Substance Use Counselor

Gateway Foundation•Garden City, GA

2d•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 counseling and treatment support to clients in a correctional setting. The role includes conducting assessments, supporting individualized treatment planning, delivering individual and group counseling, coordinating crisis and continuing-care services, and maintaining treatment documentation and compliance. The work is as needed, with 10-hour shift options Monday through Thursday.

Requirements

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

Nice To Haves

Previous counseling experience; 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 response to treatment and recommend treatment-plan modifications; assist with caseloads and individualized treatment plans, including appropriate goals, interventions, and support.
Assist with and provide didactic group counseling, including psychoeducation, drug education, and family education, to support peer support.
Provide individual counseling, educational programs, and lectures addressing relapse prevention, problem solving, behavior modification, anger management, recovery, pro-social adjustment, and cognitive and behavioral changes.
Carry a caseload of up to 25 clients, consistent with state and contract requirements.
Collaborate with clients on discharge summaries, continuing-care plans, and relapse-prevention plans for supervisor approval, integrating aftercare with referral resources.
Coordinate required services to address emergency problems in crisis situations and support continued recovery.
Collect and maintain treatment records and reports for organizational, regulatory, accreditation, and contractual compliance.
Perform office administrative duties, including answering telephones, relaying messages, responding to inquiries about program services and policies, 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 3% employer match.
Short-term and long-term disability insurance, and life and AD&D insurance paid for by Alpharus Health.
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 determined by employee performance and organizational financial performance.