Gateway Foundation logo
Gateway Foundation
Aurora, Illinois

Certified Residential Addiction Counselor (CADC, LPC, or LSW)

CounselorIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$25.64-$30/hr

The week · per this posting · Tuesday – Saturday

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 3mo ago

Job Description

Who Is Gateway Foundation?

Gateway Foundation, Inc. is a national non-profit dedicated to helping individuals with substance use and mental health disorders. Established in 1968, Gateway provides essential tools and knowledge for recovery, positively impacting hundreds of thousands of lives. Operating through its Community Services, Corrections Divisions, and Corporate Headquarters, the organization is recognized for innovative, effective treatment approaches and maintaining high standards.

Why Join Us?

Consider joining our team, where your impact can be truly meaningful. Our organization focuses on delivering high quality clinical services as a recognized leader in evidence-based treatment proven to get results.

By joining our team, you'll have the chance to provide essential services to underserved populations, all while working for an organization that values you and aims to be an employer of choice. You can expect to be part of a vibrant culture that emphasizes teamwork and professional growth.

When you join us, you have the opportunity to find both personal and professional fulfillment by aligning your career with your values.

Location: Gateway Foundation Residential/Outpatient Drug Rehab Center

400 Mercy Ln, Aurora, IL 60506

View the facility details here!

Work Schedule: Tuesday through Saturday from 8:00am-5:00pm with one later evening shift on Friday.

Residential (CADC, LPC or LSW) Substance Abuse Counselors are responsible for:

Completing comprehensive assessments of clients’ substance abuse history and treatment requirements and preparing individualized, developmentally appropriate treatment plans

  • Providing individual and group counseling and educational programs in accordance with treatment plans
  • Documenting treatment and discharge plans and clients’ progress and responses to treatment, as well as maintaining related records and charts
  • Performing case management and contributing to client care monitoring
  • Caseload typically includes some complex cases requiring more intensive services
  • Other duties as assigned

Job Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent education and life experience, with a minimum of 100 hours of documented clinical training in counseling theory and practice required

Current certification as a substance abuse counselor (CADC) or higher licensure (LPC, LSW) in state of hire required

Minimum 2 years of previous experience in substance abuse or mental health counseling required

Related work experience with program specific population (adolescent/adult) and residential treatment setting required

Physical Requirements:

Ability to walk and move about the facilities for up to two hours at a time, to monitor and interact with clients

Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

  • Ability to use a keyboard and video display terminal to receive, retrieve, and/or audit information and data
  • Ability to record, proofread and check documents and files for accuracy
  • Ability to respond to telephones, and to hear and detect alarms and unusual noises
  • Must be at least 21 years of age to operate a Gateway vehicle

Compensation (based on experience and credentials):

Range begins at $25.64 - $30.00 per hour

Gateway Foundation conducts annual reviews including merit increases.

Benefits at Gateway Foundation

Health and Wellness:

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents
  • Employee wellness program promoting health and fitness and offering cash-saving premiums
  • Employee assistance programs focused on mental health

Financial Wellbeing:

  • 403(b) Retirement Plan with 3% employer match
  • Short-term and Long-term Disability and Life and AD&D Insurance paid for by Gateway
  • Flexible Spending Accounts for medical and dependent care
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Flexibility and Time Off:

  • 18 paid time off days per year – accrual rates increase with years of service
  • 9 paid company holidays
  • Work-life-balance

Personal Development:

Training & Development Programs

Tuition Reimbursement - up to $5,250 per calendar year eLearning access to online courses that provide CEU’s and job-related training

Clinical Supervision: Formal and informal guidance

Gateway Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Race/Color/Sex/Sexual Orientation/ Gender Identity/Religion/National Origin/Disability/Vets. Please view Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here.

Key Responsibilities

Responsible for conducting comprehensive assessments and developing individualized treatment plans for clients with substance use and mental health disorders. Provides individual and group counseling while managing caseloads and documenting client progress.

Requirements

Requires a Bachelor's degree in a related field and current CADC, LPC, or LSW certification. Candidates must have at least 2 years of experience in substance abuse or mental health counseling within a residential setting.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Substance Abuse CounselingTreatment PlanningIndividual CounselingClinical DocumentationCrisis InterventionPatient Monitoring

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) listings this role was benchmarked against, 46% are remote, 26% have no call, 64% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$58k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $58k in an average-cost state. 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Certified Residential Addiction Counselor (CADC, LPC, or LSW) at Gateway Foundation a 6.1 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 35% of all Addiction Medicine counselor listings evaluated on our platform.

Top Counselor Jobs

44 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution44 jobs · 34 employers

17
<$75k
16
$75k-95k
4
$95k-115k
7
$115k-135k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks39 jobs · 34 employers

401k / retirement match
85% this job
Sign-on bonus
44%
CME allowance
31% this job
Loan repayment
26% this job
PSLF eligible
26% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Clinical Therapist

Counseling Works · Naperville, Illinois

$104k-$127k
#2

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

LifeStance Health · Saint Louis Park, Minnesota

$74k-$126k
#3

Clinical Director - LMFT, LCSW, LPCC

$112k-$126k
#4

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT, LPC, LCSW)

$92k-$125k
+ 42 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.7this job 6.1
Better work-life than 40% of Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 503 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site
  • Includes weekends

Living in Aurora

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$321k
Typical market rent
$2,253/mo
Residents’ average commute
27 min
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

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

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

Gateway Foundation logo

About Gateway Foundation

Hospitals and Health Care
Chicago, Illinois
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical, dental, vision insurance
Employee wellness program
Employee assistance program
403(b) Retirement Plan with 3% employer match
Short-term and Long-term Disability
Life and AD&D Insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)