Recreation Counselor
Listed compensation
$25-$34/hr
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
Position: Recreation Counselor
The Recreation Counselor is responsible for all aspects of client recreational activities including planning, documenting and overseeing each function. The Recreation Counselor serves as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team.
Essential Duties
- Provide supervised highly structured indoor recreational activities to residents.
- Provide supervised highly structured outdoor recreational activities to residents.
- Provide supervised, highly structured indoor recreation in weight room with residents.
- Plan and oversee special events with residents and their families.
- Provide supervisor with scheduled activities for residents in orientation, early treatment, middle treatment, and late treatment phases of the program.
- Provide daily group note indicating activities and resident participation.
- Complete and accurate reporting of incidents, resident elopements, and crisis intervention.
- Participation in supervision.
- Communicate all pertinent information/incidents/emergencies via SAC book/House manager.
- Supervise residents in self-medication.
- Perform other duties assigned as related to role.
Minimum Requirements
- CASAC-T, CASAC, or higher preferred.
- 1 year of experience working with clients with substance abuse disorders.
- 1 year of experience working with adolescents with co-occurring mental health problems.
- 1 year of experience working in an OASAS funded facility a plus.
Preferred Qualifications
- Commitment to providing quality services and outcome driven performance measures.
- Excellent organizational management skills with the ability to coach staff, manage, and develop high-performance clinicians, set and achieve program objectives.
- Strong networking and public relations skills with the ability to engage a wide range of stakeholders, populations, and cultures.
- Action-oriented, adaptable, and innovative approach to program planning.
- Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people.
Key Responsibilities
The Recreation Counselor is responsible for planning, documenting, and overseeing all client recreational activities, including indoor and outdoor sessions. They serve as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team and ensure the safety and engagement of residents throughout various treatment phases.
Requirements
Candidates should have at least one year of experience working with adolescents with substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders. A CASAC-T, CASAC, or higher certification is preferred for this role.
Qualifications
- Education
- Professional certificate or licensure
Key Skills
Substance Abuse Counseling — Counselor Career Context
Of the 50 active Substance Abuse Counseling listings this role was benchmarked against, 46% are remote, 20% 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 ~$61k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $57k in an average-cost state. 64.6% of New York clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
Outreach Development ranks #17 of 21 employers hiring Counselor on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.
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