SUBSTANCE ABUSE ASSISTANT
Substance Abuse Assistant is a state title in New Jersey's competitive civil service, which means the way in is an open exam rather than a direct appointment.
Candidates need an associate's degree and 2 years of relevant experience. Pay on the FY2027 schedule runs $52,696 to $76,518, and state payroll currently lists 2 people in the title, led by Juvenile Justice Commission.
How to apply
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Exam
This is an application to sit an exam and be placed on an eligible list for this title, not an application for a specific job. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. There may be no current vacancy behind it, and the list it produces may not be certified for months or years.
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Exam
Open to permanent employees in the competitive division who hold a qualifying lower title in the same unit. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. Like the open competitive exam, this places you on a list; it is not itself a job offer.
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Agency posting
Department of Health posts its own vacancies directly, often before (or instead of) any civil service exam announcement. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 2 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $67,026. The agencies employing the most are:
- Juvenile Justice Commission (1)
- Health and Senior Services (1)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator.
Definition
Under direction of a Clinic Supervisor or other supervisor in a state department or agency, assists in field and office work to provide intake, outreach, and aftercare counseling services; does other related duties as required.
Examples of work
May assist in developing/planning innovative techniques/approaches to drug abuse prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. Monitors patients in collecting urine specimens and processing same in accord with diagnostic procedures. May assist in developing community self-help and mutual support cohort groups for the purpose of ongoing support to prevent remission, relapse, and recidivism including developing voluntary preventive services to adolescents embarking on a substance abuse career. When assigned to the residential program, may assist in coordinating, supervising, and controlling daily activities of residents in a treatment program by carrying out activities as assigned by the Residential Director. May assist in implementing daily schedules for therapy, traffic flow, work programs, resident meetings, training and education, and recreation and social activities. In the Chelsea School, Discovery House, or similar setting, may be required to make safety/fire checks, bed checks of students or patients, sanitation checks, inventory equipment, or perform other duties during emergencies to protect students/patients and to protect state property. May assist in conducting classes designed to assist residents in obtaining their high school equivalency certificate. May assist in providing direct counseling when necessary. Maintains inventory and maintenance control over food, equipment, furniture, supplies, and other appurtenances of the treatment program. Maintains order and discipline, resolves behavior problems, and refers problems of a serious nature to the Residential Director. Participates in group encounters, seminars, and marathon sessions. May gather factual data for reports. Maintains cooperative working relationships with business, labor, and industry, and public, private, and community agencies and groups to encourage the provision of jobs and supportive services. Participates in training staff, the general public, volunteers, and others involved in encounters, self-help, sensitivity, and reality therapies. Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Education
Completion of sixty (60) semester hour credits at an accredited college or university.
Experience
Two (2) years of experience assisting in a counseling program with persons addicted to drugs or alcohol in a narcotic or alcoholic treatment, prevention, and/or rehabilitation program.
License
Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of the philosophy of encounter and interaction techniques and the program design and procedures used in therapeutic community treatment programs. Knowledge of the addict life style and related current drug scene. Knowledge of community organizations. Ability to read, learn, conceptualize, and write factual reports. Ability to learn and develop skills, knowledge, and experience beyond the scope of experience trained ex-addicts. Ability to review and analyze realistically current programs/activities with a view toward making such revisions/additions as necessary under changing conditions. Ability to make the fullest possible use of available community resources. Ability to maintain a professional attitude in work with the addicted, staff, volunteer workers, and with community representatives. Ability to establish and maintain cooperative work relationships with local/regional agencies and institutions to provide case findings, referrals, controls, and the induction into the program of narcotic addicts and drug abusers. Ability to develop viable ancillary services by providing training to cooperating agencies and schools and to professional and voluntary workers. Ability to assign, instruct, and supervise clinic staff. Ability to prepare clear, technically sound, accurate, and informative reports of clinic activities. Ability to maintain records, reports, and files. Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. Applicants who do not possess the required sixty (60) semester hour credits may substitute additional experience as indicated on the basis of one (1) year for each thirty (30) semester hour credits. Completion of a Bachelor's degree including or supplemented by thirty (30) semester hour credits in psychology, social work, sociology, rehabilitation, counseling, or any combination thereof may be substituted for the two (2) years of indicated experience and sixty (60) semester hour credits as indicated. SPECIAL SKILL Appointees to the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf must be able to communicate effectively in the language of the deaf, particularly American Sign Language, sufficiently to perform duties of the position, and must successfully pass a screening process administered by the deaf and hard of hearing committee at the school.