Gateway Foundation logo
Gateway Foundation
Sanderson, Florida

SUBSTANCE USE COUNSELOR - SANDERSON, FL

CounselorFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the pay range, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 1mo 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'll discover personal and professional fulfillment by aligning your career with your values.

We are honored to offer behavioral healthcare services in Corrections

Perks of Working in Correctional Healthcare

  • Opportunity to make a positive impact on a marginalized population
  • Exposure to diverse patient demographics
  • Focus on driving change, tracking progress, and improving care
  • Development of skills in a unique healthcare setting

Substance Abuse Counselors Are Responsible For

Conducts client interviews to review substance use disorder and treatment history.

Evaluates client response to treatment to recommend modifications to the treatment plan and assist with caseloads and development of individualized treatment plan and preparing individually appropriate goals, interventions, and necessary support.

Assists with and provides basic didactic group counseling, including psychoeducation, drug education, and family education to ensure peer support occurs.

Provides individual client counseling, educational programs and lectures to address relapse prevention, problem solving, behavior modification, anger management, etc., and to assist in overcoming substance use disorder, adjusting to pro-social life, and making cognitive and behavioral changes.

Under direct supervision and with supervisor’s approval, carries case load, per State and contract requirements.

Collaborates with clients to develop discharge summary and plans for supervisor’s approval to integrate aftercare treatment with referral resource services.

Coordinates required services to resolve emergency problems in crisis situations in support of continued recovery.

Collects and maintains treatment records and reports to ensure organizational, regulatory, accreditation, and contractual compliance.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements:

  • Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in a helping profession from an accredited college or university
  • Some previous experience substance use treatment/counseling and/or mental health counseling is preferred
  • Current Certified Addictions Professional (CAP) or Masters Certified Addictions Counselor (MCAP) or Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) preferred
  • Must be able to obtain Florida Department of Corrections clearance to work in the correctional institution.
  • Basic knowledge of the principles of human growth and psychosocial development
  • Basic knowledge of group and individual dynamics, conflict resolution and intervention techniques based on client maturation level
  • Basic understanding of mental health disorders requiring referrals
  • Basic communication skills to exchange information and interact with various internal and external audiences regarding client care
  • Active listening skills and social perceptiveness
  • Ability to read and interpret policies and instructions
  • Ability to understand side effects and impact of medications on client
  • Adaptability / flexibility: ability to shift priorities

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 record, proofread and check documents and files for accuracy, to prepare and analyze data and figures, transcribe, read

Ability to use a keyboard and video display terminal to receive, retrieve, and/or audit information and data

Ability to respond to telephones, and to hear and detect alarms and unusual noises

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

The counselor conducts client interviews, develops individualized treatment plans, and facilitates group and individual counseling sessions to support recovery. They also maintain accurate treatment records and collaborate with the team to ensure regulatory and contractual compliance.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a helping profession and be able to obtain Florida Department of Corrections clearance. Previous experience in substance use or mental health counseling is preferred, along with relevant professional certifications.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree

Key Skills

Substance use counselingCase managementTreatment planningCrisis interventionDocumentationClinical assessmentRegulatory compliance

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates SUBSTANCE USE COUNSELOR - SANDERSON, FL at Gateway Foundation a 6.6 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 25% in Addiction Medicine (Counseling) — ranked against 1,285 active Addiction Medicine (Counseling) listings on WeekdayDoc.

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 36% are remote, 30% have no call, 62% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Florida is 103.4 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 58.1% of Florida clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Location & Logistics

Florida has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states.

Top Counselor Jobs

45 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution45 jobs · 39 employers

17
<$70k
8
$70k-90k
8
$90k-110k
12
$110k-130k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks31 jobs

401k / retirement match
94% this job
CME allowance
48% this job
Sign-on bonus
35%
Loan repayment
23% this job
PSLF eligible
6% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

West Virginia Licensed Professional Counselor (Remote)

Adjuvant Behavior Health · Morgantown, West Virginia

$60-$62/hr
#2

Clinical Supervisor & Therapist

Mindfully Behavioral Health · Longmont, Colorado

#3

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

$92k-$125k
#4

Licensed Telehealth Therapist / Mental Health Counselor (South Carolina)

$55-$60/hr
+ 43 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 6.6
Better work-life than 80% of Addiction Medicine (Counseling) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,285 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site

Living in Sanderson

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$312k
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
99.5
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026).

BEA 2024 · Jacksonville, FL metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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, and 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)