SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR 1
Bilingual In Spanish & English
Career Family: SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR
New Jersey classifies Substance Abuse Counselor 1 as non-competitive, which skips the exam-and-list step and turns on whether you meet the minimum requirements.
On pay it sits at the foot of the Substance Abuse Counselor ladder. One promotion up is Substance Abuse Counselor 2, whose band tops out about $17,188 higher. The main requirement is 1 year of relevant experience. Pay on the FY2027 schedule runs $58,222 to $84,763, and state payroll currently lists 5 people in the title, most of them at Juvenile Justice Commission.
How to apply
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No examThis title is not filled by examination
Non-competitive, unclassified, and Senior Executive Service titles are appointed directly by the hiring agency rather than through a civil service exam. Apply directly to the agency below.
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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.
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Agency posting
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs's employment page may require a click-through to see specific openings. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
Pay ladder: Substance Abuse Counselor series
- Substance Abuse Counselor 1 — $58,222 – $84,763 (this title)
- Substance Abuse Counselor 2 — $69,668 – $101,951
Promoting to Substance Abuse Counselor 2 raises the top of the band by about $17,188. Its top salary lands around the 26th percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY2027 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 5 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $74,204. The agencies employing the most are:
- Juvenile Justice Commission (3)
- Health and Senior Services (1)
- Military and Veterans Affairs (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 Supervising Substance Abuse Counselor or other supervisory official in a state department, local government or institution, does field and office work to provide intake, outreach, and aftercare counseling services; does other related duties as required.
Examples of work
May assist in identifying drug dependent individuals by obtaining information from jails, streets, homes, referral agencies, courts, and schools. May assist in the development of preliminary treatment and rehabilitation plans. Alone or on a team, participates in initial interviews with clients. Participates in case, diagnostic, and progress conferences. Prepares and submits amanuensis, preliminary interviews, and impression intake reports. Investigates and verifies pertinent facts and information necessary for an effective treatment plan. Attends and takes part in conferences, training institutes, and meetings concerned with programs and activities of the unit. Develops working relationships with involved agencies such as welfare departments, the police, courts, probation and parole officers, schools, clinics, hospitals, physicians, lawyers, clergy, and employers and employment agencies. Provides guidance to Substance Abuse Assistants/subordinates and monitors their work progress. Maintains an assigned caseload of clients and provides necessary group or individual counseling. Plans and conducts informal group discussions designed to encourage participation, within the bounds of discipline and with a view toward the development of positive attitudes, cooperative relationships, social reeducation and adjustments. Plans and conducts formal group discussions on a variety of subjects. May assist with group and recreational activities of the program and stimulates interest in and cooperation with social and education programs. Provides personal counsel and advice to individual patients, clients, and/or inmates on problems related to social behavior and personal relationships. In treatment centers, may be required to make safety and fire checks, bed checks of students or patients, sanitation checks, inventory equipment, or perform other duties during emergencies to protect students and patients and to protect state property. Prepares reports and routine correspondence. Maintains records and files. 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.
Experience
One (1) year of experience in counseling or social work having responsibility for gathering and analyzing social or health information from clients, the determination of their needs, and the planning and carrying out of a treatment plan geared to the needs of individual clients. 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 this position, and must successfully pass a screening process administered by the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Committee at the School.
License
Appointees 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 the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of current facts, theories, hypotheses, programs, and research in the area of alcohol and/or narcotic and dangerous drugs. Knowledge of and familiarity with techniques used in group and individual counseling. Knowledge of problems involved in dealing constructively with human relationships, personality disorders, social behavior, and social relationships. Knowledge of drug abuse practices in inner and outer city and suburban, exurban, and rural areas after a period of training. Ability to analyze, comprehend, interpret, and apply basic laws, rules, regulations, and procedures to specific situations. Ability to comprehend and adjust to frameworks of reference other than one's own cultural and educational standards. Ability to relate and adjust to individuals of varied types including professional workers, staff, clients, and patients and their families. Ability to learn to collect and make appraisals of factual information and the social relationships of individuals and families, to learn quickly the essential and significant facts in an individual or family situation, to weigh and evaluate such facts, and to take appropriate action. Ability to maintain a firm, correct, and professional attitude at all times. Ability to comprehend the problems of persons who are physically and/or emotionally maladjusted. Ability to prepare clear, sound, accurate, and informative reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations. 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 the 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 the 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. This job specification is applicable to the following title code(s) which are different work week or work month and/or variants of the job class title: Job Spec Code State, Local or Common Class of Service Work Week State Class Code Local Class Code Salary Range
Note
The definition and 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. NOTE: Appointments may be made to positions requiring bilingual skills. - Bilingual in Spanish and English SPECIAL SKILL Applicants must be able to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in Spanish and English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. CNNE1821P18-Bilingual In Spanish & EnglishCNNE1821P18- This job specification is for and government use. Salary range is only applicable to state government. Local salaries are established by individual local jurisdictions. 8/02/2008
CERTIFICATION
Applicants must possess a certificate as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC), issued by the Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners, New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, Department of Law and Public Safety. Applicants who posses the credentials as a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) are considered to have met the above certification requirements.