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Sun Street Centers
Salinas, California

SUD COUNSELOR - REGISTERED OR CERTIFIED

Addiction CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$24.81-$32.65/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 3m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Lead Transformational Impact in Behavioral Health

Sun Street Centers is seeking a registered or certified professional who can balance compassionate client care with accurate Medi-Cal-compliant documentation, understands ASAM and DHCS requirements, embraces a recovery-oriented philosophy, and is committed to helping individuals achieve long-term recovery outcomes in an outpatient setting. This individual is equally comfortable facilitating a therapy group, developing a treatment plan, coordinating community resources, and ensuring every service is fully compliant with Medi-Cal and CARF standards, and has a passion for serving vulnerable populations.

About Sun Street Centers

Sun Street Centers is a nonprofit behavioral health organization providing substance use disorder treatment, prevention, education, and recovery services throughout Monterey County with a commitment to equity, dignity, and long-term recovery outcomes.

The Opportunity

This position offers a meaningful opportunity to make a direct impact on the lives of individuals and families affected by substance use disorders while working for one of California's leading nonprofit behavioral health organizations. Sun Street Centers provides comprehensive prevention, treatment, recovery, and housing services throughout Monterey County and the Central Coast.

As a Registered or Certified Substance Use Disorder Counselor, you will:

  • Help individuals achieve and maintain long-term recovery through evidence-based treatment and recovery support services.
  • Provide individual and group counseling using ASAM-informed, person-centered treatment approaches.

Work within a multidisciplinary team that includes counselors, licensed clinicians, medical providers, peer support specialists, and case managers.

Gain experience in a CARF-accredited environment focused on quality improvement, client outcomes, and clinical excellence.

Develop expertise in Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS) services, DHCS regulations, Medi-Cal documentation, and integrated behavioral healthcare practices.

Utilize evidence-based interventions, including the Matrix Model, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, social model, and trauma-informed care practices.

Support individuals involved with the criminal justice system, housing instability, co-occurring disorders, and other complex behavioral health needs.

Contribute to an organization committed to recovery, wellness, health equity, and community impact throughout Monterey County.

Why Join Sun Street Centers?

Mission-driven nonprofit organization that is dedicated to transforming lives and strengthening communities.

Opportunity for professional growth and advancement into Lead Counselor, Clinical Coordinator, Program Manager, or other leadership positions.

Gain experience with Medi-Cal, DHCS, CARF, and ASAM standards that are highly valued throughout California's behavioral health system.

  • Collaborative culture focused on continuous learning, quality care, and staff development.
  • Ability to make a lasting difference in the recovery journey of those served.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a registered or certified SUD professional who is passionate about recovery, committed to ethical and client-centered care, skilled in documentation and treatment planning, and eager to work in a fast-paced behavioral health environment that values accountability, compassion, and excellence.

"Join a team where your work changes lives every day and where recovery is not only possible but also expected."

Equal Opportunity Employer

Sun Street Centers is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We encourage applications from racially and ethnically diverse individuals, women, veterans, people with disabilities, and individuals in recovery to apply.

Key Responsibilities

The counselor will provide individual and group therapy using evidence-based, person-centered approaches while maintaining accurate Medi-Cal-compliant documentation. They will also collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to develop treatment plans and coordinate community resources for individuals in recovery.

Requirements

Candidates must be registered or certified substance use disorder professionals with a strong understanding of ASAM and DHCS requirements. Proficiency in Medi-Cal documentation and a commitment to recovery-oriented, trauma-informed care are essential for this role.

Qualifications

Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Substance use disorder counselingASAM criteriaGroup facilitationCase managementClinical documentationPerson-centered careSocial model recovery

Substance Use Disorder Counseling — Counselor Career Context

Of the 43 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 19% are remote, 58% have no call, 74% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$60k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $54k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Substance Use / Addiction Counselor by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$52k–$68kSubstance Use / Addiction Counselor median $61k (middle half $51k–$73k)33 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$54k in purchasing powerCalifornia index 110.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Substance Use Disorder Counseling listings in California24 active—live on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
All substance use / addiction counselor listings in California1,013 active12,772 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 19% remote · 58% no call · 74% no weekends43 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedCalifornia counselor listings (all specialties): 12% state a sign-on bonus (median $3k) · 9% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Nov 2026
New Substance Use Disorder Counseling listings15 in the last 30 days28 the 30 days before (−46%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page. California figures use all substance use / addiction counselors: too few California Substance Use Disorder Counseling postings state pay.

Top Substance Use / Addiction Counselor Jobs

19 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

19 jobs · 15 employers
3
<$65k
7
$65k-75k
6
$75k-85k
2
$85k-95k
1
$95k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

17 jobs · 15 employers
401k / retirement match
94%
CME allowance
41%
Sign-on bonus
24%
Loan repayment
6%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Therapist (Associate or Licensed) - Co-Occurring Mental Health & Substance Use

Recover Medical Group · San Diego, California

$80k-$95k
#2

Substance Use Disorder Counselor

Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation · New York, New York

$68k-$90k
#3

Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor

$75k-$85k
#4

In-Home Substance Use Therapist: Multisystemic Therapy Building Stronger Families-7402

$56k-$84k
+ 17 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.

Benefits & Perks

Mission-driven nonprofit
Professional growth opportunities
CARF-accredited environment
Collaborative culture

Living in Salinas

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$732k
Typical market rent
$2,530/mo
Residents’ average commute
27 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
109.0
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Salinas, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.