Substance Use Counselor
Listed compensation
$20-$28.2/hr
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the work setting, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.
Job Description
Outreach Development Corporation
Outreach is a non-profit organization that helps people address the issues stemming from substance use and behavioral health disorders by providing the highest quality, life-changing treatment, training and tools to build healthy lives.
Our mission is to inspire individuals and families to achieve a life of unlimited potential by developing and delivering the highest quality evidence-based behavioral health services and training. For more information, please visit opiny.org.
Position: Floor Counselor
The Substance Abuse Counselor (SAC) is responsible for the delivery and implementation of long-term supervision, support and clinical services to a population of chemically dependent adolescents with co-occurring and mental health problems. The SAC serves as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team.
Job Scope
- Initial and ongoing screening of resident and resident property in accordance with unit procedure.
- Facilitate group counseling formats on time and in a professional, ethical and caring manner and documents client’s progress through the use of group notes.
- Supervise clients in self-medication (under supervision).
- Communicate all pertinent information, incidents and emergencies using the appropriate system including the SAC communication log, incident reports and 24 hour on-call supervisor.
- Provide crisis interventions and follow up including documentation of the incident, accident and/or elopement reports.
- Overall supervision and management of client population in the facilitation of the daily house schedule.
- Other duties as assigned.
Supervised by: House Management in collaboration with the Assistant Program Director
Qualifications
1. CASAC-T; CASAC, or higher preferred.
2. 1 year of experience working with clients with substance abuse disorders.
3. 1 year of experience working with adolescents with co-occurring and mental health problems.
4. 1 year of experience working in in an OASAS funded facility a plus
5. Commitment to providing quality services and outcome driven performance measures.
6. Excellent organizational management skills with the ability to coach staff, manage, and develop high-performance clinicians, set and achieve program objectives.
7. Strong networking and public relations skills with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders, populations, and cultures.
8. Action-oriented, adaptable, and innovative approach to program planning.
9. Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people.
Position Status: This is a full-time non-exempt position.
Key Responsibilities
The Substance Abuse Counselor provides clinical services, supervision, and support to adolescents with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. Responsibilities include facilitating group counseling, managing daily house schedules, and performing crisis interventions.
Qualifications
- Education
- Professional certificate or licensure
Key Skills
Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context
Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 50% are remote, 32% have no call, 62% require no weekends.
The cost-of-living index for New York is 107.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$50k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $46k in an average-cost state. 64.6% of New York clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Work-life score | 6.4 / 10 · above average in substance use / addiction counselor | ranked against 1,008 Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listingslisting-based score, 0–10 |
| Listed pay | $42k–$59k | Substance Use / Addiction Counselor median $59k (middle half $54k–$66k)54 comparable listings, Oct 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$46k in purchasing power | New York index 107.9 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings in New York | 814 active | 13,602 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 50% remote · 32% no call · 62% no weekends50 benchmarked listings |
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Substance Use Counselor at Outreach Development a 6.4 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Substance Use / Addiction Counselor — ranked against 1,008 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no on-call duties.
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