Counselor

Pinnacle Treatment Centers • Inglewood, CA

12d

About The Position

Pinnacle Treatment Centers is a provider of comprehensive addiction treatment services focused on compassionate, evidence-based care and the holistic well-being of patients. The Counselor supports patients’ recovery from substance use disorders through individualized assessment, treatment planning, counseling, referrals, and coordination with clinical and medical staff. The position involves working with patients in an OTP setting and responding appropriately to clinical and safety risks. The posting describes part-time work and outlines Counselor I, II, and III qualification and pay tiers.

Requirements

• Counselor I: Associate degree in a relevant field and the registration or credentials necessary to provide counseling services to the patient population.
• Counselor I: Kern County requires a bachelor’s degree or a high school diploma/GED with 75% certification education.
• Counselor II: Associate degree in a relevant field or completion of a majority of approved counselor certification courses, and the license or certification necessary to provide counseling services to the patient population.
• Counselor II: Kern County requires a bachelor’s degree or 75% of required counselor certification courses.
• Counselor II: Counselor registration or certification from a certifying organization recognized by the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs; proof of registration is required immediately upon employment, and employees must be registered before providing counseling services under DHCS requirements.
• Counselor II: 2–5 years of experience or master-level counselor qualification.
• Counselor III: Degrees must include being licensed, license-eligible, or certified; effective clinical skills in complex cases are required.
• Counselor III: Certification as an Alcohol and Other Drug Counselor through a California-approved certification agency, or current credentials as licensed or license-eligible with the Board of Behavioral Sciences or Board of Psychology.
• Counselor III applicants who are license-eligible must maintain Board requirements for practice, including obtaining required clinical supervision from a Board-approved supervisor.
• Counselor III: Proof of licensure or certification by a state-approved regulatory agency is required immediately upon employment, and employees must be credentialed before providing counseling services under DHCS requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Counselor I: Bachelor’s degree or higher is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Orient new patients to program rules, policies, procedures, and patient rights.
• Conduct intakes, discharge planning, initial assessments, and initial treatment plans within applicable regulatory, CARF, and company timelines.
• Involve patients in assessment, treatment planning, and interventions to support ownership of their recovery.
• Administer biopsychosocial assessments at intake and on an ongoing basis, covering addiction, medical and mental health history, socioeconomic circumstances, legal matters, and other life areas.
• Use patients’ strengths, needs, abilities, and preferences (SNAP) to develop and implement individualized treatment plans and goals.
• Determine the clinical necessity of counseling based on patient assessment and evaluation.
• Monitor and document changes in patients’ circumstances and identify relapse indicators to support early relapse-prevention interventions.
• Evaluate high-risk conditions and administer BAM-R, C-SSRS, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 screening tools to assess mental and emotional status.
• Assess risk factors and whether treatment in an OTP is appropriate compared with residential or other treatment modalities.
• Review other practitioners’ involvement in high-risk cases, recommend specialist referrals when needed, and request releases of information to enable communication with those practitioners.
• Flag and refer high-risk patients to Medical Directors, Physician Extenders, or Regional Clinical Leadership according to urgency and referral procedures.
• Review physician notes after high-risk patient sessions and escalate concerns to the supervising counselor and clinic manager if risks have not been properly addressed.
• Notify relevant staff in writing about high-risk patients and their conditions, and maintain and circulate treatment-team or case-conference minutes.
• Provide counseling and referral services addressing patients’ clinical and special needs, including referrals to specialized services, support groups, and community resources; liaise with outside agencies as needed.
• Provide individual and group counseling as clinically necessary, addressing issues identified in assessments and treatment plans, including relapse prevention, peer pressure, anger management, domestic violence, parenting, family preservation, and vocational rehabilitation.
• Use advanced counseling techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Motivational Interviewing.
• Schedule regular counseling sessions, issue appointment cards, and record scheduled or rescheduled sessions in the EHR scheduler.
• Document counseling entries with required signatures and dates in accordance with applicable regulations, CARF guidelines, and company policies.
• Participate in community relations and outreach efforts.
• Attend recommended training, including physician training for counselors, Regional Clinical Leadership training, and case conferences with program physicians and physician assistants.
• Collect research data when requested.
• Observe collection of patient urine samples when required.
• Attend team meetings and complete required training courses on time.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Variable compensation based on experience, education, and licensure.
• Defined advancement opportunities through the Counselor Tier Program.
• Monthly performance-based bonus incentives.
• Eligibility at 90% of facilities for the federal Student Loan Repayment Program, which selects applicants for student loan forgiveness.
• Free access to more than 600 continuing education courses.
• 18 days of paid time off, sick leave, and 8 paid holidays.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
• Free clinical supervision, subject to licensure and availability.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree