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Table of Contents

Snapshot

Snapshot

Career Cluster: Human Services

Interests: Counseling, psychology, sociology, crisis intervention, leading workshops

Earnings (Yearly Average): $38,620

Employment & Outlook: Faster Than Average Growth Expected


Profile

Profile

Working Conditions: Work Indoors

Physical Strength: Light Work

Education Needs: Bachelor's Degree

Licensure/Certification: Required

Physical Abilities Not Required: No Heavy Labor

Opportunities For Experience: Internship, Apprenticeship, Military Service, Volunteer Work, Part-Time Work

Holland Interest Score*: SEC

[1] * See Appendix A


Duties and Responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Interviewing prospective clients

  • Greeting new clients and establishing a person-to-person relationship

  • Conducting individual and group counseling sessions

  • Providing individual guidance and encouragement

  • Presenting a variety of educational material to clients

  • Assisting clients in seeking and obtaining employment

  • Doing follow-up work on discharged clients to determine the effectiveness of the treatment

  • Counseling and conducting educational classes for families

  • Conducting daily client counts as scheduled

  • Reading the notes made by other clinical staff members


Relevant Skills and Abilities

Relevant Skills and Abilities

Communication Skills

  • Persuading others

  • Speaking effectively

  • Writing concisely

Interpersonal/Social Skills

  • Cooperating with others

  • Providing support to others

  • Teaching

  • Working as a member of a team

Organization & Management Skills

  • Coordinating tasks

  • Making decisions

  • Managing people/groups

  • Paying attention to and handling details

  • Performing duties that change frequently

Research & Planning Skills

  • Analyzing information

  • Solving problems

Technical Skills

  • Working with data or numbers


Famous First

Famous First

The first Twelve-Step rehabilitation program was created by Alcoholics Anonymous in New York City in 1935. The organization was founded by William “Bill W.” Wilson and Dr. Robert H. Smith. It seeks to help alcoholics control their addiction through guided group discussion, reliance on a “higher power,” and a step-by-step return to sobriety.


Careers in Human Services

Substance Abuse Counselor

by Simone Isadora Flynn

Overview

Sphere of Work

Substance abuse counselors treat people with drug and alcohol addictions. Operating within a subfield of the social work profession, substance abuse counselors are often identified under the broader heading of “addiction professionals,” and as such, they may also deal with issues like gambling problems and eating disorders. Substance abuse counselors help addicts and at-risk individuals to find substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation resources, develop new coping strategies, and resolve personal and interpersonal problems and conflicts. They work with individual clients to lessen the impact, and in some cases resolve, their dependency and its consequences, such as unemployment, disease, homelessness, abuse, and broken families. Substance abuse counselors also engage in advocacy, education, and outreach efforts to individuals, families, and communities affected by substance abuse and addiction.

Work Environment

Substance abuse counselors spend their workdays seeing clients in a variety of settings, including offices, mental health agencies, residential facilities, homeless shelters, prisons, hospitals, detoxification facilities, and substance abuse clinics. Substance abuse counselors may have a fixed office where they see clients, or they may spend a good deal of time on the road, traveling to meet with clients and their families. Given the diverse demands of the substance abuse or addiction profession, substance abuse counselors may need to work days, evenings, weekends, or on-call hours to meet client or caseload needs.

Occupation Interest

Individuals drawn to the substance abuse counseling profession tend to be intelligent and socially conscious people who are able to quickly assess clients' situations and help them find resources for solving their personal problems. Individuals who train as substance abuse counselors also receive related training in behavioral disorder counseling. Those who succeed in substance abuse counseling display traits such as leadership, understanding of human behavior, initiative, project management, and concern for individuals and society. Substance abuse counselors should be comfortable interacting with the wide range of people who suffer from addiction and substance abuse, including those from diverse cultural, social, and educational backgrounds.

A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities

The daily occupational duties and responsibilities of substance abuse counselors vary by job specialization and employer. Areas of specialization include drug and alcohol dependency, eating disorders, gambling disorders, family counseling, adolescent counseling and treatment, assessment and evaluation, education and outreach, and legal advocacy. Potential daily duties and responsibilities include the following: completing client intake interviews for drug rehabilitation or residential facilities; conducting background interviews with clients to record information on client health, family, education, work history, drug history, and personal goals; working with a treatment team to develop personalized treatment plans for clients; and providing counseling and workshops on topics such as ending addiction, healthy body image, and alternative coping methods.

Substance abuse counselors may also offer clients crisis counseling, assistance maintaining or rebuilding family relationships, help with welfare, childcare, and employment applications, and basic instruction in practical life skills such as cooking, cleaning, and shopping. They may help clients arrange transportation and housing and refer them to community services or agencies. Counselors also participate in client team meetings and provide client updates to supervisors and families. Other duties include leading workshops for clients in residential facilities; visiting housebound clients; providing student workshops on drug and alcohol addiction; performing court-ordered in-home visits to record information on client home size, cleanliness, and number of inhabitants.

In addition to the range of responsibilities described above, all substance abuse counselors are responsible for completing patient charts and required documentation on a daily basis.

Work Environment

Physical Environment

A substance abuse counselor's immediate physical environment varies based on their caseload and specialization. Social workers spend their workdays seeing clients in a wide variety of settings including offices, mental health agencies, residential facilities, homeless shelters, prisons, hospitals, detoxification facilities, and substance abuse clinics.

Human Environment

Substance abuse counselors work with a wide variety of people and should be comfortable meeting with colleagues, staff, people suffering the extreme physical effects of end-stage addiction, teenagers, incarcerated people, homeless people, and families.

Technological Environment

Substance abuse counselors use computers, cell-phones, and Internet communication tools to perform their job. For instance, substance abuse counselors must be comfortable using computers to access client records, cars to drive to client homes and facilities, and cell phones to ensure availability during on-call hours.

Education, Training, and Advancement

High School/Secondary

High school students interested in pursuing a career in substance abuse counseling should prepare themselves by developing good study habits. High school-level study of sociology, psychology, biology, education, and foreign languages will provide a strong foundation for college-level work in counseling and social work. Due to the diversity of substance abuse specialties (including drug addiction, gambling addiction, and eating disorders), high school students interested in this career path will benefit from seeking internships or part-time work that will expose them to diverse groups of people with a variety of social needs.

Suggested High School Subjects

  • Audio-Visual

  • Biology

  • Chemistry

  • College Preparatory

  • English

  • Foreign Languages

  • Government

  • Health Science Technology

  • Psychology

  • Social Studies

  • Sociology

  • Speech

College/Postsecondary

Postsecondary students interested in becoming substance abuse counselors should pursue a bachelor's degree in counseling or social work. Coursework in counseling, crisis intervention, ethics, management, psychology, sociology, and foreign languages may also prove useful in their counseling practice. Postsecondary students can gain work experience and potential advantage in their future job searches by securing internships or part-time employment in public health agencies or with addiction treatment programs.

Related College Majors

  • Alcohol/Drug Abuse Counseling

  • Community Health Services

Adult Job Seekers

Adults seeking employment as substance abuse counselors should have a bachelor's degree. Many public health agencies and social service organizations require that counselors have bachelor's degrees (or higher), a second language proficiency, and substance abuse counselor certification. Adult job seekers should educate themselves about the educational and professional license requirements of their home states and the organizations where they seek employment. Adult job seekers will benefit from joining professional associations to help with networking and job searching. Professional counseling associations, such as the Association for Addiction Professionals, generally offer job-finding workshops and maintain lists and forums of available jobs.

Professional Certification and Licensure

Professional certification and licensure of substance abuse counselors is voluntary but recommended. The leading options for substance abuse counselor certification include the Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) or Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC). These state-based certifications are offered through state certification boards for addiction professionals. Additionally, many states offer their own levels of voluntary certification. Consult credible professional associations within your field and follow professional debate as to the relevancy and value of any certification program.

Additional Requirements

High levels of integrity and personal and professional ethics are required of substance abuse counselors, as they must interact with addicts and at-risk people and have access to client personal information. Membership in professional associations is encouraged among junior and senior substance abuse counselors as a means of building status within the professional community and networking. Successful substance abuse counselors engage in ongoing professional development.

Fun Fact

In the late 1800s, Sigmund Freud and some American doctors believed they had found a good way to treat alcoholism and morphine addiction: prescribe cocaine. There were also a number of bottled home cures available at the time, most of which contained alcohol, opium, morphine, cannabis or cocaine.

Source: www.aa-semi.org/archive/45/The-Evolution-of-the-Dark-World-of-Alcoholism

Earnings and Advancement

Earnings of substance abuse counselors depend on the employer and the individual's education, experience, length of employment and job responsibilities. Median annual earnings of substance abuse counselors were $38,620 in 2013. The lowest ten percent earned less than $25,200, and the highest ten percent earned more than $60,160.

Substance abuse counselors may receive paid vacations, holidays, and sick days; life and health insurance; and retirement benefits. These are usually paid by the employer.

Metropolitan Areas with the Highest Employment Level in this Occupation

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Hourly mean wage New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ 4,620 0.88 $22.72 Philadelphia, PA 3,200 1.74 $19.13 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA 2,500 0.63 $16.33 Pittsburgh, PA 1,720 1.52 $17.80 Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL 1,410 0.38 $18.45 Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 1,320 0.74 $19.83 Baltimore-Towson, MD 1,250 0.97 $19.76 Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA 1,160 0.66 $21.46 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 1,050 0.44 $25.22 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 1,030 0.86 $18.43

[1] (1) Does not include self-employed. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Employment and Outlook

Substance abuse counselors held about 90,000 jobs nationally in 2012. Employment is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2022, which means employment is projected to increase 30 percent or more. This is due in part to employers who are offering assistance programs that provide drug and alcohol abuse counseling for their employees. In addition, drug offenders are increasingly being sent to treatment programs rather than to jail. These jobs are not attractive to everyone due to the emotionally draining work and relatively low pay, so qualified applicants should not have difficulty finding work.

Employment Trend, Projected 2010–20

Substance Abuse Counselors: 31%

Community and Social Service Occupations: 17%

Total, All Occupations: 11%

Note: “All Occupations” includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections Program

Related Occupations

  • Case Worker/Social Services Assistant

  • Marriage Counselor

  • Psychologist

  • Religious Worker

  • School Counselor

  • Social Worker

  • Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

Related Military Occupations

  • Caseworker & Counselor

Selected Schools

Many colleges and universities have bachelor's degree programs in subjects related to counseling and social work. The student may also gain an initial grounding at a technical or community college. Consult with your school guidance counselor or research area post-secondary programs to find the right fit for you. For a list of top schools in the field of social work, see the entry “Social Worker” in the present volume. For a list of top schools in the field of rehabilitation counseling, see the entry “Rehabilitation Counselor” in this volume.

More Information

Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network

www.addictioncareers.org

American Academy of Health Care Providers in the Addictive Disorders

314 W. Superior Street, Suite 508

Duluth, MN 55802

218.727.3940

www.americanacademy.org

American Counseling Association

5999 Stevenson Avenue

Alexandria, VA 22304

800.347.6647

www.counseling.org

American Group Psychotherapy Association

25 E. 21st Street, 6th Floor

New York, NY 10010

877.668.2472

www.agpa.org

Association for Addiction Professionals

1001 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 201

Alexandria, VA 22314

800.548.0497

www.naadac.org

National Board for Certified Counselors

3 Terrace Way, Suite D

Greensboro, NC 27403-3660

336.547.0607

www.nbcc.org

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
Flynn, Simone Isadora. "Substance Abuse Counselor." Careers in Human Services, edited by Michael Shally-Jensen, Salem Press, 2015. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=CIHS_0027.
APA 7th
Flynn, S. I. (2015). Substance Abuse Counselor. In M. Shally-Jensen (Ed.), Careers in Human Services. Salem Press. online.salempress.com.
CMOS 17th
Flynn, Simone Isadora. "Substance Abuse Counselor." Edited by Michael Shally-Jensen. Careers in Human Services. Hackensack: Salem Press, 2015. Accessed July 05, 2025. online.salempress.com.