Substance Abuse Counselor for the Adult Mental Health (AMH) Program

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$52k-$61k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 55m ago · Verified live

Job Description

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Job Title

Substance Abuse Counselor for the Adult Mental Health (AMH) Program

Agency

Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

Job Requisition ID

JR0000004446

Shift: Any (United States of America)

Compensation Details

SALARY: $57,207.28

Job Description

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) is currently seeking candidates for the position of Substance Abuse Counselor for the Adult Mental Health (AMH) Program at Georgia Regional Hospital - Atlanta, located in Decatur, GA.

  • Salary range: $52,075 - $61,273
  • Job Grade: H-J

Job Description

Within an inpatient psychiatric setting, complete substance use assessments and provide individual and group counseling services to adults with co-occurring serious mental illness and substance use disorders.

Job Responsibilities & Performance Standards

Conduct substance use assessments utilizing clinical interviews and evidence-based assessment measures

Develop and communicate substance use treatment recommendations for both inpatient and outpatient treatment contexts

Provide individual and group therapy utilizing motivational interviewing and recovery-oriented techniques to assist individuals to build coping strategies, understand the relationship between substance use and serious mental illness, and safely transition from a psychiatric hospital to the community

  • Provide clinical services on all three AMH treatment units and at the AMH Psychosocial Rehabilitation Mall
  • Collaborate with inpatient recovery planning teams and develop knowledge of available community substance use treatment and support resources
  • Provide coverage for other Mall instructors and operations as needed
  • Maintain confidentiality of records relating to client treatment
  • Monitor, evaluate, and record client progress according to measurable goals described in treatment and care plan
  • Prepare and maintain all required treatment records and reports

Sample Technical Competencies

Ability to select, administer, score, and interpret evidence-based substance use screening and assessment instruments Ability to tailor assessment methods and therapeutic interventions for individuals experiencing active psychiatric symptoms, cognitive impairment, or co-occurring intellectual and developmental disabilities Ability to work effectively with multi-disciplinary treatment teams Ability to track referrals, document attempts, and follow up based on required timelines and clinical need Ability to develop and implement treatment/case plans

Master’s degree in professional counseling, clinical/counseling psychology, or closely related field. Experience working with serious mental health issues and/or adults in an inpatient setting.

  • Certification in any of the following is strongly preferred:
  • Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor – CAADC
  • Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor –CADC I or II
  • Certified Addiction Counselor – CAC I or II

Due to the volume of resumes/applications received, we are unable to provide information on application status by phone or email. Please be assured that your resume/application will be evaluated and we will contact you if we need clarification or additional information. Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted by the hiring agency.

This position is subject to close at any time once a satisfactory applicant pool has been identified.

FOR THIS TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT, STATE LAW REQUIRES A NATIONAL AND STATE BACKGROUND CHECK AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in in counseling or a related field from an accredited college or university in a related field and four (4) years of job-related experience; or one (1) year of experience at the lower level Behavioral Hlth Counselor 2 (HCP101) or position equivalent.--Note: Some positions may require certification or licensure.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

The State of Georgia does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or other protected categories in employment or the provision of services.

Qualified applicants may request reasonable accommodation when needed during the application and/or screening process by contacting the appropriate agency Human Resources department.

Key Responsibilities

The counselor will conduct substance use assessments and provide individual and group therapy to adults with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. They will also collaborate with recovery teams to develop treatment plans and monitor client progress within an inpatient psychiatric setting.

Requirements

Candidates must hold at least a bachelor's degree in counseling or a related field with four years of relevant experience, or a master's degree. Professional certifications such as CAADC or CADC are strongly preferred for this role.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Substance use assessmentIndividual counselingClinical documentationTreatment planningCase managementCrisis interventionPsychiatric careMulti-disciplinary collaborationMental health counselingAddiction counseling

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, 62% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$57k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $57k in an average-cost state. 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

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Salary Distribution39 jobs · 32 employers

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6
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4
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Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks36 jobs · 32 employers

401k / retirement match
86% this job
Sign-on bonus
33%
CME allowance
28%
Loan repayment
25%
PSLF eligible
17%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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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 Decatur

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$140k≈ 2.7× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,067/mo≈ 25% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
18 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
88.4
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Decatur, IL metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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