Associate Counselor Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $67,672.00 - $107,323.00 Annually
Location : 1500 E Gude Dr Rockville MD 20850 USA
Job Type: Permanent
Job Number: 2026-00281
Department: Department of Health and Human Services
Division: HHS 60 Behavioral Health and Crisis Services Division
Opening Date: 05/15/2026
Closing Date: 5/29/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
FLSA: Exempt
About the Position
Please note: The salary range above represents this position's earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $67,672 - $103,266, based on the candidate's qualifications and experience.
WHO WE ARE
Montgomery County is located adjacent to Washington, D.C., and with over one million residents, is the most populous County in the State of Maryland. The County is also the most diverse County in the State and ranks among the top ten most diverse Counties in the nation. Montgomery County contains many major U.S. government offices, scientific research and learning centers, and business campuses.
The Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for delivery of the County's public health and human services that meets the needs of our community's most vulnerable children, adults and seniors. The Department provides services through more than 120 programs at more than 20 locations. With over 2,000 employees, the Department of Health and Human Services is the largest County Department.
As a department, we believe the health and wellness of the county can only be achieved by ensuring that every resident has fair opportunities to reach their fullest potential. This means access to quality housing, transportation, education, employment, health care, human services, safe neighborhoods, and healthy food. HHS provides critical services for residents who face a variety of obstacles in achieving their full potential. HHS plays an essential role in building a healthy and strong community.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
The Drug Court Program is currently recruiting for a Behavioral Health Associate Counselor to work with our team. We are looking for a warm and friendly addition to the team. The duties include a range of responsibilities related working with our drug court treatment team to provide services to clients with Opioid Use Disorder on the path to recovery and well-being.
What You'll Be Doing
The responsibility of this position is to provide substance use assessment, counseling and referrals to clients coming for care with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services HIV Program. The following duties will be performed:

1. Assessment, Counselling, and Referral of HIV infected clients seen in HIV clinical services
2. Participates in Ryan White Part A substance abuse planning, policy, and regional planning council committee work.
3. Attends semi-monthly multidisciplinary team meetings and in-services
4. Consults with clinical staff regarding addiction treatment strategies.

Minimum Qualifications
Behavioral Health Associate Counselor, Grade 20
Experience: None beyond that required to obtain, in the State of Maryland certification as Certified Supervised Counselor, Alcohol/Drug (CSC-AD); or, Certified Associate Counselor, Alcohol/Drug (CAC-AD).
Education: None beyond that required to obtain, in the State of Maryland, certification as Certified Supervised Counselor, Alcohol/Drug (CSC-AD); or, Certified Associate Counselor, Alcohol/Drug (CAC-AD).
Equivalency: None.
LICENSE:
• Certification, in the State of Maryland as a Certified Supervised Counselor, Alcohol/Drug (CSC-AD); or, Certified Associate Counselor, Alcohol/Drug (CAC-AD). Note: There will be no substitutions for this section.
• Possession of a valid Class "C" (or equivalent) driver's license from the applicant's state of residence when required for job-related duties.
Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences

1. Considerable knowledge of addiction counselling and treatment theory
2. Working knowledge of HIV disease and an understanding of treatment adherence
3. Licensure as Certified Addictions Counsellor (CAC), Certified Associate Counsellor-Alcohol and Drugs (CSC-AD)
4. Experience working in a substance abuse treatment program

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.
Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at Hiring@montgomerycountymd.gov. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.
MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.
All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.
This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.
If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.
Montgomery County Ethics Law: Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
Leave Benefits
Our generous leave package starts with non-MLS permanent and term employees earning 15 days of sick leave and 15 days of annual leave in their first year, as well as up to three additional personal days each calendar year. Positions in MLS earn 35 days of paid time off each year. In addition, we offer all employees 10 paid holidays. Our leave policies adhere to the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, and we provide six weeks of paid parental leave for new parents.
Retirement Benefits
All permanent and term positions are eligible for robust retirement plans. Public safety positions are eligible for a defined benefit pension plan in which they are vested after only five years. Employees in non-public safety positions can participate in retirement plans that contribute up to 12 percent of their annual salary. All employees can also participate in a supplemental retirement plan, the 457 Deferred Compensation Plan, to contribute even more to their retirement goals.
Tuition Assistance & Student Loan Forgiveness
Montgomery County employees are eligible to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Participants who meet all requirements may qualify for forgiveness on the remaining balance on their Direct Loans after making 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time in a qualifying public service position. To learn more about PSLF, please visit the Student Loan Repayment Benefits page. Our tuition assistance program allows you to receive up to $2,130 annually in tuition assistance to help you achieve a degree that supports your career path.
Free Mass Transit Benefit
County employees are entitled to use the RideOn Bus service for free with a valid County-employee ID. This benefit can be used any time of the day or evening, including weekends. We also offer a pre-tax flexible spending account to reduce the cost of other mass-transit options such as MARC trains and Metro.
Reduced Child and Health Care Costs
Working for Montgomery County also entitles permanent and term employees to participate in healthcare and childcare Flexible Spending Accounts. These plans allow eligible employees to save on a pretax basis for healthcare and dependent care costs incurred during the plan year.
Employee Wellbeing
We deeply care about your holistic wellness. Our award-winning wellness program, LiveWell, will support you in improving and maintaining your physical, mental, financial, social, and intellectual well-being.
Learn more about our wonderful benefits available to you once you join our team. Montgomery County Benefits
01
Do you currently hold a Maryland certification as a Certified Supervised Counselor-Alcohol/Drug (CSC-AD) or Certified Associate Counselor-Alcohol/Drug (CAC-AD)?

• Yes
• No

02
If you answered YES to the above, please list your certification type, license number, and expiration date.
03
Do you have considerable knowledge of addiction counseling and addiction treatment theory?

• Yes
• No

04
If yes, please briefly describe the types of clients you have worked with and the treatment approaches or modalities you have used.
05
Do you have working knowledge of HIV disease and an understanding of treatment adherence concepts?

• Yes
• No

06
If yes, please describe your experience working with individuals living with HIV and how you have supported treatment adherence.
07
Do you have experience working in a substance abuse treatment program?

• Yes
• No

08
If yes, please describe the setting (e.g., outpatient, residential, drug court), your role, and key responsibilities.
09
Do you possess and currently maintain a VALID driver's license from your state of residence?

• Yes
• No

Required Question