Substance Abuse Counselor (Certified/Licensed)

Pinnacle Treatment Centers • Roseville, CA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

Pinnacle Treatment Centers is seeking a certified or licensed Counselor in Roseville, California, to support patients recovering from substance use disorders. The role combines compassionate, evidence-based care with individualized treatment, helping patients participate in their recovery and make progress toward short- and long-term goals. Counselors provide clinical assessment, treatment planning, counseling, referrals, risk monitoring, documentation, and coordination with other clinical and community providers.

The position is full-time, Monday through Friday, from 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The posting lists compensation of $24.00 to $30.00 per hour for Counselor III. Candidates must have the specified California certification or licensure status, and employees must be appropriately credentialed before providing counseling services.

Requirements

• Possess certification as an Alcohol and Other Drug Counselor through a California-approved certification agency, or current licensed or license-eligible credentials with the Board of Behavioral Sciences or the Board of Psychology.
• If license-eligible, maintain Board requirements for practice, including receiving the required clinical supervision from a Board-approved supervisor.
• Provide proof of licensure or certification by a state-approved regulatory agency immediately once employed.
• Be credentialed before providing counseling services, as required by the Department of Health Care Services.
• For Counselor III, have effective clinical skills in complex cases.

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 time guidelines.
• Involve patients in assessment, treatment planning, and treatment interventions.
• Administer biopsychosocial assessments at intake and on an ongoing basis, evaluating addiction, medical and mental health history, socioeconomic circumstances, legal matters, and other areas of patients’ lives.
• Use patients’ strengths, needs, abilities, and preferences to develop and implement individualized treatment plans.
• Determine the clinical necessity of counseling services based on assessment and evaluation.
• Monitor and document changes in patients’ circumstances, identify relapse indicators, and address them with early relapse-prevention interventions.
• Follow medical quality assurance and clinical risk management policies, including evaluating high-risk conditions and administering BAM-R, C-SSRS, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 screening tools.
• Evaluate risk factors and whether an OTP or another treatment setting is appropriate; review involvement of other practitioners and recommend specialist referrals when needed.
• Request releases of information when necessary to coordinate with other 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 when necessary.
• Notify relevant staff in writing about high-risk patients and their conditions.
• Maintain and circulate minutes from treatment team and case conference sessions.
• Provide professional counseling and referral services, including referrals to specialized services, support groups, and community resources, and liaise with outside agencies as necessary.
• Provide individual and group counseling based on clinical need and 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 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 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 patients’ urine samples when required.
• Attend team meetings and complete required training courses on time.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Variable pay based on experience, education, and licensure.
• Career advancement opportunities through the Counselor Tier Program.
• Monthly performance-based bonuses recognizing quality patient care.
• 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: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed