Substance Abuse Counselor
Listed compensation
$36/hr
The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday
Ask the employer about call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.
Job Description
Pay: $36/hr
Schedule: Monday-Friday 6am-2om
Community Medical Services (CMS) is hiring a Substance Abuse Counselor to assist patients recovering from addictions to opioids and other illicit substances. Whether facilitating individual or group sessions, or assisting patients with treatment plans and coping strategies, your work will help foster a safe place for anyone looking to start their recovery journey with us.
At Community Medical Services, we believe our team members grow best in a culture that matches our patient-focused, outcomes-driven mission. Through our performance-based pay model, employees are eligible for quarterly increases in base pay that recognize dedication and results.
In line with our value of Continuous Learning, we support career progression through company-sponsored education, professional development, and reimbursement programs. Whether you’re pursuing a leadership path or deepening expertise as an individual contributor, CMS offers mobility and opportunities to grow your career while making a difference.
Along the way, we’ll invest in your well-being through a benefits package for full-time employees that includes:
- Subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Health savings account
- Short and long-term disability insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid sick, vacation, and holiday time
- 401K retirement plan with match
- Tuition and CME reimbursement up to 100%
- Employee assistance program to support your mental health and wellness
- Ongoing professional development
We’re Looking for Someone Who
- Is excited to work in an outpatient setting, much like a doctor’s office or behavioral health clinic.
- Enjoys a consistent schedule.
- Is open to working with multi-cultural and low socio-economic individuals.
- To thrive in this role, you must be able to:
- Maintain and manage a caseload in compliance with regulatory standards and ratios.
- Conduct individual sessions, facilitate group counseling and didactic educational presentations.
Complete comprehensive behavioral health assessments and individualized treatment plans, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and unique client needs.
Evaluate the effectiveness of treatment through the ongoing assessment of the client and his/her natural supports that may result in modification to the service plan.
Coordinate care with other recovery and community-based service providers, engage in case management activity by sending referrals, completing documentation necessary to secure services, maintain chart compliance, etc.
- Include family and natural supports in the client’s treatment, per the client’s preference.
- Maintain and apply knowledge of new developments in the field of substance use as required by specific state licensure.
- Maintain a collegian relationship with other substance use professionals, programs, and associations.
- Maintain a thorough and comprehensive client record.
- Serve as the point of contact for coordination and communication with other systems where clinical knowledge of the case is crucial.
- Assist in screening and coordinating primary care services for clients.
Requirements
One of the Following Degrees Required
- Associate degree: 2,500 hours of supervised substance abuse counseling experience.
- Bachelor's degree: 2,000 hours of supervised substance abuse counseling experience.
- Master's degree or higher:1,500 hours of supervised substance abuse counseling experience.
Must Have the Following
- Must have Substance Use Disorder Professional (SUDP) license
- Behavioral health experience preferred
About Community Medical Services
Community Medical Services (CMS) is a CARF-accredited addiction treatment program providing services in the form of outpatient medication-assisted treatment and one-on-one and group counseling to those seeking help with their opioid use disorder. Headquartered in Arizona with more than 70 treatment clinics in 14 states, CMS is dedicated to meeting the challenges presented by the growing opioid epidemic in communities where treatment is lacking.
Our Commitment
We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Other Conditions
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Key Responsibilities
The counselor will manage a caseload, conduct individual and group sessions, and develop individualized treatment plans for patients. They are also responsible for coordinating care with community providers and maintaining comprehensive clinical documentation.
Qualifications
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context
Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 76% are remote, 30% have no call, 76% require no weekends.
The cost-of-living index for Washington is 107.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$75k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $70k in an average-cost state. 59.8% of Washington clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Substance Abuse Counselor at Community Medical Services a 6.4 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Substance Use / Addiction Counselor — ranked against 1,008 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.
Location & Logistics
Washington has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$75k midpoint, that is roughly $3k–$5k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.
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