Merakey logo
Merakey
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Drug & Alcohol Intake Counselor

CounselorNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$24/hour

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

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

Posted 7mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

Are you looking for an opportunity to advance your career while working with an extraordinary team? At Merakey, we put our heart and soul into everything we do.

We are seeking an Intake Drug and Alcohol Outpatient Counselor to join our Riverview Recovery Wellness Program in Philadelphia, Pa.

This posting is Monday - Friday 8:00a - 4:00p.

Earn $24.06/hr.!

Join the groundbreaking Wellness Village program, an exciting new initiative from Merakey in partnership with the City of Philadelphia! This innovative program, the largest of its kind, will begin with 132 recovery beds providing safe housing and life-changing treatment opportunities.

Be part of a team making a real difference while enjoying benefits like gated parking with security and ample opportunities for career growth. Help shape the future of recovery services in this transformative and rewarding role!

Position Details

The Intake Drug and Alcohol Outpatient Counselor plays a critical role in the initial assessment and ongoing support of individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorders. This position is responsible for conducting comprehensive intake evaluations to determine clients' needs and appropriate levels of care.

The counselor collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to develop personalized treatment plans that promote recovery and wellness. They provide compassionate guidance and education to clients and their families, fostering a supportive environment conducive to change.

Ultimately, this role aims to facilitate clients' successful engagement in outpatient programs and long-term sobriety.

Job Responsibilities

  • Conduct thorough intake assessments, including clinical interviews, screening, and documentation to evaluate clients' substance use history and psychosocial factors.
  • Develop individualized treatment plans in collaboration with clients and clinical teams, ensuring alignment with best practices and regulatory standards.
  • Provide counseling and support during the intake process to motivate clients toward active participation in outpatient programs.
  • Maintain accurate and confidential records of client interactions, assessments, and progress in compliance with legal and ethical guidelines.
  • Coordinate referrals to additional services such as medical care, mental health support, and community resources as needed.

Benefits

Merakey offers generous benefits that promote well-being, financial security,

and work-life balance, including:

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus access to healthcare advocacy support.
  • Retirement plan -- both pre-tax and Roth (after-tax) options available for employee contributions.
  • DailyPay -- access your pay when you need it!
  • On the Goga well-being platform, featuring self-care tools and resources.
  • Access Care.com for backup childcare, elder care, and household services.
  • Confidential counseling, legal, and financial services through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
  • Tuition reimbursement and educational partnerships.
  • Employee discounts and savings programs on entertainment, travel, and lifestyle.
  • Access to Pryor Online Learning for free online personal development classes.

Learn more about our full benefits package -

merakey.org

About Merakey

Merakey is a non-profit provider of developmental, behavioral health, and education services. More than 8,000 employees provide support to nearly 40,000 individuals and families throughout 12 states across the country each year.

Click here to watch a video about Merakey.

Merakey strictly follows a zero-tolerance policy for abuse.

Merakey is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer! We deeply value diversity and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, ethnic background, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, genetic information, or disability status.

Moreover, we are committed to creating teams that reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and encourage applicants from underrepresented backgrounds to apply. Merakey welcomes all Veterans to apply!

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in counseling, psychology, social work, or a related human services field.
  • Master’s degree in counseling, social work, or a related field is preferred.
  • Experience conducting clinical assessments and developing treatment plans in a substance use disorder setting.
  • Strong knowledge of addiction treatment modalities and outpatient program structures.
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality and adhere to ethical standards in client care.
  • Experience working specifically with outpatient populations in drug and alcohol treatment is preferred.
  • Familiarity with electronic health record (EHR) systems and data management is preferred.
  • Training in motivational interviewing and trauma-informed care approaches is preferred.
  • Bilingual skills or experience working with diverse cultural populations is preferred.

Key Responsibilities

The counselor conducts comprehensive intake evaluations, clinical interviews, and screenings to determine client needs and appropriate levels of care for substance use disorders. They develop individualized treatment plans in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams and provide guidance to facilitate successful engagement in outpatient programs.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Treatment PlanningRecord KeepingReferral CoordinationElectronic Health Records

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Addiction Medicine listings this role was benchmarked against, 50% are remote, 34% have no call, 56% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Pennsylvania is 97.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 61.7% of Pennsylvania clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Merakey ranks #9 of 15 employers hiring Counselor on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.

Addiction Medicine pay on WeekdayDoc is up 2.4% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Drug & Alcohol Intake Counselor at Merakey a 6.6 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 25% in Addiction Medicine (Counseling) — ranked against 1,262 active Addiction Medicine (Counseling) listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements, flexible scheduling.

Top Counselor Jobs

32 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution32 jobs · 25 employers

14
<$75k
8
$75k-95k
4
$95k-115k
6
$115k-135k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks29 jobs · 25 employers

401k / retirement match
100% this job
Sign-on bonus
41%
CME allowance
28%
Loan repayment
24%
PSLF eligible
17%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

LifeStance Health · Saint Louis Park, Minnesota

$74k-$126k
#2

Clinical Director - LMFT, LCSW, LPCC

Seneca Family of Agencies · Salinas, California

$112k-$126k
#3

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

$92k-$125k
#4

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

$115k-$120k
+ 30 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 6.6
Better work-life than 80% of Addiction Medicine (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,262 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No weekends

Living in Philadelphia

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$204k
Typical market rent
$1,768/mo
Residents’ average commute
32 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
102.6
State income tax
Up to 3.1%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Merakey logo

About Merakey

Non-profit Organizations
Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Comprehensive medical, dental, vision
Retirement plan
DailyPay
Goga well-being platform
Care.com access
Employee Assistance Program
Tuition reimbursement
Employee discounts