Substance Use Counselor

Addiction CounselorNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$26-$27/hr

The week · per this posting · Tuesday – Friday

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

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

  • Outpatient MAT Opioid Treatment Program
  • Seeking: Substance Use Counselor
  • Washington SUDP or SUDPT is required

Full Time Hours

  • Tuesday - Friday, 5:30 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Saturday 6:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Our Benefits

  • Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
  • Competitive 401(k) plan
  • Paid vacation and sick time
  • Employer-paid clinical supervision (free to employees)
  • Free and unlimited access to 500+ accredited Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering continued support to employee lifestyle and well-being
  • Early morning hours offering a great work/life balance
  • Opportunity for growth that is second to none in the industry

Our Team

Bellingham Comprehensive Treatment Center (CTC), located in Bellingham, WA, is part of Acadia Healthcare's Comprehensive Treatment Centers, the leading provider of medication-assisted treatment in the nation. Our counseling team provides compassionate, high-quality counseling and therapy to patients that are seeking recovery from Opioid Use Disorder.

Your Job as a Substance Use Counselor

The Substance Use Counselor is instrumental in our patient’s treatment and recovery from opioid use disorder. Substance Use Counselors provide high quality, compassionate care through various mediums which include both individual and group counseling sessions.

Job Responsibilities

  • Provide high quality, compassionate guidance in both individual and group counseling sessions.
  • Plan, oversee, facilitate and document patient's recovery.
  • Co-facilitate assigned group or family sessions as needed.
  • Ensure all documentation regarding patient care, treatment, and incidents is completed timely and in a clear, concise manner.
  • Prepare individual treatment plans for each assigned patient.
  • Initial assessments as well as follow up assessments.
  • Evaluate patient needs and determine if referrals to other programs or facilities are needed.
  • May plan for aftercare for assigned patients.
  • Provide crisis intervention to patients, as needed.
  • Provide case management duties for patients, ensuring individualized quality care as needed.
  • Act as a liaison between referral sources and patients, as needed.

Compensation for roles at Bellingham CTC varies depending on a wide array of factors including but not limited to the specific location, role, skill set, and level of experience. As required by local law, Bellingham CTC provides a reasonable hourly range of compensation for roles that may be hired in Washington as set forth below. Role Location: Washington

Calculated Salary Range for role: $26.00 - $27.00 per hour.

Eligible positions may qualify for student loan forgiveness through HRSA, depending on clinic site eligibility. Check your eligibility here: HRSA Eligibility

Required Education, Skills, and Qualifications

  • HS graduate or equivalent required;
  • Prefer Bachelor's or Master’s degree in social or health services field;
  • Degree must be from an accredited college or university.
  • Previous experience in addiction recovery or behavioral health settings, such as outpatient, residential, or correctional facilities.
  • Familiarity with Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), including methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.
  • Experience conducting individual and group counseling sessions focused on substance use recovery.

Knowledge of evidence-based practices, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and relapse prevention techniques.

Documentation experience, including maintaining clinical notes, treatment plans, and progress updates in accordance with state and federal guidelines.

Familiarity with state regulatory standards (e. g., 42 CFR Part 2, HIPAA, Joint Commission standards).

Experience collaborating in a multidisciplinary team with medical staff, case managers, and peer support specialists.

Licenses/Certifications

Washington SUDPT or SUDP Is Required

  • We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment regardless of an individual’s characteristics protected by applicable state, federal and local laws.
  • AHCTC

Key Responsibilities

The Substance Use Counselor provides compassionate individual and group therapy to patients recovering from opioid use disorder. Responsibilities include developing treatment plans, documenting patient progress, and providing crisis intervention as needed.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Substance use counselingIndividual counselingTreatment planningClinical assessmentHIPAA compliance

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 66% are remote, 30% have no call, 68% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Washington is 107.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$55k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $52k in an average-cost state. 59.8% of Washington clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

How many Substance Use / Addiction Counselor jobs are remote?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score6.4 / 10 · above average in substance use / addiction counselorranked against 1,008 Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Listed pay$54k–$56kSubstance Use / Addiction Counselor median $65k (middle half $56k–$86k)22 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$52k in purchasing powerWashington index 107.0 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings in Washington296 active13,602 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 66% remote · 30% no call · 68% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentloan repaymentWashington Counselor listings: 16% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 14% offer loan repayment296 active listings, Nov 2026
New Addiction Medicine listings470 in the last 30 days287 the 30 days before (+64%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (1,008 Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Substance Use Counselor at Bellingham Comprehensive Treatment Center a 6.4 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Substance Use / Addiction Counselor — ranked against 1,008 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.

Location & Logistics

Washington has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$55k midpoint, that is roughly $2k–$4k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.

Top Counselor Jobs

41 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

41 jobs · 31 employers
14
<$80k
12
$80k-95k
9
$95k-110k
3
$110k-125k
3
$125k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

27 jobs
401k / retirement match
85% this job
CME allowance
33% this job
Sign-on bonus
26%
Loan repayment
15% this job
PSLF eligible
7%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Mental Health Therapist

LifeStance Health · Lake Oswego, Oregon

$123k-$141k
#2

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

LifeStance Health · West Linn, Oregon

$123k-$141k
#3

Clinical Manager LCSW, LPC, LMHC, LMFT

$103k-$129k
#4

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)

$115k-$120k
+ 39 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 6.4
Better work-life than 70% of Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,008 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No weekends
Bellingham Comprehensive Treatment Center logo

About Bellingham Comprehensive Treatment Center

Hospitals and Health Care

Benefits & Perks

Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
Competitive 401(k) plan
Paid vacation and sick time
Employer-paid clinical supervision
Free and unlimited access to 500+ accredited CEUs
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Student loan forgiveness through HRSA (if eligible)

Living in Bellingham

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$674k
Typical market rent
$1,908/mo
Residents’ average commute
18 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
103.3
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Bellingham, WA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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