Lifehouse Agency logo
Lifehouse Agency
Petaluma, California

Independent Living Skills (ILS) Counselor

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

starting at $22/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about call expectations, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

Ready to make a difference in the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD)?

At Lifehouse we focus on helping each person we support have the opportunity to lead a full life in their community. Our Counselors build relationships with the people we support ensuring they live full lives through assisting in day to day tasks, joining clubs, going out to eat, hiking, enjoying movies, going on vacations and more.

What You Will Be Doing

  • Ensure independence for the people you support by assisting in day to day tasks.
  • Encourage growth in independent living by training and facilitating skill development.
  • Support community integration and development of social skills through recreational activities.
  • Monitor and document progress towards goals outlined in Individual Service Plans, and updating goals at scheduled interviews or at agreed upon times.
  • Develop and maintain positive relationships with parents and third-party agencies.
  • Participate in team meetings and training as well as agency-wide training opportunities.

Why You Should Apply

  • You will make a difference and have fun while you work.
  • You will be part of a great team working towards integration and changing the perception of people with developmental disabilities in the community.
  • Competitive pay, starting at $22.50 per hour.

Outstanding benefits, including medial, employer-funded HRA, dental, vision, Life, LTD, EAP, FSA, retirement with employer match, pet insurance, vacation, sick, and holiday pay.

What You Will Bring

  • Friendly, helpful attitude, willing to go the extra mile, and creative problem solving skills
  • Openness to learn new tasks
  • CA Driver's License plus 2 years driving experience (Required)
  • Registered Vehicle with valid insurance (Required)
  • Ability to pass LiveScan fingerprint clearance
  • Ability to lift 50lbs

Benefits

  • 401(k) matching - up to 4% Match
  • Dental insurance - 100% coverage of employee only premiums
  • Health insurance - up to 100% coverage of employee only premiums
  • Life insurance - 100% coverage of up to $150,000
  • Paid time off - Approximately 80 hours (on accrual basis)
  • Health Reimbursement (HRA) - $6000 per employee to cover eligible expenses
  • Vision - $200 reimbursement per year
  • Referral program - Up to $650 per referral!
  • Additional Employee Assistance and Benefits Programs
  • Job Types: Part-time; Full-Time
  • Pay: $22.50 per hour
  • Work Location: In person, Marin County OR Sonoma County
  • Lifehouse is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce.
  • Tags: ILS, I/DD, Counselor, ISP, Counselor, DSP, Caregiver, Care Team, Nurse, Support
  • Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Key Responsibilities

Counselors assist individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in daily tasks and facilitate skill development to promote independence. They also support community integration through recreational activities and maintain documentation for individual service plans.

Requirements

Candidates must possess a valid California Driver's License with at least 2 years of driving experience and a registered vehicle with insurance. Additionally, applicants must be able to pass a LiveScan fingerprint clearance and lift 50lbs.

Qualifications

Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Independent living supportSkill development facilitationSocial skills trainingRelationship managementInterpersonal communication

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Counseling listings this role was benchmarked against, 52% are remote, 14% have no call, 62% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$47k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $42k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Counseling pay on WeekdayDoc is up 9.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Independent Living Skills (ILS) Counselor at Lifehouse Agency a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 25% in Counseling — ranked against 567 active Counseling listings on WeekdayDoc.

Top Counselor Jobs

32 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution32 jobs · 25 employers

8
<$90k
10
$90k-105k
4
$105k-120k
7
$120k-135k
3
$135k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks26 jobs · 25 employers

401k / retirement match
88% this job
CME allowance
54%
Sign-on bonus
38%
Loan repayment
12%
PSLF eligible
8%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Dental Therapist

InterDent Service · Salem, Oregon

From $155k
#2

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

LifeStance Health · Encinitas, California

$118k-$135k
#3

Licensed Clinical Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$115k-$135k
#4

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
+ 30 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.4this job 7.2
Better work-life than 80% of Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 567 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site

Living in Petaluma

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$845k
Typical market rent
$2,986/mo
Residents’ average commute
31 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
107.8
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Lifehouse Agency logo

About Lifehouse Agency

Non-profit Organizations
San Rafael, California
51-200 employees

Benefits & Perks

401(k) matching up to 4%
Dental insurance (100% employee coverage)
Health insurance (up to 100% employee coverage)
Life insurance (100% coverage up to $150,000)
Paid time off (approx. 80 hours)
Health Reimbursement Arrangement ($6,000)
Vision reimbursement ($200/year)
Referral program (up to $650)