Substance Abuse Counselor – Full-Time, Day Shift

Universal Health Services; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Employee Assistance Program

Medical, Dental, Vision plans

Retirement plan

Job summary

The Psychiatric Institute of Washington (PIW) within Universal Health Services seeks a compassionate Substance Abuse Counselor to support individuals with substance use and behavioral health needs. You will assess, facilitate groups, educate, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to promote recovery.

You will engage in treatment planning, maintain documentation, and build therapeutic relationships while upholding confidentiality and professional boundaries in a busy clinical setting.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• CPR/BLS Certification through the American Heart Association (AHA).
• CAC Level I or Level II certification.
• Three+ years in mental or behavioral health as an addictions counselor.
• Experience facilitating clinical and/or SUD groups and interventions.
• Experience with treatment planning, documentation, and direct patient services.

Responsibilities

• Complete substance use assessments and maintain accurate clinical documentation.
• Facilitate therapeutic groups and educational sessions.
• Provide interventions that support treatment and recovery goals.
• Build professional, goal-directed therapeutic relationships with patients.
• Participate in treatment planning and interdisciplinary team collaboration.
• Conduct family and outside-agency meetings as appropriate.
• Monitor patient progress and discharge planning.
• Observe changes in patient behavior and communicate concerns promptly.
• Support admission, assessment, and patient-care processes per plans and standards.
• Protect patient confidentiality and maintain professional boundaries.
• Collaborate with patients, families, staff and community resources.

Skills

High school diploma

CPR/BLS Certification

CAC Level I/II

3+ years behavioral health

Group facilitation

Treatment planning & docs

Education

Bachelor’s degree in human services or related field

Tools

EMR system

Microsoft Office

Zoom

CRISP

Job description

Responsibilities

Make a Meaningful Impact on Behavioral Healthcare.

Psychiatric Institute of Washington (PIW) is seeking a compassionate and experienced Substance Abuse Counselor to join our clinical team.

In this role, you will support individuals experiencing substance use and behavioral health needs through assessment, therapeutic intervention, group facilitation, patient education, and collaboration with the interdisciplinary treatment team. You will have the opportunity to build meaningful therapeutic relationships while helping patients develop the skills and support needed to move toward recovery.

If you are passionate about behavioral healthcare and want to contribute to a team focused on helping patients achieve meaningful progress, we invite you to explore a career with PIW.

What You Will Do

As a Substance Abuse Counselor, you will:

• Complete substance use assessments and maintain accurate, timely clinical documentation.
• Facilitate therapeutic groups, educational sessions, and other assigned programming.
• Provide therapeutic interventions that support patients’ treatment and recovery goals.
• Build professional, goal-directed therapeutic relationships with patients.
• Participate in treatment planning, staff reports, and interdisciplinary team collaboration.
• Conduct and document family and outside‑agency meetings as appropriate.
• Monitor and document patient progress throughout treatment and at discharge.
• Observe changes in patient behavior, condition, or safety and communicate concerns promptly to the appropriate clinical team member.
• Support admission, assessment, and patient‑care processes in accordance with established treatment plans and clinical standards.
• Protect patient confidentiality and maintain professional boundaries at all times.
• Collaborate with patients, families, clinical staff, and community resources to support continuity of care.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent
• CPR/BLS Certification through the American Heart Association (AHA)
• Certified Addictions Counselor (CAC) Level I or Level II
• Three or more years of experience working in mental or behavioral healthcare as an addictions counselor
• Experience facilitating clinical and/or substance use disorder groups and providing therapeutic interventions
• Experience with treatment planning, clinical documentation, and direct patient services

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human services, behavioral health, psychology, social work, counseling, or related field preferred
• Knowledge of community‑based substance use and recovery support resources
• Experience with hospital admission procedures and orienting patients to treatment programs
• Experience using an electronic medical record system
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office, Zoom, CRISP, or similar healthcare and productivity platforms

What Will Help You Succeed

You’ll thrive in this role if you bring compassionate communication, sound clinical judgment, strong professional boundaries, and a collaborative approach to patient care. Success also requires the ability to remain composed in challenging situations, engage patients meaningfully in treatment, and work effectively with an interdisciplinary behavioral health team.

About The Psychiatric Institute of Washington

For nearly 50 years, The Psychiatric Institute of Washington (PIW) has provided behavioral healthcare to children, adolescents, and adults throughout the Washington, D.C. community. Our 130-bed facility offers inpatient, outpatient, and partial hospitalization programs designed to help patients find hope, stability, and a path toward a healthier future.

At PIW, our team brings together professionals from across clinical, administrative, operational, and support disciplines who share a commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care.

About Us | Mental Health | Psychiatric Institute of Washington

Why Choose PIW?

At PIW, your work is a part of something meaningful, and you will have the opportunity to contribute to work that has a meaningful impact on patients, families, and the broader community. When you join PIW, you will have the opportunity to work alongside dedicated behavioral healthcare professionals, strengthen your clinical skills, expand your experience, and build a career within an organization committed to passionate care, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Benefits & Rewards

We believe a rewarding career should support your life both inside and outside of work. As a full-time Substance Abuse Counselor, you may be eligible for a variety of benefits that support your health, well‑being, and professional growth, including:

• Challenging and rewarding work environment
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Excellent Medical, Dental, Vision and Prescription Drug Plans
• Additional insurance coverage (such as life insurance, disability insurance, and pet insurance)
• Pre-tax Metro SmartTrip Benefits
• 401(K) with company match and discounted stock plan
• Tuition Reimbursement and Student Loan Repayment Program
• SoFi Student Loan Refinancing Program
• Career development opportunities within UHS and its 300+ Subsidiaries!
• More information is available on our Benefits Guest Website: benefits.uhsguest.com

Eligibility for benefits and programs may vary based on employment status, scheduled hours, position, location, and applicable plan requirements. Benefit information provided in this posting is a summary and is subject to the terms of the applicable plans and policies.

About Universal Health Services

Headquartered in King of Prussia, PA, Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYSE: UHS) is one of the nation’s largest and most respected providers of hospital and healthcare services. Since our founding in 1979, UHS has grown steadily into a premier Fortune 500® corporation perennially recognized by multiple esteemed national rating entities. Through its subsidiaries, UHS operates inpatient acute care facilities, inpatient behavioral health facilities, outpatient and other facilities, nationwide virtual behavioral health services, an insurance offering, a physician network and various related services with physical locations in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Ireland and United Kingdom. www.uhs.com.

EEO Statement

All UHS subsidiaries are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates. UHS subsidiaries are equal opportunity employers and as such, openly support and fully commit to recruitment, selection, placement, promotion and compensation of individuals without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), genetic information, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

We believe that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success.