Substance Abuse Counselor

Specifications

SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR

Job Description

Lighthouse Therapeutic Services is an outpatient mental health clinic serving the DMV region. We are seeking a dedicated and highly skilled Substance Abuse Counselors to join our behavioral health team. The ideal candidate will possess a strong commitment to patient care and recovery, with comprehensive knowledge of addiction counseling, mental health support, and clinical interventions. As a CADC, LGADC, CAC-AD, CSC-AD, you will play a vital role in providing evidence-based treatment, conducting assessments, and supporting clients through their journey toward sobriety and mental wellness. This position offers an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in individuals' lives within a collaborative and professional environment.

Duties

• Conduct comprehensive intake assessments and diagnostic evaluations to determine client needs and develop personalized treatment plans.
• Provide individual, group, and family counseling sessions utilizing therapeutic modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, and behavioral therapy.
• Implement crisis intervention strategies to ensure client safety during acute episodes or emergencies.
• Document all patient interactions accurately within electronic medical records while adhering to HIPAA regulations and medical documentation standards.
• Facilitate case management activities including treatment coordination, progress monitoring, and community resource linkage.
• Support clients with addiction medicine approaches, including relapse prevention, behavioral health education, and trauma-informed care for conditions such as PTSD.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams in hospital or community settings to deliver integrated care aligned with ICD coding standards (ICD-9/10).
• Collect data for research purposes or quality improvement initiatives while maintaining confidentiality and compliance with medical terminology protocols.

Skills

• Extensive experience in addiction counseling, mental health counseling, and clinical counseling techniques.
• Proficiency in psychotherapy methods including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, and applied behavior analysis.
• Strong knowledge of crisis management procedures, behavior management strategies, and trauma-informed care practices.
• Familiarity with medical terminology, ICD coding systems (ICD-9/10), CPT coding, and HIPAA compliance for medical records management.
• Ability to perform patient assessments effectively while demonstrating excellent case management skills.
• Experience working in home & community care settings or hospital environments with diverse populations.
• Competence in data collection for research or quality assurance projects related to behavioral health outcomes.

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Lanham, MD 20706