Alcohol and Drug Counselor Jobs
Alcohol and Drug Counselor jobs are open across behavioral health, community health centers, hospital systems, and residential treatment facilities, from entry-level counselor to clinical supervisor and program director, with specializations in adolescent treatment, co-occurring disorders, and medication-assisted recovery. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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There exists (1) one opening in the Horizons Counseling and Education Center for the Provisional position of Drug and Alcohol Counselor I. The work includes providing professional screening and counseling services, as well as, interviewing, monitoring and counseling clients with a variety substance abuse related problems.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
Conducts screenings and assessment interviews with new and ongoing clients;
Manages a caseload of clients, which includes documenting all services in accordance with regulatory requirements;
Develops treatment plans and progress toward meeting long and short-term treatment goals;
Provides individual, family, and group drug and alcohol counseling pertaining to needs of client population;
Completes paperwork related to individual client care and compiles statistical reporting required by County and State funding guidelines;
Facilitates networking with outside agencies and entities.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of the principles and techniques of drug and alcohol abusers; knowledge of social and clinical problems associated with drug and alcohol abuse. Ability to foster cooperative relationships with clients; physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
a) Graduation from a college with federally authorized accreditation or registration by NY State with a Bachelor’s Degree, and one (1) year of counseling experience in drug and/or alcohol abuse; or,
b) Registration as a credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
The position includes evening hours and occasional weekend hours.
Candidates for employment are subject to a pre-employment medical examination and drug screen prior to appointment. Please be aware that you must take the Civil Service examination for Drug and Alcohol Counselor I the next time it is offered, and be eligible for appointment from the resulting list in order to continue your employment with the town beyond the date that the eligible list is established. To be eligible for permanent appointment, you must be among the top three willing acceptors for the position.
PROPOSED SALARY
Salary will be in accordance with provisions of the CSEA contract in effect.
The decision of the Director of Drug and Alcohol Counseling Services, subject to the approval of the Town Board will be final.
DATE: October 26, 2026
The Town of Smithtown is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $29.99 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
There exists (1) one opening in the Horizons Counseling and Education Center for the Provisional position of Drug and Alcohol Counselor I. The work includes providing professional screening and counseling services, as well as, interviewing, monitoring and counseling clients with a variety substance abuse related problems.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
Conducts screenings and assessment interviews with new and ongoing clients;
Manages a caseload of clients, which includes documenting all services in accordance with regulatory requirements;
Develops treatment plans and progress toward meeting long and short-term treatment goals;
Provides individual, family, and group drug and alcohol counseling pertaining to needs of client population;
Completes paperwork related to individual client care and compiles statistical reporting required by County and State funding guidelines;
Facilitates networking with outside agencies and entities.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of the principles and techniques of drug and alcohol abusers; knowledge of social and clinical problems associated with drug and alcohol abuse. Ability to foster cooperative relationships with clients; physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
a) Graduation from a college with federally authorized accreditation or registration by NY State with a Bachelor’s Degree, and one (1) year of counseling experience in drug and/or alcohol abuse; or,
b) Registration as a credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
The position includes evening hours and occasional weekend hours.
Candidates for employment are subject to a pre-employment medical examination and drug screen prior to appointment. Please be aware that you must take the Civil Service examination for Drug and Alcohol Counselor I the next time it is offered, and be eligible for appointment from the resulting list in order to continue your employment with the town beyond the date that the eligible list is established. To be eligible for permanent appointment, you must be among the top three willing acceptors for the position.
PROPOSED SALARY
Salary will be in accordance with provisions of the CSEA contract in effect.
The decision of the Director of Drug and Alcohol Counseling Services, subject to the approval of the Town Board will be final.
DATE: October 26, 2026
The Town of Smithtown is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $29.99 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
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Find JobsAlcohol and Drug Counselor Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Ryder System55
- EOSIS6
- Merakey5
- Ria Health4
- Turning Point Community Programs4
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Healthcare & Medical Services
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in alcohol and drug counselor jobs.
- State licensure or certification such as CADC, LADC, LCDC, or equivalent credential
- Bachelor's or master's degree in counseling, social work, psychology, or a related field
- Experience conducting individual and group counseling sessions using evidence-based modalities
- Familiarity with 12-step facilitation, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy
- Ability to complete clinical documentation and maintain accurate case records in an EHR system
- Experience working with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder populations
Tips for Your Alcohol and Drug Counselor Job Search
List your credentials front and center
Employers scan for licensure first. Put your CADC, LADC, LPC, or state-specific credential in your resume header and repeat it in your summary. Buried credentials cost you callbacks, especially when an ATS filters by certification keyword before a human ever reads your application.
Tailor your resume to the setting
A residential treatment facility and an outpatient community clinic want very different things. Highlight inpatient group facilitation for the former and case management and community referrals for the latter. One generic resume sent everywhere performs far worse than two targeted versions.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists alcohol and drug counselor openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Filter openings by supervision requirements
If you're still accumulating supervised clinical hours toward full licensure, prioritize postings that explicitly mention clinical supervision or intern-to-hire tracks. Applying to roles that require full independent licensure before you have it wastes everyone's time and delays your search.
Prepare specific case examples for interviews
Behavioral interview questions in this field drill into your crisis intervention approach and your experience with specific populations. Before each interview, outline two or three concrete situations where you de-escalated a client, coordinated with a treatment team, or navigated a dual-diagnosis case.
Negotiate your continuing education benefit
Licensure renewal and CEU requirements are ongoing costs in this profession. During offer negotiations, ask specifically about annual CEU reimbursement, supervision hours toward licensure advancement, and paid time off for training days. These benefits vary widely and are almost always negotiable.
Alcohol and Drug Counselor Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most alcohol and drug counselors?
The most active employers for alcohol and drug counselors right now are Ryder System, EOSIS, and Merakey, and the most openings are in California, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. Demand tends to be highest at large behavioral health networks and integrated hospital systems.
How many alcohol and drug counselor jobs are remote?
About 64% of alcohol and drug counselor openings are fully remote or hybrid as of October 2026, which is lower than many counseling fields because direct client care often requires in-person contact. Telehealth roles are most available for individual outpatient sessions, case management coordination, and crisis line work rather than residential or intensive outpatient programs.
How do you become an alcohol and drug counselor?
You start by earning a degree in counseling, social work, or a related behavioral health field, then complete supervised clinical hours that your state board specifies for licensure. After that, you pass a certification exam such as the NCAC or CADC, submit your application to your state's licensing authority, and maintain your credential through continuing education each renewal cycle.
How do you get hired as an alcohol and drug counselor with little or no experience?
Target postings that explicitly offer clinical supervision toward licensure, since many treatment facilities actively seek pre-licensed counselors they can train. Volunteer or internship experience at a detox unit, sober living home, or community recovery center counts as direct exposure. Emphasize any peer support work, crisis hotline shifts, or case aide roles in your application to show firsthand knowledge of the population.
What does the alcohol and drug counselor interview process look like?
Most hiring processes include a phone screen with HR, followed by a panel interview with a clinical supervisor and often a senior counselor on the team. Expect scenario-based questions about handling a client in active crisis, managing ethical dilemmas, and your approach to motivational interviewing. Some employers add a short written case conceptualization exercise or ask you to review a mock client file before the final round.
Where can I find and apply to alcohol and drug counselor jobs?
You can find and apply to alcohol and drug counselor jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your licensure level, preferred setting, and location, then apply directly to each one that fits your background.
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