Substance Use Counselor

Addiction CounselorNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$29.14-$38/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

Requirements

  • AOD Registration is required.
  • AOD Certification is preferred.
  • Registration/Certification must be obtained from a California-approved Counselor Certification Organization (CAADE, CADTP or CCAPP).
  • Full Time Hours: Monday - Friday 5:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Our Benefits

  • 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

Capalina Comprehensive Treatment Center (CTC), located in San Marcos, CA, 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.

Compensation for roles at Capalina CTC varies depending on a wide array of factors including but not limited to the specific location, role, skill set, and level of experience. As required by local law, Capalina CTC provides a reasonable hourly range of compensation for roles that may be hired in California as set forth below. Role Location: California

Calculated Salary Range for role: $29.14 - $38.00 per hour.

Eligible positions may qualify for student loan forgiveness through HRSA, depending on clinic site eligibility. Check your eligibilty here: HRSA Eligibility

Required Education, Skills, and Qualifications

  • HS graduate or equivalent required;
  • Prefer Bachelor's or Master’s degree in social or health services field;
  • 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

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.

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 providing crisis intervention and case management.

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, 66% are remote, 24% have no call, 64% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$70k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $63k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

How many Substance Use / Addiction Counselor jobs are remote?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$61k–$79kSubstance Use / Addiction Counselor median $60k (middle half $56k–$64k)103 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$63k in purchasing powerCalifornia index 110.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings in California1,071 active13,727 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 66% remote · 24% no call · 64% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentloan repaymentCalifornia Counselor listings: 11% state a sign-on bonus (median $3k) · 9% offer loan repayment1,071 active listings, Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Substance Use Counselor at Capalina 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.

Top Counselor Jobs

39 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

39 jobs · 24 employers
9
<$90k
8
$90k-105k
8
$105k-120k
14
$120k-135k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

27 jobs · 24 employers
401k / retirement match
89% this job
Sign-on bonus
52%
CME allowance
41% this job
Loan repayment
11% this job
PSLF eligible
11%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

LifeStance Health · San Diego, California

$117k-$134k
#2

Licensed Mental Health Clinician (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

LifeStance Health · Ventura, California

$117k-$134k
#3

Psychotherapist, Behavioral Health

$94k-$132k
#4

MCRT Licensed Team Lead LCSW LMFT LPCC - Mental Health 639

$107k-$132k
+ 37 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
Capalina Comprehensive Treatment Center logo

About Capalina Comprehensive Treatment Center

Hospitals and Health Care
San Marcos, California

Benefits & Perks

Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
401(k) plan
Paid vacation and sick time
Employer-paid clinical supervision
Free CEUs
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Student loan forgiveness (HRSA) eligibility

Living in San Marcos

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$865k
Typical market rent
$3,311/mo
Residents’ average commute
27 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
111.9
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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