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Mental Health Systems
Oceanside, California

SUD Counselor

Counselor Above average in CounselingFull-Time

Listed compensation

$58,240 - $66,560

Listing transparency1 of 6 stated

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

Employment & setting
Full-Time
Call expectations
Not specified
Weekends
Not specified
Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

At TURN our mission is Improving Lives. Our organization embraces the tenets of client-centered care, and our core values People, Culture and Growth are at the forefront of everything we do. We hire exceptional individuals seeking meaningful opportunities in a purpose-driven environment.

Job Summary

Assessment, treatment plan, individual and group counseling, care coordination, training, SUD recovery skills and education, and relapse prevention.

Responsibilities

Reasonable accommodation may be made for individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

  • Interventions including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, collateral services, and other relevant recovery-related services. Conduct intakes, intake assessments, including ASAM assessments, level of care assessments, and diagnostic determinations. Create treatment plans and problem list and evaluate progress.
  • Complete accurate and timely documentation as contractually required and meet minimum requirements for direct billable client services.
  • Conduct chart and treatment plan reviews to ensure compliance with agency, federal, state, and local government standards, and monitor client progress and changing needs throughout treatment.
  • Support and encourage client’s family-significant others to participate in client stabilization and program services, offering referrals as needed.
  • Facilitate placement including pre-placement visits and transportation as needed.
  • Maintain confidentiality of client’s care.
  • Participate in scheduled program meetings.
  • Other relevant duties as assigned.

Qualifications

  • SUD Certification from a recognized board preferred; Minimum of SUD registration required.
  • Valid CA driver’s license and current auto insurance per contract requirements required.
  • Experience providing substance use disorder services preferred.
  • Cultural competency understanding required.
  • Bilingual preferred.
  • Knowledge of Microsoft Office and EHR software preferred.
  • If substance use disorder program a negative tuberculosis test (TB) is conducted under licensed medical supervision within 45 working days of hire or within 5 working days of employment and valid cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid certification upon hire or within 90-days of employment.

Physical Requirements

These physical demands represent what must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. As mentioned above, reasonable accommodation

SEEING                                           HEARING                                             SPEAKING

STOOPING/BENDING                         WORKING IN CRAMPED SPACES               MOVING AROUND FACILITY

MOVING BETWEEN OFFICES/CLIENTS     DRIVING – LIGHT ERRANDS                       CLIMBING

LIFTING/CARRYING HEAVY ITEMS           DRIVING – IN THE COURSE OF JOB DUTIES   USING HANDS/FINGERS

PUSHING/PULLING/DRAGGING ITEMS     STANDING FOR LONG PERIODS                   SITTING FOR LONG PERIODS

Working Outside/Underground

Other Duties

THIS JOB DESCRIPTION ISN’T A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF ACTIVITIES, DUTIES OR RESPONSIBILITIES REQUIRED FOR THIS JOB. DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND ACTIVITIES MAY CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITH OR WITHOUT NOTICE.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Substance use disorder counselingTreatment planningChart reviews

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates SUD Counselor at MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEMS a 6.6 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Counseling — ranked against 13,338 active Counseling listings on WeekdayDoc.

Substance Use Disorder — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 4% are remote, 64% have no call, 92% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$62k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $56k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Substance Use / Addiction Counselor Jobs

14 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution14 jobs · 11 employers

5
<$75k
5
$75k-85k
3
$85k-95k
1
$96k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks11 jobs

401k / retirement match
100%
CME allowance
36%
Sign-on bonus
18%
Loan repayment
18%
PSLF eligible
18%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Sup, Substance Abuse Counselor

University of Rochester · Henrietta, New York

$69k-$96k
#2

Therapist, Substance Abuse Counselor, Behavioral Health

Lifepoint Health · Holyoke, Massachusetts

$69k-$93k
#3

Substance Use Disorder Counselor

$68k–$90k
#4

Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor

$75k-$85k
+ 12 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.4this job 6.6
Higher than about 6 in 10 of 13,338 Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10. Shaded area = share of comparable listings scoring below this one.

Living in Oceanside

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$846k
Typical market rent
$2,931/mo
Residents’ average commute
29 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
111.9
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.

BEA 2024 · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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