VitalCore Health Strategies logo
VitalCore Health Strategies
Leakesville, Mississippi

Master's Level Substance Abuse Disorder Counselor

Addiction CounselorFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the pay range, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 3mo ago

Job Description

Join the VitalCore Health Strategies Team in Mississippi! We’re people who are fueled by passion, not by profit.

VitalCore Health Strategies (VCHS), an industry leader in Correctional Health Care has openings for a Master's Level SUD Counselor at Southern MS Correctional Facility in Leakesville, MS!

Looking for a rewarding career in the field of healthcare with competitive wages, annual incentive payment, and excellent benefits package?

You will be given the opportunity to utilize your training, skills and experience in a face-to-face setting with people from a variety of socioeconomic and educational backgrounds. Being able to see the impact you are making with these individuals, when they are at their lowest, least hopeful points.

You will be working as part of a Multi-Disciplinary Team comprised of Medical, Psychiatry, Ancillary, Security, Legal, community providers and psychiatric hospitals. The best part of this – It is done in real-time with real people!

MASTER'S LEVEL SUD COUNSELOR (BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL) PACKAGE TO INCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

  • Holiday Pay: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day
  • Medical
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • Health Savings Account
  • Life Insurance
  • Short Term/Long Term Disability
  • Identity Theft Protection
  • Pet Insurance
  • Employee Assistance Program and Discount Center
  • 401K & Plan Matching
  • PTO
  • Annual Incentive Bonus

Master's Level SUD Counselor (Behavioral Health Professional) Position Summary

The Behavioral Health Professional will work as part of a multidisciplinary team with all other disciplines on the Behavioral Health Unit to provide a proactive and collaborative approach in serving the patient population.

MASTER'S LEVEL SUD COUNSELOR (BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL) MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

  • Graduation from a Master's level program or higher
  • employment in a clinician/counselor/social work capacity in a public or private agency or equivalent preferred.
  • Individuals who are not certified must be under the direct supervision of a certified clinical supervisor with written documentation of supervision.

MASTER'S LEVEL SUD COUNSELOR (BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL) ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

  • Professionals will provide crisis stabilization, complete intakes and on-going evaluations, and provide consultation to in-house and community services.
  • Participate in monthly behavioral health calls, work collaborative with the medical team to best determine overall treatment for each individual.
  • The Master's Level SUD Counselor performs risk assessment of inmates; coordination of care with interdisciplinary team including medical staff, community providers, psychiatric hospitals and corrections; and discharge planning.
  • The Master's Level SUD Counselor assists in planning and implementing the goals and objectives of programs and projects.
  • The Master's Level UD Counselor provides the necessary preparation of documentation, necessary records and reports.
  • The Master's Level SUD Counselor utilizes clinical skills such as prioritizing treatment needs; crisis management; brief clinical interventions including CBT and Motivational Interviewing.
  • Excellent and timely documentation skills required.
  • The ideal candidate is able to make independent clinical decisions, while utilizing assistance and supervisory intervention, as needed.

VitalCore Health Strategies is an equal opportunity employer and committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive workplace in which all employees have an opportunity to participate and contribute to the success of the business and are valued for their skills, experience, and unique perspectives.

Keywords: LPC, LSW, Correctional Facility, Behavioral Health, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Social Worker, LCSW, LCPC, LMSW, LPC, substance use disorder, SUD, mental health

Full-Time

Key Responsibilities

The counselor will provide crisis stabilization, conduct intakes and evaluations, and perform risk assessments for inmates within a multidisciplinary behavioral health unit. They will also coordinate care with medical staff and community providers while maintaining accurate clinical documentation.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master's degree or higher in a relevant field. Previous experience in a clinician, counselor, or social work capacity is preferred.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Substance Abuse CounselingIntake AssessmentClinical EvaluationTreatment PlanningInterdisciplinary CollaborationClinical Decision Making

Substance Use Disorder — Counselor Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Mississippi is 87.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 61.9% of Mississippi clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 14% are remote, 36% have no call, 86% require no weekends.

What does the Substance Use / Addiction Counselor market look like in Mississippi?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score6.6 / 10 · top 25% in substance use / addiction counselorranked against 1,008 Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Listed paynot listedSubstance Use / Addiction Counselor median $63k (middle half $55k–$70k)212 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost of livingMississippi index 87.0US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
All substance use / addiction counselor listings in Mississippi91 active12,846 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 14% remote · 36% no call · 86% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedUS counselor listings (all specialties): 13% state a sign-on bonus (median $4k) · 10% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Nov 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (1,008 Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page. Mississippi figures use all substance use / addiction counselors: too few Mississippi Substance Use Disorder postings state pay.

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Master's Level Substance Abuse Disorder Counselor at VitalCore Health Strategies a 6.6 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 25% in Substance Use / Addiction Counselor — ranked against 1,008 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings on WeekdayDoc.

Top Substance Use / Addiction Counselor Jobs

50 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

50 jobs · 44 employers
17
<$65k
16
$65k-75k
11
$75k-85k
5
$85k-95k
1
$95k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

42 jobs
401k / retirement match
98% this job
CME allowance
60%
Loan repayment
48%
Sign-on bonus
26%
PSLF eligible
10%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Therapist (Associate or Licensed) - Co-Occurring Mental Health & Substance Use

Recover Medical Group · San Diego, California

$80k-$95k
#2

Substance Use Counselor

St. Anthony Foundation · San Francisco, California

$60k-$90k
#3

Substance Use Disorder Counselor

$68k-$90k
#4

SUD Counselor - COAT

$39.08-$43.15/hr
+ 48 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 6.6
Better work-life than 80% of Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings

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

  • On-site
VitalCore Health Strategies logo

About VitalCore Health Strategies

Hospitals and Health Care
Topeka, Kansas
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Holiday pay
Medical, dental, vision
Health Savings Account
Life Insurance
Short Term/Long Term Disability
Identity Theft Protection
Pet Insurance
Employee Assistance Program and Discount Center

Living in Leakesville

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$133k
Median resident rent
$767/mo
Residents’ average commute
48 min
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

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

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