CERTIFIED ALCOHOL AND DRUG COUNSELOR II (CADC-II)

JOB SUMMARY
The Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor II (CADC-II) provides substance use disorder counseling services to adults and families in detoxification, residential, partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), or outpatient recovery settings. This clinical role supports stabilization, relapse prevention, individualized recovery planning, group counseling, care coordination, discharge planning, and ongoing recovery support. The CADC-II practices within the recognized scope of addiction counseling, applicable credentialing standards, clinical supervision requirements, and facility policy.

DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Conduct comprehensive biopsychosocial assessments, substance use screenings, risk assessments, and level-of-care reviews using ASAM criteria as applicable to the program setting.
• Develop, implement, review, and update individualized treatment plans, relapse-prevention plans, recovery goals, discharge plans, and continuing-care recommendations.
• Provide individual, group, and family counseling for adults and families experiencing substance use disorders and co-occurring needs within the provider's credentialed scope of practice.
• Facilitate psychoeducational, process, coping-skills, relapse-prevention, trauma-informed, life-skills, and recovery-oriented groups, including groups informed by 12-Step principles and other recovery-support models.
• Monitor client progress, clinical presentation, withdrawal-related needs, safety concerns, treatment engagement, and response to interventions; modify counseling interventions as clinically appropriate.
• Provide crisis intervention, safety planning, de-escalation, relapse-prevention support, and referral or escalation to emergency services or a higher level of care when indicated.
• Collaborate with psychiatrists, physicians, nurses, case managers, peer support staff, medical providers, families, courts, referral sources, and community resources to coordinate care.
• Educate clients and families regarding addiction, mental health, co-occurring disorders, coping strategies, medication adherence as applicable, recovery resources, and aftercare planning.
• Maintain accurate, complete, and timely documentation in the electronic health record in accordance with agency policy, Georgia requirements, payer standards, accreditation standards, HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2 as applicable, and professional ethics.
• Participate in clinical supervision, case consultation, treatment-team meetings, staff meetings, utilization-review support, quality-improvement activities, and ongoing professional development.

OTHER FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Current CADC-II credential in good standing and recognized in Georgia, or eligibility consistent with agency hiring policy and applicable credentialing standards.
• Bachelor's degree in a human services field or other education meeting applicable CADC-II credentialing requirements preferred or required based on the credentialing pathway.
• Documented substance use disorder education, supervised clinical experience, and examination requirements consistent with CADC-II credentialing standards.
• Experience working with adults with substance use disorders, co-occurring needs, relapse risk, withdrawal-stabilization needs, and recovery-planning needs preferred.
• Ability to practice within the CADC-II scope, including addiction counseling, screening, assessment support, treatment planning, case coordination, group facilitation, and recovery-support services.
• Ability to work Monday through Friday, including weekends and evening hours as needed based on client and program needs.
• Commitment to maintaining all required continuing education, ethical standards, supervision, and credential-renewal requirements.

COMPETENCIES

• Clinical assessment and planning: Demonstrates sound judgment in screening, biopsychosocial assessment, ASAM-informed level-of-care review, treatment planning, and continuing-care recommendations.
• Counseling and group facilitation: Uses effective individual, group, and family counseling techniques within the CADC-II scope of practice.
• Evidence-based practice: Applies Motivational Interviewing, CBT-informed interventions, DBT skills, trauma-informed care, relapse-prevention counseling, and recovery-support approaches as appropriate.
• Crisis response and safety: Recognizes clinical deterioration, relapse risk, withdrawal-related concerns, suicide or safety concerns, and the need for timely escalation.
• Patient-centered care: Provides respectful, compassionate, stigma-free, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and recovery-oriented services.
• Communication and collaboration: Communicates clearly and professionally with clients, families, providers, clinical staff, leadership, courts, referral sources, and community partners.
• Documentation and compliance: Produces accurate, timely, clinically relevant, and payer-ready documentation while protecting confidentiality.
• Organization and accountability: Manages caseload responsibilities, scheduled groups, treatment-plan deadlines, follow-up activities, and professional-development requirements.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE

• Experience in inpatient detoxification, residential treatment, PHP, IOP, outpatient behavioral health, crisis stabilization, or community mental health preferred.
• Experience serving clients with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders preferred.
• Knowledge of substance use disorders, withdrawal stabilization, relapse dynamics, stages of change, recovery planning, family systems, and community recovery resources.
• Knowledge of ASAM criteria and evidence-based practices, including CBT, DBT skills, Motivational Interviewing, trauma-informed care, relapse prevention, and 12-Step or other recovery-support approaches.
• Familiarity with electronic health record systems, multidisciplinary treatment-team workflows, utilization review, payer documentation, and discharge-planning processes.
• Strong communication, organizational, interpersonal, documentation, group-facilitation, and clinical judgment skills.
• Ability to work independently within assigned responsibilities while seeking supervision, consultation, or escalation when indicated.
• Understanding of HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2 as applicable, professional ethics, Georgia requirements, accreditation standards, payer requirements, and facility policies.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
This position operates in a structured detoxification and recovery clinic serving adults and families across detoxification, residential, PHP, IOP, or outpatient levels of care. The environment requires regular interaction with clients experiencing substance use disorders, co-occurring conditions, relapse risk, withdrawal-related concerns, and emotionally sensitive circumstances. The CADC-II works collaboratively with a multidisciplinary clinical team and may be required to work evenings or weekends based on program needs.
This role is intended for substance use disorder counseling services. Mental health diagnosis, psychotherapy, and treatment of non-substance-use mental health disorders may be performed only when permitted by the employee's separate professional license, supervision arrangement, scope of practice, and facility policy. The employee must maintain confidentiality and ethical standards in compliance with HIPAA, applicable substance use confidentiality protections, credentialing rules, agency policy, state and federal standards, and all required clinical supervision or consultation procedures.



PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Ability to remain seated or standing for extended periods while conducting counseling sessions, facilitating groups, completing documentation, or participating in treatment-team activities.
• Ability to walk throughout the facility, use stairs during emergency drills or situations, and respond promptly to client or safety needs.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and through electronic systems.
• Ability to respond to clinical, behavioral, crisis, or safety situations in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds.

Texting Privacy Policy and Information:

• Message type: Informational; you will receive text messages regarding your application and potentially regarding interview scheduling.
• No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes.
• Message frequency will vary depending on the application process.
• Msg & data rates may apply.
• OPT out at any time by texting "Stop".