Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC)

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$61k

The week · per this posting

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

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people.

Shodair Children’s Hospital is looking for a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) to provide specialized substance use assessment, counseling, and education to children and adolescents receiving inpatient psychiatric care.

In this role, you’ll work alongside a multidisciplinary treatment team to address substance use and co-occurring mental health needs while helping patients develop healthier coping skills, motivation for change, relapse-prevention strategies, and a path toward recovery.

What You'll Do

  • Conduct developmentally appropriate substance use screenings and assessments.
  • Provide individual and group counseling focused on substance use, recovery, coping skills, relapse prevention, and harm reduction.
  • Collaborate with the treatment team to integrate substance use goals into individualized treatment plans.
  • Participate in treatment team meetings, clinical consultation, and discharge planning.
  • Develop recovery and relapse-prevention plans and coordinate appropriate community referrals.
  • Provide education and support to patients, families, and staff.
  • Maintain accurate clinical documentation and participate in quality improvement and staff education.
  • Provide trauma-informed, strengths-based, culturally responsive, and developmentally appropriate care.

What We Offer

  • $61,300 starting annual salary
  • Free medical insurance
  • Free vision insurance
  • 6% employer-paid 403(b) contribution
  • Relocation reimbursement available
  • Professional development and opportunities for continued clinical growth

Make an Impact at Shodair

Your expertise can help young people understand their substance use, build healthier coping skills, and take meaningful steps toward recovery. If you’re passionate about helping children and adolescents navigate complex behavioral health challenges, we’d love to have you join the Shodair team.

Requirements

What We're Looking For

Current Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) license or eligibility under Montana Board of Behavioral Health requirements.

Bachelor's or advanced degree in alcohol and drug studies, psychology, sociology, social work, counseling, human services, psychiatric rehabilitation, community health, or a related qualifying field.

Experience in acute or residential psychiatric care preferred.

Key Responsibilities

The Licensed Addiction Counselor will provide specialized substance use assessments, counseling, and education to children and adolescents in an inpatient psychiatric setting. They will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to develop individualized treatment plans and coordinate recovery and relapse-prevention strategies.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Trauma-informed careTreatment planningCrisis interventionIndividual counselingPatient education

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

Of the 43 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 49% are remote, 40% have no call, 91% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Montana is 94.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$61k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $65k in an average-cost state. 59.2% of Montana clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Counselor Jobs

22 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution22 jobs · 12 employers

5
<$80k
9
$80k-90k
3
$90k-100k
5
$100k-110k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks20 jobs · 12 employers

401k / retirement match
100% this job
Sign-on bonus
60%
PSLF eligible
15%
CME allowance
10%
Loan repayment
5%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Therapist (LCSW, LMHC, LMFT)

LifeStance Health · South Bend, Indiana

$84k-$107k
#2

Child and Adolescent Licensed Therapist (LCSW, LMHC, LMFT)

LifeStance Health · Zionsville, Indiana

$84k-$107k
#3

Couples/Family Therapist (LMFT)

$84k-$107k
#4

Licensed Mental Health Counselor

$79k-$105k
+ 20 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Addiction Medicine (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,292 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site

Living in Helena

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$479k≈ 7.8× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,616/mo≈ 32% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
14 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
95.7
State income tax
Up to 6.8%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Helena, MT metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Shodair Children's Hospital logo

About Shodair Children's Hospital

Mental Health Care
Helena, Montana
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

Free medical insurance
Free vision insurance
6% employer-paid 403(b) contribution
Relocation reimbursement available
Professional development opportunities