SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR 2, MENTAL HEALTH / ALCOHOLISM SERVICE
Mental Health/Alcoholism Services
Career Family: SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR
Substance Abuse Counselor 2, Mental Health / Alcoholism Service is a competitive state title, the kind you test for: the exam result, not a hiring manager's pick, decides where you land in line.
What it takes is 1 year of relevant experience. Pay on the FY2027 schedule runs $69,668 to $101,951, and state payroll currently lists about 49 people in the title, most of them at Health and Senior Services.
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.
Pay ladder: Substance Abuse Counselor series
- Substance Abuse Counselor 1 — $58,222 – $84,763
- Substance Abuse Counselor 2 — $69,668 – $101,951
Its top salary lands around the 49th 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 49 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $86,027. The agencies employing the most are:
- Health and Senior Services (34)
- Juvenile Justice Commission (15)
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 the direction of a Program Coordinator (Mental Health/Alcoholism Services) or other supervisory officer in psychiatric facilities under the direction of the Division of Mental Health and Hospitals, Department of Human Services, acts as a case counselor or primary treatment therapist or supervises the work of a small group of lower grade counselors and does varied tasks involved in assisting clients suffering from mental illness and alcoholism to make the most satisfactory social and emotional adjustments possible; supervises staff and work activities; prepares and signs official performance evaluations for subordinate staff; does related work as required.
Examples of work
As directed, provides alcoholism counseling and serves to achieve objectives of the Mental Health/Alcoholism Programs of the Division of Mental Health and Hospitals. Participates as interdisciplinary team member, contributing alcoholism knowledge, skills and values. Makes field visits and interacts with community mental health and alcoholism providers as may be required to interpret the policies, procedures, regulations, standards and objectives of mental health/alcoholism programs under the Division of Mental Health and Hospitals. As assigned by supervisor, participates with other community institutional staff, programs, and agencies in planning services for mentally ill alcoholics. Conducts special surveys, studies and investigations and documents and reports findings with recommendations. Gives assignments to lower grade counselors and supervises their work as needed and evaluates their performance. Has line authority to recommend personnel actions (hiring, promotions, reassignments, disciplinary actions). 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 patients and to protect state property. Supervises the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting and/or disciplining of employees. Maintains an assigned caseload and provides group, individual, family counseling, treatment lectures, slides, tapes or other modalities. Assigns caseloads and ensures efficient use of available staff. Organizes and supervises training and educational programs for staff development. Plans, conducts, and supervises formal group discussions on subjects contributing to increased social and emotional functioning of clients. Reviews current literature in the field of mental health and alcoholism with emphasis on counseling the mentally ill alcoholic. Prepares documentation as required. Reviews problems, issues, or practices bearing on the care and treatment of mentally ill alcoholics reporting findings, conclusions and recommendations. Establishes and maintains relationship with Alcoholics Anonymous and uses volunteer services as needed. Maintains the essential records and files. May 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
Two (2) years of experience in mental health or alcoholism counseling or social work having the 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, one (1) year of which shall have included direct experience with persons addicted to alcohol in an alcohol 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 the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of modern counseling theory, procedures, and techniques. Knowledge of current facts, theories, hypotheses, programs, and research in the area of alcoholism and mental health. Ability to supervise assigned staff and plan, organize, and implement projects within the unit. Ability to organize and supervise assigned counseling to be done with psychiatrically hospitalized alcoholics and capability to analyze the social psychological, economics and other problems which arise therein, and capability to develop appropriate work methods within the framework of established regulations. Ability to collect, compile and make accurate appraisals of data and information. Ability to make the required field visits, studies and investigations and prepare detailed case histories, records and reports based thereon. Ability to assign caseloads and supervise performance of lower grade counselors. Ability to take part in lay and professional meetings and conferences. Ability to prepare required documentation. Ability to prepare clear, technically sound, accurate and informative reports containing findings, conclusions and recommendations pertaining to mentally ill alcoholics. Ability to maintain essential histories, records and files. Ability to learn 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, or 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 essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. 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.
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 possess the credentials as a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) are considered to have met the above certification requirements