Substance Use Counselor
Listed compensation
$27.5-$30.44/hr
The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.
Job Description
- Outpatient MAT Opioid Treatment Program
- Seeking: Substance Use Counselor
- CSAC-R, CSAC, or CSAC eligible (required)
Full-Time Hours
- Monday - Friday 5:30 AM - 2 PM
- Optional Saturdays 6:45 AM - 11 AM
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
Christiansburg Comprehensive Treatment Center (CTC), located in Christiansburg, 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: $27.50 - $30.44 per hour
Qualifications
- 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.
#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, conducting assessments, and maintaining accurate clinical documentation.
Qualifications
- Education
- Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Substance Use Counselor at Christiansburg Comprehensive Treatment Center 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.
Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context
Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 38% are remote, 36% have no call, 70% require no weekends.
The cost-of-living index for Virginia is 101.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$60k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $60k in an average-cost state. 61.1% of Virginia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
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