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C3 Wellbeing
Providence, Rhode Island

Student Assistance Counselor

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$55k-$78k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

Nathanael Greene Middle School

Do you believe one trusted adult can change a student’s entire story?

We do too.

We are hiring a Student Assistance Counselor (SAC) to join a school-based team that supports students navigating substance use, stress, trauma and related challenges.

You will be embedded directly in a school community - working alongside educators, families, and community partners - to help students get back on track, stay connected to learning, and access the support they need to thrive.

This is a full-time, in-person, school-year position with annualized (year-round) pay.

This is not office work.

This is relationship-building work. Prevention work. Hope-building work.

What You Will Do

  • Develop and lead school-wide prevention campaigns focused on substance use prevention and mental health.
  • Provide classroom-based substance use prevention education using evidence based curriculum.
  • Screen and identify students at risk and connect them to the appropriate level of care
  • Provide short term, brief intervention and support to students
  • Facilitate evidence-based individual and group early intervention programs
  • Support students reentering school after treatment or crisis
  • Collaborate closely with school administrators, teachers, school-based mental health team, and families
  • Document services, referrals, and outcomes in a secure electronic data system
  • Be a steady, calm presence when things feel unsteady

Who You Are

  • You believe substance use prevention and early intervention matters
  • You are calm and thoughtful in high-pressure or uncertain situations
  • You listen more than you talk, and respond with empathy and clear boundaries
  • You understand that behavior is communication, especially for young people navigating stress or trauma
  • You can build trust with young people who may be hesitant to engage or have been disappointed by adults in the past
  • You value collaboration and work effectively with educators, families, and community partners
  • You are organized, ethical, and accountable, with strong attention to documentation and follow-through
  • You are comfortable working in a fast-paced school environment where priorities can shift quickly

Salary set by Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Requirements

  • Master’s degree in behavioral health specialty: Social Work, Counseling or Psychology.
  • A minimum of 1-2 years supervised counseling experience with teens.
  • Knowledge of adolescent and child development.
  • Knowledge of alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and other drugs.
  • Ability to engage adolescents in individual, group, and classroom sessions.
  • Professional verbal, written, and presentation skills.
  • Ability to exercise sound professional judgment.
  • Computer competence using the Internet, Word, Excel.
  • Ability to learn electronic data collections systems required by funding sources.

Key Responsibilities

The Student Assistance Counselor will lead school-wide prevention campaigns and provide direct support to students struggling with substance use, trauma, and mental health challenges. They will collaborate with educators and families to facilitate early intervention programs and ensure students remain connected to their learning environment.

Qualifications

Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Mental health counselingCrisis interventionAdolescent developmentGroup facilitationCase managementRisk screeningConflict resolution

Counselor Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Rhode Island is 102.3 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$66k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $65k in an average-cost state. 63.1% of Rhode Island clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Counseling listings this role was benchmarked against, 72% are remote, 36% have no call, 72% require no weekends.

Counseling pay on WeekdayDoc is up 18.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Top Counselor Jobs

31 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution31 jobs · 7 employers

8
<$95k
3
$95k-105k
6
$105k-115k
11
$115k-125k
3
$125k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks31 jobs · 7 employers

401k / retirement match
94%
Sign-on bonus
71%
CME allowance
19%
Loan repayment
3%
PSLF eligible
3%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

LifeStance Health · San Diego, California

$117k-$134k
#2

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

LifeStance Health · Saint Louis Park, Minnesota

$74k-$126k
#3

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT, LPC, LCSW)

$92k-$125k
#4

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

$115k-$120k
+ 29 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 3.0
Better work-life than 10% of Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 511 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Providence

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$419k≈ 7.6× annual pay
Typical market rent
$2,213/mo≈ 48% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
25 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
101.8
State income tax
Up to 6%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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