering | 65.9% | 204,090 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 65.8% | 203,600 |
| Category Flexibility | 63.9% | 197,940 |
Tool categories
| Tool category | Employment reach | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Spreadsheet software | 69.0% | 213,580 |
| Office suite software | 68.6% | 212,510 |
| Electronic mail software | 68.2% | 211,210 |
| Word processing software | 68.1% | 211,010 |
| Medical software | 63.5% | 196,730 |
| Internet browser software | 62.2% | 192,740 |
| Data base user interface and query software | 61.7% | 190,940 |
| Presentation software | 60.9% | 188,620 |
| Document management software | 38.8% | 120,250 |
| Calendar and scheduling software | 35.9% | 111,110 |
| Operating system software | 34.3% | 106,190 |
| Desktop publishing software | 34.2% | 105,880 |
| Project management software | 32.9% | 101,730 |
| Accounting software | 31.2% | 96,500 |
| Enterprise resource planning ERP software | 28.5% | 88,120 |
Reach = share of industry employment in occupations where the requirement is significant; it is not a per-worker usage or proficiency measure. Skill, knowledge, and ability importance is from O*NET; tool use is reported presence of a technology category.
Largest occupations
The occupations that employ the most people in this industry, with their share of the industry's workforce and national median pay for the occupation (not industry-specific pay).
Showing the top 40 of 158 occupations by employment.
Most distinctive occupations
The occupations most unusually concentrated in this industry compared with the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more common an occupation is here versus its economy-wide share (a value of 5 means five times as concentrated).
| Occupation | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | 94.64× | 83,700 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | 90.8× | 22,960 |
| Marriage and Family Therapists | 57.38× | 7,590 |
| Psychiatrists | 45.58× | 2,270 |
| Psychiatric Technicians | 36.72× | 10,050 |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | 32.7× | 4,740 |
| Therapists, All Other | 32.22× | 1,250 |
| Counselors, All Other | 25.24× | 1,690 |
| Social and Human Service Assistants | 24.38× | 20,770 |
| Community Health Workers | 18.2× | 2,220 |
| Social and Community Service Managers | 15.1× | 5,930 |
| Rehabilitation Counselors | 13.72× | 2,450 |
| Psychiatric Aides | 12.27× | 860 |
| Nurse Practitioners | 9.78× | 6,040 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | 9.61× | 2,130 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 9.19× | 10,440 |
| Residential Advisors | 8.48× | 1,410 |
| Psychologists, All Other | 7.56× | 270 |
| Healthcare Social Workers | 5.95× | 2,220 |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | 5.77× | 4,440 |
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
The Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers workforce sits at the 77th percentile of AI task overlap — 309,640 U.S. workers
- Weighting every occupation by its real share of Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers employment, the industry's workforce ranks in the 77th percentile (High band) for AI task overlap — overlap with what AI can attempt, not a measure of jobs at risk.Eloundou et al. + Felten AIOE, weighted by BLS OEWS
- The industry employs about 309,640 U.S. workers across 158 occupations.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
- Employment-weighted typical annual pay is about $59,090.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
- Of AI use observed across this industry's occupations, 47% looks like augmentation rather than automation — from a Claude.ai sample, not a census.Anthropic Economic Index
The Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers workforce sits at the 77th percentile of AI task overlap — 309,640 U.S. workers • Weighting every occupation by its real share of Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers employment, the industry's workforce ranks in the 77th percentile (High band) for AI task overlap — overlap with what AI can attempt, not a measure of jobs at risk. (Eloundou et al. + Felten AIOE, weighted by BLS OEWS) • The industry employs about 309,640 U.S. workers across 158 occupations. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) • Employment-weighted typical annual pay is about $59,090. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) • Of AI use observed across this industry's occupations, 47% looks like augmentation rather than automation — from a Claude.ai sample, not a census. (Anthropic Economic Index) Source: Singulariki — "Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers". https://singulariki.com/industries/621420 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Census NAICS 2022 U.S. Census Bureau
- Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27) Anthropic
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
Data compiled June 3, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Singulariki. "Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; Census NAICS 2022; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/industries/621420
Singulariki. (2026). Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/industries/621420
@misc{singulariki-621420,
title = {Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; Census NAICS 2022; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/industries/621420}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.