Addiction treatment facilities provide life-saving care to millions of Americans each year, and it takes tens of thousands of professionals and support staff to make it happen. A career in addiction treatment and recovery is a path full of opportunities, with each day bringing you the chance to help individuals, families and communities flourish.

Though 2.6 million Americans received professional treatment in 2019, it was only a small fraction of the nearly 21.6 million people who needed services for substance abuse and addiction. There’s an incredible need for addiction specialists in Colorado and throughout the country who can help bridge this treatment gap and ensure everyone has access to the support they deserve.

The Impact Addiction Specialists Have on Our Community

The pandemic brought stress, uncertainty and symptoms of mental health concerns to many Americans. During the height of the pandemic, a survey by The Recovery Village found 55% of respondents reported an increase in past-month alcohol use, and 36% reported an increase in past-month drug use. Of those who reported using substances, 54% did so because of stress and 32% were attempting to cope with mental health concerns like anxiety and depression.

In Colorado, effects like these contributed to a 40% increase in drug overdose deaths in a six-month period in 2020. There were 597 overdose deaths in Colorado from March to August 2020, compared to the average of 424 from the previous three years.

Addiction specialists prevent these numbers from being even higher by providing life-saving care, support and long-term recovery resources that help people stay sober. 

Reasons to Work for an Addiction Treatment Facility in Colorado

Addiction specialists may take on many different roles, ranging from community outreach to diagnosis and treatment. As an addiction professional, your role may involve:

  • Diagnosing and creating treatment plans for people struggling with substance use and any co-occurring mental health conditions
  • Monitoring client recovery progress
  • Providing individual and group therapy sessions for people in recovery
  • Providing support and education to friends, family members, loved ones, employers and educators
  • Raising awareness about addiction through community outreach campaigns
  • Providing education about addiction, doing health screenings and sharing other preventative information
  • Offering harm mitigation services, such as fentanyl test kits, Narcan for overdose reversal, needle exchanges, maintenance medication and more
  • Crisis intervention, such as responding to mental health concerns or self-harm  

Regardless of which area you specialize in, you’ll be able to enjoy plentiful career opportunities due to the high demand for addiction professionals. By choosing a facility like The Recovery Village at Palmer Lake, though, you can enjoy all the scenic attractions and activities that our beautiful state has to offer.

Is a Career in Addiction Treatment Right for You?

If you’re looking to find fulfillment in your work and are a caring, compassionate individual, a career in addiction treatment may be the perfect fit for you. The Recovery Village at Palmer Lake is always looking for new professionals to add to our multidisciplinary team of experts. We offer a variety of competitive benefits, including vision, health, dental, 401(k), paid time off and more.

Career Openings at The Recovery Village at Palmer Lake

The Recovery Village provides an up-to-date list of all currently available positions at our Palmer Lake location and our sister facilities throughout the country. Visit our career portal page to see what open positions you can currently apply for. In the meantime, you can visit our About Us page to learn more about what The Recovery Village at Palmer Lake has to offer.

Sarah-Banfield
By – Sarah Banfield
As a member of the Community Outreach team at The Recovery Village at Palmer Lake, Sarah is dedicated to helping clients, families, and organizations find quality treatment options. Read more
Jonathan-Strum
Editor – Jonathan Strum
Jonathan Strum graduated from the University of Nebraska Omaha with a Bachelor's in Communication in 2017 and has been writing professionally ever since. Read more
Sources

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. “Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indi[…]n the United States.” September 2020. Accessed July 9, 2021.

Seaman, Jessica. “Deaths in Colorado rose 20% during first[…]ader toll on health.” The Denver Post, October 11, 2020. Accessed July 9, 2021.

Medical Disclaimer

The Recovery Village at Palmer Lake aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers.