Alpharus Health logo
Alpharus Health
Bainbridge, Georgia

Substance Use Counselor

CounselorIncludes weekendsNo nightsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$20.5-$27/hr

The week · per this posting · Monday – Thursday

Weekend work is also flagged as required; confirm which days and how often.

Ask the employer about call expectations.

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

Who Is Alpharus Health?

Alpharus Health is a national nonprofit behavioral health provider dedicated to helping people build healthier lives. For nearly 60 years, we have provided substance use and mental health treatment that helps individuals, families, and communities find healing, hope, and lasting wellbeing.

Our mission is simple: We help people build healthier lives. By combining clinical expertise with a person-centered approach, we help people build the skills, resilience, and support systems needed to create meaningful, lasting change.

Why Join Us?

Consider joining our team, where your impact can be truly meaningful. Our organization focuses on delivering high quality clinical services as a recognized leader in evidence-based treatment proven to get results.

By joining our team, you'll be working for an organization that values you and aims to be an employer of choice. You can expect to be part of a vibrant culture that emphasizes teamwork and professional growth.

When you join us, you'll discover personal and professional fulfillment by aligning your career with your values.

We are honored to offer behavioral healthcare services in Corrections

Perks of Working in Correctional Healthcare

  • Opportunity to make a positive impact on a marginalized population
  • Exposure to diverse patient demographics
  • Focus on driving change, tracking progress, and improving care
  • Development of skills in a unique healthcare setting
  • Location: Bainbridge PSATC 235 State Hospital Rd Bainbridge, GA 39817

Work Schedule

Monday through Thursday, 10-hour shifts (day shift)

Substance Use Counselors Are Responsible For

Conducts client interviews and assessments to review substance use disorder and treatment history.

Evaluates client response to treatment to recommend modifications to the treatment plan and assist with caseloads and development of individualized treatment plan and preparing individually appropriate goals, interventions, and necessary support.

Assists with and provides didactic group counseling, including psychoeducation, drug education, and family education to ensure peer support occurs.

Provides individual client counseling, educational programs and lectures to address relapse prevention, problem solving, behavior modification, anger management, etc., and to assist in overcoming substance use disorder, adjusting to pro-social life, and making cognitive and behavioral changes.

Carries case load up to 25 clients, per State and contract requirements.

Collaborates with clients to develop discharge summary and continuing care and relapse prevention plans for supervisor’s approval to integrate aftercare treatment with referral resource services.

Coordinates required services to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations in support of continued recovery.

Collects and maintains treatment records and reports to ensure organizational, regulatory, accreditation, and contractual compliance.

Performs office administrative duties, such as answering telephones; relaying messages; responding to inquiries regarding program services and policies; filing, photocopying and faxing documents; planning special events, assembling intake packets, etc.

Job Requirements:

Must have a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in a helping profession from an accredited college or university.

Some previous counseling experience, experience in substance use disorder or mental health treatment is preferred

Must obtain certification as identified by state within 30 months of the first date that the counseling services are provided.

Acceptable Certifications include Certified Addiction Counselor from the Georgia Addiction Counselor’s Association (GACA), Certified Addiction Counselor from the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC), Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor from the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (ICRC), and Certification as a Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS).

Acceptable Licensures include Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Associate Professional Counselor (LAPC), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor (CPCS).

Must be able to obtain Georgia Department of Corrections clearance to work in the correctional institution

Physical Requirements:

Works in a Correctional Facility

Ability to walk and move about the facilities for up to two hours at a time, to monitor and interact with clients

Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

  • Ability to use a keyboard and video display terminal to receive, retrieve, and/or audit information and data
  • Ability to record, proofread and check documents and files for accuracy
  • Ability to respond to telephones, and to hear and detect alarms and unusual noises

Compensation:

Non-Credentialed range is between $20.50 per hour - $21.50 per hour.

Credentialed ranges is between $25.00 per hour - $27.00 per hour.

$3,000 Sign On Bonus for Certified/Licensed Counselors

  • Starting rates are determined based on years of experience, qualifications, and relevant skills.

Alpharus Health conducts annual performance reviews, with merit increase eligbility determined by employee performance and organizational financial performance.

Benefits at Apharus Health

Health and Wellness:

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents
  • Employee wellness program promoting health and fitness and offering cash-saving premiums
  • Employee assistance programs focused on mental health

Financial Wellbeing:

  • 403(b) Retirement Plan with 3% employer match
  • Short-term and Long-term Disability and Life and AD&D Insurance paid for by Alpharus
  • Flexible Spending Accounts for medical and dependent care
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Flexibility and Time Off:

  • 18 paid time off days per year – accrual rates increase with years of service
  • 9 paid company holidays
  • Work-life-balance

Personal Development:

Training & Development Programs

Tuition Reimbursement - up to $5,250 per calendar year eLearning access to online courses that provide CEU’s and job-related training

Clinical Supervision: Formal and informal guidance

Alpharus Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Race/Color/Sex/Sexual Orientation/ Gender Identity/Religion/National Origin/Disability/Vets. Please view Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here.

Key Responsibilities

The Substance Use Counselor conducts client interviews, assessments, and provides both individual and group counseling to support recovery. They are responsible for managing a caseload of up to 25 clients, maintaining treatment records, and collaborating on discharge and continuing care plans.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in a helping profession and be able to obtain Georgia Department of Corrections clearance. Professional certification or licensure as an addiction counselor or related mental health professional is required within 30 months of hire.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Substance use counselingClinical assessmentTreatment planningIndividual counselingCrisis interventionCase managementDocumentationRegulatory complianceAdministrative support

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 60% are remote, 24% have no call, 62% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Georgia is 96.3 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$49k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $51k in an average-cost state. 59.8% of Georgia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Substance Use Counselor at Alpharus Health 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 night shifts.

Top Counselor Jobs

28 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution28 jobs · 24 employers

9
<$75k
9
$75k-95k
6
$95k-115k
4
$115k-135k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks24 jobs

401k / retirement match
96% this job
CME allowance
38% this job
Sign-on bonus
25% this job
Loan repayment
8% this job
PSLF eligible
4% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

LifeStance Health · Saint Louis Park, Minnesota

$74k-$126k
#2

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

LifeStance Health · Milwaukee, Wisconsin

$92k-$125k
#3

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)

$115k-$120k
#4

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

$115k-$120k
+ 26 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 6.4
Better work-life than 70% of Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,008 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights
  • On-site
  • Includes weekends

Living in Bainbridge

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$224k
Median resident rent
$791/mo
Residents’ average commute
20 min
State income tax
Up to 5.8%
Sources & methodology

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

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

Alpharus Health logo

About Alpharus Health

Benefits & Perks

Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Employee wellness program
Employee assistance programs
403(b) Retirement Plan with 3% employer match
Short-term and Long-term Disability and Life and AD&D Insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
18 paid time off days per year