Tuerk House logo
Tuerk House
Baltimore, Maryland

ADDICTIONS COUNSELOR

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$60k-$68k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about call expectations, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 23m ago · Verified live

Job Description

About Us

Tuerk House is a non-profit behavioral health system that serves nearly 300 patients a day, regardless of their ability to pay, through an innovative, integrative model of care that encompasses all aspects of recovery.

It opened its doors in 1970 in Baltimore, providing lifelong healing and recovery, transforming lives and giving hope to individuals, families, and communities. Tuerk House has also been awarded Joint Commission Accreditation, the gold standard of health care. Patients and families can have peace of mind knowing that we deliver quality, safe care!

Join Tuerk House and make a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals and families seeking recovery and support!

Job Summary/Objective

The Substance Use Disorder Counselor will plan and conduct activities, including counseling clients on an individual and group basis. This individual must be capable of performing independent and advanced work with clients within the program. He/she must demonstrate a working knowledge of the full continuum of care. In addition, this person must have a broad understanding of how a program operates and how each client moves along in the treatment system.

Work is performed in accordance with established regulations, policies and procedures, but employees are expected to exercise significant initiative and independent judgment in discharging duties. Work is reviewed by the Clinical Director through an evaluation of the completion of assignments, and individual and group supervision.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

  • Keep records such as TAP/ bio-psychohistory and assessments, evaluation and keep client case records current according to the established guidelines.
  • Coordinate collection of urine samples ensuring that all protocols and chain of custody guidelines are followed.
  • Work with social agencies and managed care organizations, hospitals, clinics, courts and gatekeepers in carrying out tasks of persons with chemical dependency and /or mental health problems.
  • Provide substance use counseling, assessment, and education to clients in individual and group sessions as scheduled.
  • Select and provide appropriate educational materials for clients concerning substance use.
  • Maintain client charts with all relevant program forms and reports.
  • Work collaboratively with Program Director to develop and execute treatments plan for each client’s care. (Includes assessing and advising on client status in program).
  • Refer clients to other additional support services as needed.
  • Responsible for a full client caseload.
  • Support and demonstrate adherence to Tuerk House Code of Ethics, Code of Conduct, and all personnel policies and procedures.
  • Continue special training in areas designated by Supervisor.
  • All other duties assigned

** Candidates must be flexible to work some daytime and evening hours dependent on business needs

Required Education, Certifications and/or Experience

  • Maryland Board of Professional Counselors certification as a LMSW, LGPC, and CAC-AD required
  • Minimum of two (2) years' experience in field or related field
  • Copy of licensure certificate will be required
  • Must be able to maintain a valid driver’s license and all appropriate professional certificates and credentials
  • Must successfully complete annual training requirements of 25 hours per year

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

  • Demonstrated ability to use entire MS Office (Outlook, Word, and Excel). Ability to learn in-house software; (SMART and Beacon Health).
  • Proficient knowledge of the TAP, bio-psycho-social characteristics and manifestations of chemical dependency and/or mental illness, preferred.
  • Significant knowledge of individual and group behavior and the effective way of working with people to produce ongoing recovery.
  • Demonstrated ability to work effectively with clients and aid them in achieving goals and objectives identified in treatment.
  • Demonstrated ability to identify the needs of the clients and to gain their confidence and cooperation in assisting them to obtain their goals.
  • Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, other members of staff, outside agencies, institutions and the general public.
  • Demonstrated ability to successfully work with others from various cultures and backgrounds.
  • Knowledge and experience in running groups (house meetings and general meetings if applicable).
  • Personal belief in recovery and the recovery process.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively with staff, clients, and the public.
  • High energy, flexibility, and strong interpersonal skills to work effectively within a team.
  • Ability to engage clients flexibly based on their individual needs.
  • Respect for and maintenance of professional boundaries with all individuals.
  • Ability to follow written and verbal instructions accurately.
  • Proficiency in reading, understanding, and speaking English.

Background: This position requires successful background and drug test completion

Physical Requirements

  • Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
  • Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
  • Prolonged periods of standing and bending.

Salary and Benefits

The compensation for this position will vary depending on factors such as your location, skills, job-related knowledge, and experience. The compensation package may also include incentive compensation opportunities in the form of discretionary annual bonus.

Tuerk House provides comprehensive benefits including healthcare, 401K savings plan, company holidays, vacation, sick time, short term disability, life insurance, pet insurance, parental leave, and an employee assistance program. Eligibility requirements apply.

Company Benefits

  • Generous PTO: Enjoy a competitive paid time off policy to promote work-life balance.
  • Health Benefits: Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance to support your overall well-being.
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Assistance for a variety of personal and professional matters.
  • HRSA Eligibility: Eligible for Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) benefits, providing additional support and resources.
  • 401K Match

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

Key Responsibilities

The counselor will conduct individual and group counseling sessions while managing a full client caseload and maintaining accurate clinical records. They will collaborate with the clinical team to develop treatment plans and coordinate care with external agencies and support services.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Maryland Board of Professional Counselors certification as an LMSW, LGPC, or CAC-AD. A minimum of two years of experience in the field is required, along with proficiency in MS Office and strong interpersonal skills.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Case ManagementGroup FacilitationCrisis InterventionTreatment PlanningDocumentationMicrosoft OfficeClinical DocumentationAddiction Recovery

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 50% are remote, 22% have no call, 54% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Maryland is 105.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$64k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $61k in an average-cost state. 62.9% of Maryland clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

30 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution30 jobs · 26 employers

15
<$80k
3
$80k-95k
6
$95k-110k
5
$120k
1
$125k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks23 jobs

401k / retirement match
87% this job
Sign-on bonus
30% this job
CME allowance
30%
Loan repayment
17%
PSLF eligible
9%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

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LifeStance Health · Madison, Wisconsin

$92k-$125k
#2

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

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$115k-$120k
#3

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)

$115k-$120k
#4

Therapist

$60k-$120k
+ 28 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 3.0
Better work-life than 30% of Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,008 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site

Living in Baltimore

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$203k≈ 3.4× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,802/mo≈ 36% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
29 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
104.5
State income tax
Up to 5.8%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Tuerk House logo

About Tuerk House

Hospitals and Health Care
Baltimore, Maryland
51-200 employees

Benefits & Perks

Generous PTO
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
HRSA Eligibility
401K Match
Short Term Disability