Lead Substance Use Counselor
Listed compensation
$33.14-$34.8/hr
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.
Job Description
- Outpatient MAT Opioid Treatment Program
- Seeking: Substance Use Counselor
- LPC or LCSW
Full-Time Hours
Sunday - Saturday 5 AM - 2 PM, rotating schedule
Our Benefits
- Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
- Competitive 401(k) plan
- Paid vacation and sick time
- Employer-paid clinical supervision (free to employees)
- Free and unlimited access to 500+ accredited Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering continued support to employee lifestyle and well-being
- Early morning hours offering a great work/life balance
- Opportunity for growth that is second to none in the industry
Our Team
Clinch Valley Comprehensive Treatment Center (CTC) located in Cedar Bluff, VA, is part of Acadia Healthcare's Comprehensive Treatment Centers, the leading provider of medication-assisted treatment in the nation. Our counseling team provides compassionate, high-quality counseling and therapy to patients that are seeking recovery from Opioid Use Disorder.
Your Job as a Substance Use Counselor/Counselor Lead
The Substance Use Counselor Lead is a counseling professional who is instrumental in providing treatment and support to assist patients in their recovery from Opioid Use Disorder. Substance Use Counselors provide high quality, compassionate care through various mediums which include individual and group counseling sessions, modify problem behaviors, and may also provide counseling services to families of patient’s through an outpatient setting.
Job Responsibilities
- Conducts individual counseling sessions, as scheduled and documents;
- Conducts group and/or family sessions, as scheduled and document;
- May co-facilitate assigned group or family sessions;
- Responsible for initial patient assessments, as well as follow up assessment;
- Prepares individual treatment plan for each assigned patient;
- May act as a liaison between referral sources and patient;
- Provides crisis intervention to patients, as needed;
- May plan for aftercare for assigned patients;
- May act as a liaison with insurance carriers, as requested;
- May provide case management duties for patients, ensuring individualized quality care.
- Evaluates patient’s needs and determines if referrals to other programs or facilities is needed;
- Ensures all documentation regarding patient care, treatment and incidents are completed timely and in a clear, concise manner and within policy guidelines;
- May assist in the training of new clinical staff and interns;
- May serve as lead for the team coordinating the activities of other clinical or direct patient care personnel, providing direction and clinical guidance; and,
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Eligible positions may qualify for student loan forgiveness through HRSA, depending on clinic site eligibility. Check your eligibility here: HRSA Eligibility
- Role Location: Virginia
- Calculated Salary Range for role: $33.14 - $34.80 per hour
Education Requirements
- Minimum education as required to obtain certification or licensure in the state the facility operates applies:
- Minimum Bachelor’s degree in any field of study from an accredited college or university.
- Prefer a Master’s degree in social or health services from an accredited college or university.
- Experience Requirements
- Master’s degree: Minimum 6 years counseling work experience
- Bachelor’s or Associate degree: 8 years of work experience; or
- No degree: 10 years of counseling work experience
Your Skills and Qualifications
Experience providing counseling in an addiction recovery, detox, substance use disorder (SUD), or opioid treatment program (OTP) environment
- Prior knowledge/experience working with MAT (medication-assisted treatment) is highly preferred
- Previous experience providing guidance and direction to others
Licenses/Certifications
LPC or LCSW
We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment regardless of an individual’s characteristics protected by applicable state, federal, and local laws.
Key Responsibilities
The Lead Substance Use Counselor provides compassionate, high-quality individual and group therapy to patients recovering from Opioid Use Disorder. Responsibilities include conducting assessments, developing treatment plans, providing crisis intervention, and offering clinical guidance to other staff members.
Qualifications
- Education
- Bachelor degree
- Experience
- 10+ years of experience
Key Skills
Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context
Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 44% are remote, 34% have no call, 72% require no weekends.
The cost-of-living index for Virginia is 101.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$71k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $70k in an average-cost state. 61.1% of Virginia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Listed pay | $69k–$72k | Substance Use / Addiction Counselor median $60k (middle half $54k–$60k)16 comparable listings, Nov 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$70k in purchasing power | Virginia index 101.1 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings in Virginia | 441 active | 13,559 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 44% remote · 34% no call · 72% no weekends50 benchmarked listings |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | loan repayment | Virginia Counselor listings: 16% state a sign-on bonus (median $3k) · 13% offer loan repayment441 active listings, Nov 2026 |
| New Addiction Medicine listings | 460 in the last 30 days | 259 the 30 days before (+78%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Lead Substance Use Counselor at Clinch Valley Comprehensive Treatment Center a 6.0 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 35% of all Addiction Medicine counselor listings evaluated on our platform. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.
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