BP
Boston Public Health Commission
Boston, Massachusetts

Fill-in Counselor - Transitions

CounselorPer Diem

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

Schedule not stated in this posting — no days, weekends, call or nights given.

Ask the employer about the pay range, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 5mo ago

Job Description

Transitions, a program of the Recovery Services Bureau is a 30-day crisis stabilization program for homeless men and women with substance use disorders.

As a seven-day/24 hour-a-day facility, there are three shifts that make use of Fill-in Counselors. Duties vary from shift-to-shift. The following is a list of some of the responsibilities that a Fill-In Counselor may have through the course of employment.

Duties

  • Develop positive professional relationships with clients to facilitate care.
  • With assistance from permanent staff, Fill In Counselors ensure overall safety of clients and environment.
  • Respond to emergencies and crisis situations according to appropriate policy.
  • Assist in monitoring the daily operation of the program. Duties many include distributing and collect linen, monitoring meals, performing rounds. Assist clients with daily living tasks as needed and / or requested.
  • Perform various administrative tasks such as maintaining accurate records (bed registers, bar slips, log notes, answering phones, relaying messages and information).
  • Transport clients and staff during scheduled shuttle trips following the authorized driver guidelines.
  • Transporting clients to various activities and appointments when authorized and where appropriate.
  • Search clients for contraband upon arrival at site.
  • Attend required meetings, at least one Fill-In Counselor meeting per quarter and trainings.
  • Fill-ins must work at least 2 shifts per month. Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

  • Associate Degree or High School Diploma/GED and one year of related experience. Experience working with substance use disorders' clients preferred.
  • Experience working with diverse ethnic, racial and economic populations required. Bilingual preferred.
  • Prior experience working with homeless and dually -diagnosed clients helpful.

Able to follow directions and work harmoniously with staff and guests.

  • Valid MA driver's license and safe driving record required.
  • Computer literacy a plus. Strong written and verbal skills required.
  • Transitions is a 24-hour operation- Punctuality, professionalism and respect for guests and staff are expected.

Key Responsibilities

Provide support in a 30-day crisis stabilization program by maintaining client safety and assisting with daily living tasks. Responsibilities include administrative record-keeping, transporting clients, and responding to emergency situations.

Key Skills

Crisis InterventionCase ManagementPatient MonitoringClient TransportConflict ResolutionInterpersonal Communication

Counselor Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Massachusetts is 105.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 63.2% of Massachusetts clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Counseling listings this role was benchmarked against, 32% are remote, 18% have no call, 68% require no weekends.

Counseling pay on WeekdayDoc is up 18.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Fill-in Counselor - Transitions at Boston Public Health Commission a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 25% in Counseling — ranked against 519 active Counseling listings on WeekdayDoc.

Top contract/1099 Counselor Jobs

50 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution50 jobs · 39 employers

22
<$80k
12
$80k-100k
5
$100k-120k
11
$120k-140k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks42 jobs · 39 employers

401k / retirement match
93%
CME allowance
48%
Sign-on bonus
29%
Loan repayment
29%
PSLF eligible
17%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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#2

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Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 7.2
Better work-life than 80% of Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 519 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site

Living in Boston

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$813k
Typical market rent
$3,338/mo
Residents’ average commute
30 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
108.3
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 · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

BP

About Boston Public Health Commission

Government Administration
Boston, MA
501-1,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Flexible schedule
Variable hours