Substance Use Counselor

Alpharus Health•Savannah, GA

5d•$21 - $27•Onsite

About The Position

Alpharus Health is a national nonprofit behavioral health provider offering substance use and mental health treatment. The Substance Use Counselor works at Coastal State Probation in Garden City, Georgia, providing treatment services in a correctional facility. The role involves assessing clients, supporting individualized treatment planning, delivering individual and group counseling, coordinating crisis and aftercare services, and maintaining compliant treatment records. The counselor may carry a caseload of up to 25 clients and performs related administrative duties. The schedule is as needed, Monday through Thursday, with 10-hour shifts. Available shift options are 6:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m., 6:45 a.m.–5:15 p.m., or 7:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Compensation depends on credentials, experience, qualifications, and relevant skills. Non-credentialed counselors earn $20.50–$21.50 per hour, and credentialed counselors earn $25.00–$27.00 per hour. Sign-on bonuses are offered for non-credentialed and certified/licensed counselors.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher in a helping profession from an accredited college or university.
Must obtain a state-identified certification within 30 months of the first date counseling services are provided. Listed certifications include GACA Certified Addiction Counselor, NAADAC Certified Addiction Counselor, ICRC Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor, and Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS); listed licensures include LPC, LAPC, LCSW, LMFT, and CPCS.
Must be able to obtain Georgia Department of Corrections clearance to work in the correctional institution.
Ability to walk and move around the facility for up to two hours at a time to monitor and interact with clients.
Ability to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and negligible force frequently or constantly to move objects.
Ability to use a keyboard and video display terminal to receive, retrieve, or audit information and data.
Ability to record, proofread, and check documents and files for accuracy.
Ability to respond to telephones and hear and detect alarms and unusual noises.

Nice To Haves

Previous counseling experience is preferred.
Experience in substance use disorder or mental health treatment is preferred.

Responsibilities

Conduct client interviews and assessments to review substance use disorder and treatment history.
Evaluate client responses to treatment and recommend treatment-plan modifications; assist with caseloads and individualized treatment plans, goals, interventions, and support.
Assist with and provide didactic group counseling, including psychoeducation, drug education, and family education.
Provide individual counseling, educational programs, and lectures addressing relapse prevention, problem solving, behavior modification, anger management, recovery, adjustment to pro-social life, and cognitive and behavioral change.
Carry a caseload of up to 25 clients, according to state and contract requirements.
Collaborate with clients on discharge summaries and continuing-care and relapse-prevention plans for supervisor approval, integrating aftercare treatment with referral resources.
Coordinate required services to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations and support continued recovery.
Collect and maintain treatment records and reports to meet organizational, regulatory, accreditation, and contractual requirements.
Perform administrative duties, including answering phones, relaying messages, responding to program inquiries, filing, photocopying, faxing, planning special events, and assembling intake packets.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents.
Employee wellness program promoting health and fitness and offering cash-saving premiums.
Employee assistance programs focused on mental health.
403(b) retirement plan with a 3% employer match.
Employer-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and AD&D insurance.
Flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
18 paid time-off days per year, with accrual rates increasing with years of service.
9 paid company holidays.
Training and development programs.
Tuition reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year.
Access to online courses providing CEUs and job-related training.
Formal and informal clinical supervision.
$1,500 sign-on bonus for non-credentialed counselors and $3,000 sign-on bonus for certified/licensed counselors.
Annual performance reviews, with merit-increase eligibility based on employee and organizational financial performance.