Substance abuse counselor with five years in outpatient and residential addiction treatment, including medication-assisted programs. Carries a caseload of 35 clients with a 68% 90-day treatment retention rate. Brings ASAM-based assessment, group facilitation, motivational interviewing and state CADC certification.
Experience
Substance Use Disorder Counselor, New Horizons Recovery Center (Louisville, KY)
Sep 2022 – Present
Counsel a caseload of 35 outpatient clients in an opioid treatment program, with 68% retained at 90 days versus a 52% state average
Complete ASAM level-of-care assessments and individualized treatment plans in Kipu
Lead 6 groups a week on relapse prevention, Seeking Safety and family education
Coordinate with prescribers on buprenorphine and methadone care and track urine drug screen results
Provided individual and group counseling to 12 residents in a 28-day program
Built discharge plans linking 80% of graduates to outpatient care within 7 days
Behavioral Health Technician, Ohio Valley Crisis Stabilization Unit (Louisville, KY)
Jun 2020 – Feb 2021
Monitored 16 adults in a crisis stabilization unit and completed hourly safety checks
Education
B.S. Psychology, University of Louisville (Aug 2016 – May 2020)
Skills
Treatment: ASAM criteria, MOUD coordination, relapse prevention, Seeking Safety, MI
Groups: psychoeducation, process groups, family programming
Compliance: 42 CFR Part 2, HIPAA, Medicaid documentation, Kipu EHR
How to write a Substance Abuse Counselor resume
A strong Substance Abuse Counselor resume shows the people and communities you served, the programs and funding you built, and the outcomes you can document for clients, funders and boards. Put your most relevant recent role first and make every bullet show a result, not a duty.
Sections, in order
Summary
Experience
Skills
Education
Certifications
Length: One page for most candidates; move to two only if every line is relevant.
Summary: Write two or three lines: your role, your strongest skills, and one result that proves them.
Skills to feature
Case management
Trauma-informed care
Program design and evaluation
Grant writing and reporting
Fundraising and donor stewardship
Volunteer management
Budget management
Community partnerships
Nonprofit CRM and case systems (Salesforce, Raiser's Edge, Apricot)
Bilingual and culturally responsive communication
Example bullet points
Managed a caseload of 28 families and moved 82% into stable housing within 90 days
Wrote 14 foundation and government proposals that raised $1.3M at a 64% win rate
Recruited and trained 220 volunteers who logged 9,500 hours, the equivalent of 4.5 full-time staff
Tips from recruiters
Put licenses and credentials (LMSW, LCSW, CADC, CFRE) with the issuing state near the top, because many roles screen for them first.
Quantify outcomes funders care about, such as housing placements, retention rates, dollars raised or cost per client, not just activities.
Name the populations, funding streams and systems you know, for example HUD CoC, HMIS, Medicaid billing or Raiser's Edge.
Recommended templates
Classic (ATS-friendly): Jake's-style LaTeX classic: small caps and hairline rules
Modern (ATS-friendly): Clean single column with accent headings and rules
Ivy (ATS-friendly): Harvard-style Times layout with centered headings
Substance Abuse Counselor resume FAQ
What should a Substance Abuse Counselor resume include?
A Substance Abuse Counselor resume should show the people and communities you served, the programs and funding you built, and the outcomes you can document for clients, funders and boards. Use these sections in this order: Summary, Experience, Skills, Education and Certifications. Put your most relevant recent role first and make every bullet show a result, not a duty.
What is the best resume template for a Substance Abuse Counselor?
Classic, Modern and Ivy work well for Substance Abuse Counselor roles. They are single-column with standard headings, so applicant tracking systems (ATS) parse them reliably.
How long should a Substance Abuse Counselor resume be?
One page for most candidates; move to two only if every line is relevant.
Which skills should a Substance Abuse Counselor put on a resume?
Prioritize the skills named in the job posting. Common ones for Substance Abuse Counselor roles are Case management, Trauma-informed care, Program design and evaluation, Grant writing and reporting, Fundraising and donor stewardship and Volunteer management.
How do I write strong Substance Abuse Counselor resume bullet points?
Start with an action verb, say what you did, and end with a measurable result such as clients served, caseload size and program outcomes. For example: "Managed a caseload of 28 families and moved 82% into stable housing within 90 days."