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Acadia
Lynchburg, Virginia

Substance Use Counselor

CounselorNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$25-$28/hr

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

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

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

  • Outpatient MAT Opioid Treatment Program
  • Seeking: Substance Use Counselor
  • CSAC-R, CSAC, or CSAC eligible (required)
  • Full-Time Hours: Monday - Friday 6 AM - 2 PM

Our Benefits

  • Semi-Annual Bonus Program
  • Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
  • Competitive 401(k) plan
  • Paid vacation and sick time
  • Employer-paid clinical supervision (free to employees)
  • Free and unlimited access to 500+ accredited Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering continued support to employee lifestyle and well-being
  • Early morning hours offering a great work/life balance
  • Opportunity for growth that is second to none in the industry

Our Team

Lynchburg Comprehensive Treatment Center (CTC), located in Lynchburg, VA, is part of Acadia Healthcare's Comprehensive Treatment Centers, the leading provider of medication-assisted treatment in the nation. Our counseling team provides compassionate, high-quality counseling and therapy to patients that are seeking recovery from Opioid Use Disorder.

Your Job as a Substance Use Counselor

The Substance Use Counselor is instrumental in our patient’s treatment and recovery from opioid use disorder. Substance Use Counselors provide high quality, compassionate care through various mediums which include both individual and group counseling sessions.

Job Responsibilities

  • Provide high quality, compassionate guidance in both individual and group counseling sessions.
  • Plan, oversee, facilitate and document patient's recovery.
  • Co-facilitate assigned group or family sessions as needed.
  • Ensure all documentation regarding patient care, treatment, and incidents is completed timely and in a clear, concise manner.
  • Prepare individual treatment plans for each assigned patient.
  • Initial assessments as well as follow up assessments.
  • Evaluate patient needs and determine if referrals to other programs or facilities are needed.
  • May plan for aftercare for assigned patients.
  • Provide crisis intervention to patients, as needed.
  • Provide case management duties for patients, ensuring individualized quality care as needed.
  • Act as a liaison between referral sources and patients, as needed.
  • Eligible positions may qualify for student loan forgiveness through HRSA, depending on clinic site eligibility. Check your eligibility here: HRSA Eligibility
  • Role Location: Virginia
  • Calculated Salary Range for role: $25.00 - $28.00 per hour

Required Education, Skills, and Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in counseling, social, or health services field, with 2+ years’ experience in counseling or social services field;

  • Master's degree in counseling, social, or health services field, with 1 year of professional work experience;
  • Degree must be from an accredited college or university.
  • Previous experience in addiction recovery or behavioral health settings, such as outpatient, residential, or correctional facilities.
  • Familiarity with Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), including methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.
  • Experience conducting individual and group counseling sessions focused on substance use recovery.

Knowledge of evidence-based practices, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and relapse prevention techniques.

Documentation experience, including maintaining clinical notes, treatment plans, and progress updates in accordance with state and federal guidelines.

Familiarity with state regulatory standards (e. g., 42 CFR Part 2, HIPAA, Joint Commission standards).

Experience collaborating in a multidisciplinary team with medical staff, case managers, and peer support specialists.

Required Licenses/Certifications

Certified Substance Use Disorder Counselor: CSAC-R, CSAC – must be eligible to obtain within 90 days of employment.

Licensed Mental Health Professionals: LPC-R, LPC, LCSW-R, LCSW, LSATP

Please note that anyone with an “R” on their license is required to have their supervisor sign off on all documentation notes.

We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment regardless of an individual’s characteristics protected by applicable state, federal and local laws.

AHCTC

#LI-CTC

#LI-JW1

Key Responsibilities

The Substance Use Counselor provides compassionate individual and group therapy to patients recovering from Opioid Use Disorder. Responsibilities include developing treatment plans, documenting patient progress, and coordinating care within a multidisciplinary team.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's or Master's degree in a counseling or health services field and possess relevant professional experience. A valid CSAC, CSAC-R, or equivalent clinical license is required or must be obtainable within 90 days.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Substance Use CounselingIndividual CounselingTreatment PlanningClinical DocumentationHIPAA CompliancePatient Assessment

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, 58% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Virginia is 101.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$55k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $55k in an average-cost state. 61.1% of Virginia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Substance Use Counselor at Acadia a 6.0 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 35% of all Addiction Medicine counselor listings evaluated on our platform. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.

Top Counselor Jobs

44 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution44 jobs · 35 employers

10
<$75k
12
$75k-90k
10
$90k-105k
8
$105k-120k
4
$120k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks40 jobs · 35 employers

401k / retirement match
98% this job
CME allowance
38% this job
Loan repayment
33% this job
PSLF eligible
23%
Sign-on bonus
15%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

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

LifeStance Health · Madison, Wisconsin

$92k-$125k
#2

Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

Gotham Enterprises · Hampton, Virginia

$115k-$120k
#3

Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)

$115k-$120k
#4

Virtual IOP Therapist - California (Internal Hire)

$80k-$120k
+ 42 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 6.0
Better work-life than 50% of Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings

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

  • No weekends

Living in Lynchburg

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$281k
Typical market rent
$1,283/mo
Residents’ average commute
17 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
89.4
State income tax
Up to 5.8%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Lynchburg, VA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Acadia logo

About Acadia

Mental Health Care
Franklin, Tennessee
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Semi-Annual Bonus Program
Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
Competitive 401(k) plan
Paid vacation and sick time
Employer-paid clinical supervision
Free and unlimited access to 500+ accredited Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Student loan forgiveness through HRSA (eligible positions)