Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor resume
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Also called addiction counselor, addictions counselor, alcohol and drug counselor and alcoholic counselor.
$60,320
Median pay a year
1,035,300
People do this work
6
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Pay and headcount are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lines are written from what the US Department of Labor records about this work.
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Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor
1 certification
Summary
Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselor advising individuals and groups on overcoming dependencies, developing treatment plans, and coordinating post-treatment support in a clinical setting
Experience
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor
Where you worked
Month Year to Month Year
Counseled clients individually and in group sessions to assist in overcoming dependencies and making life changes
Completed and maintained accurate records regarding patients' histories, progress, and services provided
Assessed individuals' degree of drug dependency by collecting and analyzing urine samples
Developed client treatment plans based on research, clinical experience, and client histories
Coordinated activities with courts, probation officers, and community services for post-treatment support
Reviewed and evaluated clients' progress in relation to measurable goals in treatment and care plans
Conducted chemical dependency program orientation sessions for new clients
Skills
Core Skills
Monitoring clients, Developing patient treatment plans, Interviewing for progress, Administering drug screening tests, Evaluating counseling effectiveness, Planning programs, Writing reports or evaluations, Conferencing with family members, Modifying treatment plans
Technical Skills
Maintaining client records
Open to
On site, Remote
Education
Professional Degree (JD, MD, DDS) Your university, Year
Certifications & Licenses
State license for this work Your state board, Year
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Maintained accurate records of patient progressCounseled clients in individual and group sessionsAssessed drug dependency through urine sample analysisReviewed clients' progress against treatment goalsDeveloped treatment plans based on client historiesCoordinated activities with community service agencies
becomes
On your resume
Maintained accurate records of patient progress to ensure effective treatment and compliance with regulations
Assessed drug dependency by collecting and analyzing urine samples, providing critical data for treatment planning
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Show what improved once the records were maintained
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Maintained accurate records of patient progress, leading to more effective treatment plans and compliance with regulations
Show what improved once the records were maintained
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Treatment plans were more effectiveStaff could track progress easilyPatients received timely interventions
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Mention if you were trusted to handle sensitive samples or data
The line
Assessed drug dependency by collecting and analyzing urine samples, providing critical data for treatment planning
Mention if you were trusted to handle sensitive samples or data
Pick one that fits
Handled samples for multiple clientsTrained new staff on sample collectionManaged sensitive data with confidentiality
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What it is made of
Skills for a Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor resume
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What are you good at?
Monitoring clients
Developing patient treatment plans
Interviewing for progress
Administering drug screening tests
Evaluating counseling effectiveness
Modifying treatment plans
Planning programs
Writing reports or evaluations
Maintaining client records
Conferencing with family members
Presenting social services information
Referring clients
The work itself
What a Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor does
The public record of what this job is, in one paragraph.
Counsel and advise individuals with alcohol, tobacco, drug, or other problems, such as gambling and eating disorders. May counsel individuals, families, or groups or engage in prevention programs.
What it pays
How much does a Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor make?
Annual pay across the United States. The middle figure is the median: half earn less than that, and half earn more.
25th percentile
$47,560
Median
$60,320
75th percentile
$78,260
These figures cover this work together with Mental Health Counselor, which is how they are published.
About 1,035,300 people do this work and Mental Health Counselor in the United States, counted together.
Other names
Other names for this job
addiction counselor, addictions counselor, alcohol and drug counselor, alcoholic counselor, alcoholism and substance abuse counselor, cd counselor, certified abuse and drug addiction counselor, certified alcohol and drug counselor, certified alcohol counselor, certified alcohol drug counselor, CADC, certified drug and alcohol counselor.
More names for this work
certified drug counselor, certified substance abuse counselor, chemical dependency counselor, clinical counselor, correctional substance abuse counselor, counselor, credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse counselor, direct care counselor, drug abuse counselor, drug counselor, drug or alcohol abuse human relations counselor, group counselor, group home counselor, licensed alcohol and drug counselor, licensed professional counselor, LPC, outpatient counselor, quitline counselor, residential substance abuse counselor, sa counselor, student assistance counselor, SAC, substance abuse counselor, substance use counselor, substance use disorder counselor, treatment counselor, adac, addiction recovery specialist, addiction therapist, assessment specialist, behavior tech, behavior technician, behavior therapist, behavioral analyst, behavioral clinician, behavioral specialist, behavioral technician, behavioral therapist, casac, case manager, chemical dependency professional, chemical dependency technician, clinician, dats, drug abuse technician, drug and alcohol therapist, drug and alcohol treatment specialist, ladc.
If you served
Military jobs this work counts as
From the crosswalk the US Department of Labor publishes itself. If one of these was your job, this page is about the civilian work it maps to.
003754 Counselor
003380 Drug and Alcohol Counselor
001800 Drug and Alcohol Counselor Intern
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This page is about the occupation Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors. What this job involves and what it is made of come from O*NET 30.3, the US Department of Labor's occupation database, refreshed July 2026; Rung writes those records into the plain sentences you see. Pay comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS release for 2025. Rung is an independent service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by either agency. How Rung handles accuracy is on the accuracy page, and the full data credits are on the credits page.