What are the responsibilities and job description for the Substance Abuse Counselor position at Wayne County NY?
$32.48 Hourly
Lyons - Behavioral Health
Full-Time
202600056
Behavioral Health
07/23/2026
Continuous
Description
SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR IS PART OF THE NYS CIVIL SERVICE HELP PROGRAM WHICH DOES NOT REQUIRE A CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION.
The work involves the performance of a wide variety of duties in a substance use prevention and treatment program. Primary emphasis is on providing counseling and guidance to clients and their families. Other duties include the dissemination of information on programs and services provided by the agency, follow-up on former clients and the preparation of records and reports. The purpose of the work is to inform potential abusers of the hazards of addictive substances and to make known to addicts the services available to them. The work is performed under the general supervision of a professional staff member in accordance with established policies and procedures. The incumbent does related work as required.
Examples of Typical Duties
- May be assigned to Out-patient Clinic, Open Access Center, and/or COTI Programs;
- Conducts Substance Use Disorder (SUD) & Co-occurring Disorder (COD) screening, intake, and assessment, and arrives at SUD/COD diagnostic impression;
- Completes Level of Care (LOC) utilizing OASAS “LOCADTR” web-based software;
- Provides individual and/or group counseling and guidance to clients and their families regarding addictive substance problems;
- Maintains records of interview and meetings with clients and their families;
- Provides crisis intervention services in-person, via mobile clinic, or via a hotline;
- Keeps abreast of new developments, programs and techniques in addictive use prevention and rehabilitation;
- Works with addictive substance users to gain their confidence;
- Works with professional staff, assisting and providing inpatient detoxification, outpatient follow-up, individual and group counseling and related services;
- Disseminates information concerning programs and services to public and private agencies and to the general public through speaking engagements, media releases and educational programs;
- Conducts outreach activities to locate and attract clients and may participate and be assigned to work in and with Open Access Center & COTI programs & staff ;
- Develops treatment plans for assigned clients and maintains case progress notes in accordance with State Guidelines;
- Contacts former clients to show continuing interest and offer encouragement;
- Provides former clients with tutorial services, follow-up counseling and other services;
- Makes the community aware of the services available;
- Assists in the development of financial assistance for the program;
- Prepares monthly client status and demographic reports.
Minimum Qualifications
High school diploma or High School Equivalency and possession of certificate and maintain at all times current certification as a New York State Certified Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC-2; CASAC or CASAC-T, CASAC-P); and either:
A.Possession of a Master’s Degree from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university in counseling, psychology, social work, nursing, marriage & family therapy, therapeutic recreation, creative arts therapy, social sciences, or human services; or
B.Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in counseling, psychology, social work, nursing, therapeutic recreation, social sciences, human services; or
C.Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college with an Associate’s Degree in addictions counseling, nursing, human services or social sciences; or
D.Obtained the OASAS defined minimal educational requirements from a certified education and training provider, which includes completion of a 350-hour certificate program that meets the standardized, comprehensive CASAC curriculum. In addition to the 350-hours, you have also completed the OASAS mandatory one-time required trainings and hold current certification as a New York State Certified Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor
SPECIAL NOTE: EDUCATION: Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education. If your degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of acceptable companies who provide this service can be found on the Internet at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. You must pay the required evaluation fee.
When giving a job description include: Name of employer, Job Title, Duties performed by you, Start and End Date (Month/Year), Hours worked per week. *Include all relevant experience. Additional experience may not be accepted after the application is reviewed. *Give the average hours worked per week. Example 40 hours worked per week. Do not give a range of hours worked per week. Example 20-30 hours worked per week. You will only receive credit for the lowest amount given. *Part-time experience is prorated *Give the month and year of your start and end dates worked. If partial dates are submitted, you will receive credit for the least amount of time. *If you had more than one title at same employer, list as separate employment.
We offer a complete benefits package to full-time employees including health care, dental, vision, retirement, deferred compensation plans, flexible spending accounts, short-term disability, holidays, vacation, and sick leave. Part-time employees may be eligible for some benefits depending on their particular Bargaining Unit Agreement. To learn more details, visit our benefits page.