Alcohol & Drug Counselor III

Job Description

The Napa Valley

Napa County is home to 140,000 residents who share a strong sense of community and a legacy of preserving and protecting our rich agricultural heritage.

Located in the heart of California's preeminent wine region, the Napa Valley is also part of the dynamic San Francisco Bay Metropolitan Area. With its sunny Mediterranean climate and proximity to the mountains and ocean, the Valley offers residents easy access to virtually unlimited shopping, dining, cultural and recreational opportunities.

The Napa Valley's strategic location, natural and cultural resources, history of responsible land use planning and attractive quality of life provide the ideal mix of small town living and big city amenities.

Napa County as an Employer

As an organization, Napa County is dedicated to improving the lives of our citizens and reflecting the best of the community's values: Respect, Accountability, Dedication, Integrity and Innovation. Learn more Learn more HERE .

The Position

Napa County is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Alcohol & Drug Counselor III to join Behavioral Health within the Health and Human Services Agency. The incumbent will be part of Substance Use and Recovery Services (SURS), which provides outpatient substance use disorder (SUD) services and manages Napa County’s Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS) continuum of care, including outpatient and residential treatment, medication for addiction treatment (MAT), prevention a, recovery services, and other SUD programs.
The Alcohol & Drug Counselor III provides advanced clinical counseling and community-based services, including individual, family, and group counseling, assessments and care planning, care coordination, outreach and engagement, and recovery support services. The incumbent maintains timely and accurate documentation in the electronic health record and exercises independent professional judgment in responding to complex client needs and coordinating services across the SUD continuum. Incumbents may also assist with administrative functions and provide support and oversight related to data, quality improvement, and regulatory requirements. The incumbent also provides consultation, education, and presentations to clients, staff, community partners, and other professionals regarding substance use disorders, treatment and recovery services, harm reduction, prevention, and available resources.

This is the advanced journey-level classification in the Alcohol & Drug Counselor series and is distinguished from the Alcohol & Drug Counselor II by the regular performance of more complex clinical assignments, community presentations, consultation, and coordination activities, as well as a greater degree of independent judgment and responsibility.

Incumbents may be assigned to specialized programs or populations based on departmental needs, including, but not limited to, individuals experiencing homelessness, justice-involved individuals, pregnant and perinatal individuals, individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, and individuals who are not pursuing abstinence. The incumbent may collaborate with healthcare providers, criminal justice agencies, hospitals, social services, and community-based organizations to coordinate care and support access to treatment and recovery resources.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong clinical skills, sound professional judgment, and a commitment to person-centered, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, harm reduction, and evidence-based approaches to SUD treatment and recovery.
This recruitment is being conducted to fill 1 (one) full-time vacancy. The list established by this recruitment may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, limited term, and extra help vacancies for up to one year. Bilingual Spanish is required.

Click here to learn more about HHSA's commitment to learning and serving!

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Agreed Wintertime Off (WTO):
32.0 hour of Winter Time-Off (WTO)Bilingual Pay for Level I: $100.00 biweekly must successfully pass the examination

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Experience and Education:
To qualify for this classification, an individual must possess any combination of experience and education that would likely produce the required knowledge and abilities. A desirable combination is:
Alcohol & Drug Counselor III ($45.93 - $54.77 Hourly):
Experience:
Two years of alcoholism and drug counseling experience in a state certified program.

Education:
Equivalent to graduation from an accredited college or university with major course work in psychology, social work, counseling or closely related field. (Additional qualifying experience in a certified alcohol or drug program may be substituted for two years of the required college education on a year-for-year basis.)

LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE:*
Pursuant to Government Code Section 13010, applicants must be able to provide proof of certification or registration to obtain certification by a State approved Alcohol & Drug Counselor Certification Organization within 6 months of date of hire.

Possession of a valid California Driver's License is required.

Possession of a current First Aid and CPR certificate is required.

Applicants who are otherwise acceptable, but lack the required certificates, may be appointed with the provision that the required certificates must be obtained within six months after initial appointment.

*Any license, certification, or registration required for this position shall be maintained (i.e. active and in good standing) at all times during employment with Napa County. For continued employment with Napa County, you must maintain such license, certification, or registration to meet the minimum qualifications of this position. Loss of the required State licensure may result in termination or reassignment.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Incumbents in this classification may work after hours, evenings, and/or weekends, as required.
Candidates may be subject to a pre-employment drug and alcohol test.

THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Application Deadline By 5:00 PM, PST, November 3, 2026 Application Screening & Supplemental Question Scoring
Tentatively scheduled for the week of November 2, 2026

Supplemental questions will be scored by subject matter experts. The most qualified applicants from the scoring of the supplemental questions will be invited for an Oral Panel Interview.
Oral Panel Interview Tentatively scheduled for the week November 16, 202

The most qualified candidates from the oral panel interview will be placed on the eligibility list and may be considered for current and future vacancies for this position for up to one year.

The Human Resources Department reserves the right to change the recruitment process at any time.

Example of Duties

View the full job descriptions, inlcuding job requirements here: Alcohol & Drug Counselor III.

Benefits
Learn more about the benefits package for this position HERE!

ADA Accommodation
Applicants requiring accommodation during the application and/or selection process pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Act should contact County of Napa Human Resources at (707) 253-4303.

Disaster Service Workers
Napa County employees automatically become Disaster Service Workers. This means that when Napa County experiences emergencies (earthquake, wildfire, power outage, etc.) you may be asked to pivot from your regular duties to provide critical services to those affected by the emergency (CA Govt Code § 3102).

Napa County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

PUBLIC SERVICES EMPLOYEES BENEFITS INFORMATION

SALARY -
Salaries are based on a five-step range. Appointments are usually made at the beginning step with advances occurring at six months and the completion of each year thereafter. Salary rates are reviewed annually.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS INFO -
Click here for additional benefits information forPublic ServicesEmployees:
https://www.countyofnapa.org/DocumentCenter/View/25886/Benefits-Summary---Public-Service-Employee-PSE

THESE BENEFITS DO NOT APPLY TO EXTRA HELP POSITIONS

EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION

PHYSICAL STANDARDS -
Certain designated County positions require a candidate to pass a physical examination prior to appointment. Offers of employment are conditional upon successful completion of this examination.

FINGERPRINTING -
All employees hired into allocated positions or extra help positions will be fingerprinted.

SELECTION PROCESS -

FOR POSITIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT - The selection process will include an oral board interview, psychological assessment, background investigation, and a pre-employment physical exam.

Closing Date/Time: 11/3/2026 5:00 PM Pacific