SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$67k-$71k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 53m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Arizona Department of Corrections

Rehabilitation & Reentry

OUR MISSION IS TO ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY ACROSS ARIZONA THROUGH MODERN, EFFECTIVE

CORRECTIONAL PRACTICES AND MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENTS.

The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (Adcrr) Is

COMMITTED TO CREATING A SAFE, SECURE, AND HUMANE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM. WITH PUBLIC SAFETY TOP OF MIND, ADCRR AND ITS MORE THAN 8,000 OFFICERS AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF ARE DRIVEN BY A HEART FOR PUBLIC SERVICE AND A COMMITMENT TO DELIVER PERFECT EFFORT EACH DAY. ADCRR IS REDEFINING ITSELF AS AN AGENCY WHOSE

Daily Work Centers on Transparency, Accountability, and Fairness.

Substance Abuse Counselor

(CORRECTIONAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR SENIOR)

Job Location

Address

Education Programs and Community Reentry

  • ARIZONA STATE PRISON COMPLEX (ASPC) – LEWIS
  • 26700 SOUTH HIGHWAY 85
  • BUCKEYE, ARIZONA 85326

corrections.az.gov

Posting Details

Salary

INDEPENDENT/PROFESSIONAL LICENSE - $70,800.00*

ASSOCIATE LICENSE - $67,200.00*

*ELIGIBLE FOR A $5,000 HIRING INCENTIVE, EFFECTIVE FOR NEW HIRES AS CONTINUED APPROVED FUNDING REMAINS. THE PAYOUT IS $2,500 UPFRONT, WITH THE REMAINING $2,500 DUE AFTER THREE (3) MONTHS OF EMPLOYMENT.

Grade: 20

Open Until Filled

Job Summary

Help substance-challenged individuals become community leaders. Gain real clinical experience. Join our team of professionals passionate about making a positive impact on the lives of offenders and justice-challenged individuals.

Don’t wait, Apply now!

The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry (ADCRR) is seeking a Substance Abuse Counselor to clinically assess and treat offenders and justice-challenged individuals. In this role, you will deliver substance abuse education classes, conduct one-on-one assessments, maintain clinical records, participate in meetings, develop treatment plans, coordinate pre-release planning, and interact with community providers and security staff.

Job Duties

  • Conducts substance abuse education classes and therapy groups with inmate/offender participants
  • Conducts one-on-one clinical assessments and counseling sessions
  • Maintains clinical records
  • Participates in clinical staffings and meetings
  • Develops individual substance abuse treatment plans with inmate/offender program participants
  • Coordinates transitional pre-release planning with case managers and maintains accurate statistical data
  • Interacts with community resource providers and security staff
  • Travels/Drives on state business
  • Performs other duties appropriate to the assignment

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs)

Knowledge Of

  • Addiction and treatment practices and protocol
  • Counseling techniques
  • Adult learning processes
  • ADCRR policies and procedures
  • Correctional security practices
  • Computers and various software programs, including Microsoft Office and Google Suite
  • Professional English, grammar, and spelling

Skill In

  • Verbal and written communications
  • Establishing, developing, and maintaining interpersonal relationships
  • Organization and time management
  • Active listening
  • Counseling and interviewing
  • Collecting and maintaining accurate data, documents, and clinical records

Ability To

  • Effectively deliver program curriculum in a classroom environment
  • Interact professionally with inmates/offenders in a group and one-on-one settings
  • Interact professionally with security staff and the public
  • Work in a secure correctional/prison environment
  • Collect and maintain statistical data
  • Work independently with minimal supervision

Selective Preference(s)

  • Master’s Degree from an accredited school with a major in psychology, counseling, or a related field
  • Independent Licensure
  • Two (2) years of counseling experience

Pre-Employment Requirements

Must be licensed in the State of Arizona as a Licensed Independent Addiction Counselor (LIAC), Licensed Associate Addiction Counselor (LAAC), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), or as a Psychologist.

Employment is contingent on the selected applicant passing a background investigation and a drug test consistent with Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS).

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job, then the following requirements apply.

Any employee operating a motor vehicle on State business must possess and retain a current, valid class-appropriate driver’s license, complete all required training, and successfully pass all necessary driver’s license record checks. The license must be current, unexpired, and neither revoked nor suspended.

Employees who drive on state business are subject to driver’s license record checks, must maintain acceptable driving records, and must complete all required driver training.

An employee who operates a personally owned vehicle on state business shall maintain the statutorily required liability insurance (see Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R2-10-207.11).

In an effort to maintain a safe environment, all employees are required to take a Tuberculosis (TB) test during their New Employee Orientation and every year thereafter.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

Benefits

We offer an excellent and affordable comprehensive benefits package to meet the

Needs of Our Employees

  • Vacation and sick days with 10 paid holidays per year
  • Paid Parental Leave-Up to 12 weeks per year paid leave for newborn or newly-placed foster/adopted child (pilot program).
  • Robust and affordable insurance plan to include medical, dental, life, short-term and long-term disability options
  • Exceptional retirement program
  • Optional employee benefits such as deferred compensation plans, credit union membership, and a wellness program
  • An incentivized commuter club and public transportation subsidy program

Additional potential INCENTIVES for this classification, when possible:

  • Paid conferences and workshops when possible
  • Evidence-based group curriculum
  • Minimal paperwork and no billing
  • Ability to be creative in using evidence-based practices
  • Ability to be part of program development opportunities
  • Ability to help ADCRR achieve its goal of reducing recidivism
  • Ability to receive clinical supervision for independent licensure
  • Currently, Arizona State Prison Complex locations (not Reentry Center) are approved sites for the National Health Service Corps Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program (up to $75,000 in repayment for 3 years of employment). This repayment program is not guaranteed by ADCRR. ADCRR does not operate or determine a candidate’s eligibility for this repayment program. It is strongly recommended to visit the following link prior to applying for this

Position for Further Information

nhsc.hrsa.gov

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave pilot program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

Retirement

Positions in this classification participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS). Enrollment eligibility will become effective after 27 weeks of employment.

Current ADCRR Employees: Consult with your respective Human Resources Liaison if you are in a different retirement plan than the one indicated above.

Contact Us

  • The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer.
  • Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation such as a sign language interpreter or an alternative format by calling (602) 255-2430.
  • Requests should be made as early as possible to allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.

Key Responsibilities

The Substance Abuse Counselor will conduct clinical assessments, facilitate therapy groups, and develop individualized treatment plans for offenders. They will also coordinate pre-release planning and maintain accurate clinical records while interacting with security staff and community providers.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a valid Arizona license as an addiction counselor, professional counselor, social worker, or psychologist. A master's degree in a related field and two years of counseling experience are preferred.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Addiction treatmentClinical assessmentCase managementData collectionClassroom instructionRecord keepingTreatment planningCrisis interventionVerbal communication

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 46% are remote, 36% have no call, 68% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Arizona is 100.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$69k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $69k in an average-cost state. 60.3% of Arizona clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Arizona Department of Administration ranks #16 of 21 employers hiring Counselor on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.

Top Counselor Jobs

25 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution25 jobs · 23 employers

8
<$75k
3
$75k-95k
8
$95k-115k
5
$115k-135k
1
$138k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks22 jobs

401k / retirement match
95% this job
CME allowance
45%
Loan repayment
18% this job
Sign-on bonus
14% this job
PSLF eligible
5%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Behavioral Health Provider (ASW/LCSW or AMFT/LMFT) - Napa

OLE Health · Napa, California

$88k-$138k
#2

Psychotherapist, Behavioral Health

Sutter Health · Santa Clara, California

$94k-$132k
#3

Mental Health Therapist

$131k
#4

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

$92k-$125k
+ 23 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 3.0
Better work-life than 30% of Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings

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

Living in Buckeye

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$363k≈ 5.4× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,975/mo≈ 35% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
33 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
103.3
State income tax
Up to 2.5%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Arizona Department of Administration logo

About Arizona Department of Administration

Government Administration
Phoenix, AZ
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Vacation and sick days
10 paid holidays per year
Paid Parental Leave up to 12 weeks
Medical, dental, life, short-term and long-term disability insurance
Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS)
Deferred compensation plans
Credit union membership
Wellness program