About Job
Would you like to work for a non-profit organization where your contributions make a major impact on the lives of the children and families that we serve? Join a family of experienced mental health professionals and counselors dedicated to providing kids, and each other, the kindness, respect, and encouragement they need to succeed.
Elk Hill was honored as a 2025 Top Workplace USA and 2025 Richmond Times-Dispatch Top Workplace. These awards are based solely on employee feedback and recognize the great culture that exists at every level of the organization.
If you want to work for a Top Workplace USA and a Richmond Times-Dispatch Top Workplace organization where your decisions can impact youth and families of Central Virginia, then Elk Hill Farm, Inc. is the place for you!
We are an organization that:
- Is honored as a 2025 Top Workplace USA and 2025 Richmond Times-Dispatch Top Workplace
- Is a Top Workplace Meaningfulness Award recipient
- Has talented, hardworking employees
- Advocates for mental health issues
- Offers competitive benefits, pay, and pet insurance for full-time staff
- Provides a generous time-off and holiday package
- Offers a 401(k) plan with a 5% employer match for full-time staff
- Provides tuition assistance
- Elk Hill is celebrating 50+ years of supporting youth and families across the Commonwealth of Virginia! Stability. Adaptability. Longevity.
PRIMARY FUNCTION
Provide individual and group counseling as a Substance Abuse Counselor for designated youth in Elk Hill’s Residential Group Homes. The Substance Abuse Counselor will be required to travel to all Elk Hill Group Homes which are located in Chesterfield, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Goochland.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Provide and document weekly individual substance abuse counseling for residents; Provide and document weekly group substance abuse counseling for residents
- Provide documentation/session notes of all counseling services within the Credible software program on a weekly basis
- Conduct initial assessments and re-assessments of clients as directed/assigned
- Help participate in service planning meetings for each residential youth, as needed or required. Conduct and construct service plans for each youth in residential services regarding their substance abuse goal/objective only
- Receive documented routine clinical and administrative supervision regarding services from the Residential Clinical Director (LMHP)
- Help to obtain and maintain all applicable documentation required by licensing and/or Medicaid in the provision of services
- Provide to the Residential Director, Program Director, or Residential Case Manager documentation for presentation at agency FAPT and CPMT meetings when a client’s case is being reviewed
- Be communicative and coordinate with residential group home staff and supervisor regarding their schedule to see residents ahead of time and any necessary information to be shared
- Demonstrate sensitivity to the needs of clients, flexibility, a non-threatening manner, respect for clients’ autonomy, confidentiality, socio-cultural values, personal goals, lifestyle choices, and appropriate professional boundaries and ethics
- Develop and maintain positive relationships with referring agencies, social workers, court service personnel, parents, other licensed mental health professionals and all other persons involved in the resident’s services
- Work cooperatively with all Elk Hill staff to improve the quality of the whole organization
- For CSAC-E/CADC-E: Provide all documentation required by Department of Health Professionals to clinical supervisor in a timely fashion for completion. Submit all required supervision paperwork to Department of Health Professionals as required. Receive routine, as outlined within the parameters for eligibility of certification, clinical and administrative supervision
- Other duties as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS:
- A bachelor’s degree in human services; and
- Provide documentation of 240 hours (CSAC), 300 hours (CADC) of education in substance abuse counseling, including a minimum of 16 hours in each of the following 13 areas from one of the following programs:
- A regionally accredited college or university; or
- Seminars or workshops from one of the approved providers and in the core content areas listed in 18VAC115-30-50
- 120 of the required 240 hours must be completed prior to registration of supervision
- Topics covered include (for CSAC):
- Dynamics of Human Behavior – 16 hours
- Signs and Symptoms of Substance Abuse – 20 hours
- Counseling Theories and Techniques – 20 hours
- Continuum of Care and Case Management Skills – 20 hours
- Recovery Process and Relapse Prevention Methods – 16 hours
- Professional Orientation and Ethics – 16 hours
- Cultural Competency – 20 hours
- Trauma and Crisis Intervention – 20 hours
- Pharmacology of Abused Substances – 20 hours
- Co-Occurring Disorders – 20 hours
- Substance Abuse Counseling Approaches and Treatment Planning – 16 hours
- Group Counseling – 20 hours
- Prevention, Screening, and Assessment of Substance Use and Abuse – 16 hours
- For CSAC and CADC: Needed supervision requirements met. For supervisees obtaining certification- complete application process from the Board of Counseling
- Provide verification of an active, unrestricted licensure or certification as a Substance Abuse Counselor
- Experience with providing therapeutic services to at-risk youth preferred
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work independently and without direct supervision
- Willingness to travel and work non-traditional business hours
- Exhibit consistent personal integrity in dealings with residents, families, co-workers, and community agencies
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is at the forefront of what we do at Elk Hill, and we enforce respectful communication and cooperation between all. Elk Hill does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.
Note: Elk Hill reserves the right to change or reassign job duties or combine positions at any time.
Professional Field


