Residential Substance Use Counselor

CounselorIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$30.21-$32.41/hr

The week · per this posting · Tuesday – Thursday

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

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

The Residential Counselor is primarily responsible for the provision of clinical counseling services and comprehensive case management; The Residential Counselor reports directly to the Residential Assistant Director.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities;

Core duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

  • Collects and analyzes assessment data which includes substance use, mental health and co-occurring disorders.
  • Completes intake process and arrives at treatment recommendations and level of care decisions that are appropriate to client’s level of functioning and medical necessity.
  • Completes psychosocial assessments.
  • Develops initial and comprehensive individualized treatment plans based on client’s needs, using client’s words, and that have measurable objectives, within established timelines, based on assessment, psychosocial, client’s assessed stage of change, and in consultation with client and treatment team as appropriate.
  • Provides individual counseling based on treatment plan and client centered needs.
  • Conducts group counseling.
  • Conducts evidence based practices to the individual needs of the clients (EBPs include, but are not limited to, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Matrix Model, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy).
  • Responds to client feedback/suggestions.
  • Is responsible for verification of employment and timely and accurate collection of pay stubs and client fees.
  • Monitors client’s savings.
  • Attends to client needs in a thorough and timely manner.
  • Speaks of and to clients with dignity and respect.
  • Is attuned to the presence of trauma indicators and project safety and trust in the professional relationship.
  • Conducts discharge planning with the client.
  • Provides crisis intervention services as needed.
  • Attends staff meetings and team conferences.
  • Assures daily finger imaging.
  • Is always aware of client whereabouts.
  • Consults with other legal and treatment agencies and individuals as needed.
  • Recognizes, responds to, high risk factors including suicidal and homicidal ideation.
  • Recognizes, responds to, and defuse volatile or dangerous situations as allowable; when in doubt always call for assistance and/or 911.
  • Acts as liaison with networking/referring agencies, e. g.; Courts, Parole, Probation, ACCESS, etc.
  • Is aware of client’s compliance with medication, vocational and medical appointments and addresses all non-compliant issues.
  • Encourages family involvement when appropriate.
  • Completes required documentation in an accurate, timely and intelligible manner.
  • Accesses records only where the “need to know” exists.
  • Follows established Federal, State and Elmcor guidelines on confidentiality.
  • Maintains current knowledge base on counseling issues regarding substance abuse and other psychosocial disorders.
  • Seeks supervision and consultation as needed.
  • May be required to work evenings and weekends.

Education And/or Experience

  • CASAC and 1 year experience working with applicable populations who have substance abuse/co-occurring disorders; or
  • CASAC-T with 2-3 years’ experience working with applicable populations who have substance abuse/co-occurring disorders; or
  • HS Diploma and 6 years’ experience working with applicable populations who have substance abuse/co-occurring disorders.
  • Must have computer skills.
  • Must successfully complete a criminal background check, obtain clearance from the Office of Children and Family Services and be drug free.

Tuesday-Thursday 7AM-3PM Friday & Saturday 3PM-11PM Sunday and Monday OFF.

Key Responsibilities

The Residential Counselor provides clinical counseling, case management, and comprehensive treatment planning for clients with substance use and co-occurring disorders. They are responsible for conducting assessments, facilitating group and individual sessions, and ensuring client safety and compliance within a residential setting.

Requirements

Candidates must possess a CASAC certification with at least one year of experience, or a high school diploma with six years of relevant experience. Applicants are also required to have computer skills and must successfully pass a criminal background check and drug screening.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Substance Use AssessmentMental Health AssessmentTrauma-Informed CareRisk Assessment

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 42% are remote, 32% have no call, 54% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for New York is 107.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$65k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $60k in an average-cost state. 64.6% of New York clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities ranks #19 of 21 employers hiring Counselor on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.

Top Counselor Jobs

43 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution43 jobs · 34 employers

12
<$80k
22
$80k-95k
4
$95k-110k
4
$110k-125k
1
$125k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks29 jobs

401k / retirement match
97%
CME allowance
31%
Sign-on bonus
21%
PSLF eligible
17%
Loan repayment
10%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

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

LifeStance Health · Brookfield, Wisconsin

$92k-$125k
#2

NY Licensed DBT Therapist - DBT Master’s or Doctoral - Telehealth - Full-Time

Lyra Health · Town of New Baltimore, New York

$93k-$120k
#3

Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMFT, LPC, LCSW)

$115k-$120k
#4

Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMFT, LCSW, LMHC)

$115k-$120k
+ 41 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 1.5
Below most Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings for work-life

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

  • Includes weekends

Living in New York

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$876k
Typical market rent
$4,154/mo
Residents’ average commute
40 min
State income tax
Up to 10.9%
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.

Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities logo

About Elmcor Youth & Adult Activities

Non-profit Organizations
Corona, NY
51-200 employees