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Clinica Sierra Vista
Bakersfield, California

Substance Use Disorder Counselor - Bakersfield Adult BH

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$28-$34/hr

The week · per this posting

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

Posted 3h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Position Summary

Under the supervision of a Certified Substance Use Disorder Counselor and/or Licensed clinician, the Registered Substance Use Disorder Counselor provides direct substance related counseling through multiple modalities including primarily individual and group work, for persons who have a history of abusing substances and who require recovery and prevention services.

Essential Functions

1. Plans and provides substance abuse recovery services for adults and adolescents who are abusing alcohol or other drugs including the provisions of service to individuals who may have a co-occurring mental health disorder.

2. Assists participants in establishing a plan to address social, cultural, familial and personal patterns that contribute to their substance use and abuse.

3. Leads group discussions and education classes and participates in individual sessions.

4. Monitors and documents progress in recovery from alcohol and drug abuse to guide participants in the principles of recovery and in the principles of utilizing self-help groups and community services.

5. Works with groups and individuals to provide a supportive environment that encourages the participant’s ability to succeed in treatment.

6. Keeps accurate records of participant’s progress in recovery, effects on mental stability and behavioral changes.

Qualifications

1. Must be a Registered Addiction Specialist through a NCCA accredited institution.

2. Understand and follow a treatment plan written by the LPHA (therapist) on the team, based on the ASAM standardized assessment criteria, and collaborate with the therapist as needed to address the recovery needs of participants in the SUD program.

3. Knowledge of the principles of alcohol and drug addiction, the process of recovery and recovery planning and motivational interviewing techniques and concepts.

4. Completion of 200 hours of field-based experience in addiction treatment, and work towards hours to become certified.

5. Ability to facilitate group and individual recovery; monitor individual progress and recovery process; assess social, cultural, familial and personal patterns that contribute to substances use; establish and maintain effective working relationships; conduct group and individual services and gather information; work with a variety of public and private agencies in providing integrated mental health and recovery services for participants.

6. Ability to work effectively, both independently and in a team setting with other paraprofessional and professional staff.

7. Ability to maintain patient/client dignity and confidentiality.

8. Bilingual (English/Spanish) may be required for some positions.

9. Willingness to work non-regular hours as required.

10. Good writing and verbal skills are required.

11. Committed to the belief in health care with dignity for all.

12. Will be required to maintain monthly productivity and county contract standards.

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Clinica Sierra Vista values human rights, goodwill, respect, inclusivity, equality, and recognizes that the organization derives its strength from a rich diversity of thoughts, ideas, and contributions.

As leaders in healthcare industry, we aspire to be an employer of choice by promoting an organizational culture that reflects these core values.

We seek to attract, develop, and retain a talented and dedicated workforce where people of diverse races, genders, religions, cultures, political affiliations and lifestyles thrive.

Our goal is to create a welcoming and inclusive environment that empowers our employees to provide the highest level of service to our community of residents and businesses; they’re counting on us.

Clinica Sierra Vista is an equal opportunity employer and strives to attract qualified applicants from all walks of life without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state and/or local law.

We aim to create an environment that celebrates and embraces the diversity of our workforce. We welcome you to join our team!

Key Responsibilities

The counselor provides direct substance-related counseling through individual and group sessions for individuals with substance use histories. They also monitor participant progress, maintain accurate clinical records, and collaborate with clinicians to implement treatment plans.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Substance abuse counselingGroup facilitationIndividual counselingDocumentationCase managementCrisis interventionMental health supportASAM criteriaPatient confidentialityTreatment planningCollaborationRecord keeping

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

Clinica Sierra Vista ranks #6 of 15 employers hiring Counselor on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.

Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 36% are remote, 32% have no call, 62% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$64k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $58k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

32 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution32 jobs · 24 employers

6
<$85k
10
$85k-100k
7
$100k-115k
6
$115k-130k
3
$130k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks27 jobs · 24 employers

401k / retirement match
96%
CME allowance
48%
Sign-on bonus
26%
Relocation assistance
11%
Loan repayment
7%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)

LifeStance Health · Poway, California

$118k-$135k
#2

Licensed Clinical Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

Integrated Pain Management Medical Group · Walnut Creek, California

$115k-$135k
#3

Licensed Mental Health Clinician (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
#4

Therapist

$100k-$126k
+ 30 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Addiction Medicine (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,285 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Bakersfield

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$357k
Typical market rent
$1,858/mo
Residents’ average commute
24 min
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

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

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