Alcohol & Drug Counselor
Listed compensation
$57k-$65k
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
Be the backbone of hope and healing.
At Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge, every role matters in helping people overcome addiction and find a new path forward. Whether you’re working directly with clients or supporting behind the scenes, your contributions make recovery possible.
In return, we offer a values-driven workplace, supportive managers, and opportunities to grow. That commitment has earned us recognition from Newsweek as a Best Addiction Treatment Center and seven straight Star Tribune Top Workplace awards.
Licensed Alcohol and DRUG Counselor (LADC)
$5,000 Hiring Incentive!
About the Role
As an Alcohol and Drug Counselor, you’ll play a central role in delivering treatment services and making sure every client receives the care required by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). Working with clients individually and in groups, you’ll help them identify and work through challenges related to substance use, mental health, emotional well-being, and family relationships, supporting meaningful, lasting personal growth.
What You’LL Do
- Assess clients: Complete a comprehensive assessment and assessment summary of each client’s substance use within five calendar days of service initiation, using ASAM criteria.
- Build treatment plans: Develop individualized treatment plans that outline treatment goals, specific methods for addressing identified problems, referral resources, and client goals, and update them throughout the course of treatment.
- Counsel and facilitate groups: Provide individual counseling and group therapy for clients with co-occurring substance use and mental health conditions. Lead groups on addiction and recovery, and deliver lecture-style psychoeducation on related topics.
- Document care: Maintain accurate, timely, and professional case records for your caseload, including all treatment activities, services, and assessments of substance use and mental health.
- Collaborate: Participate in weekly treatment team meetings to review client progress, and maintain ongoing communication with referral sources, probation officers, and social service agencies.
- Support program quality: Help evaluate and refine program design to meet licensure requirements and client needs.
- Close out treatment: Complete discharge summaries for each client at the end of services.
- Uphold standards: Comply with all federal and state statutes, DHS regulations, and the ethical standards of the profession.
What You Bring
- Bachelor’s degree
- Current Minnesota Alcohol and Drug Counselor license (LADC), with ongoing continuing education to maintain it
- Ability to meet licensure requirements set by the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy (BBHT) and staff requirements under Minnesota Statutes §245G.11
- At least 21 years of age
- At least one year of freedom from problematic substance use
- Comfort and compassion working with people facing life-controlling challenges, including addiction and mental health conditions
- Strong organizational and time-management skills with close attention to detail
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with clients, staff, and leadership
- Alignment with MnTC’s culture of honor and core values: compassion, honor, respect, integrity, servanthood, and trust
Physical Requirements
The following are representative of the physical demands of this role:
- Stand and walk frequently throughout the shift
- Climb multiple flights of stairs several times per shift
- Lift up to 15 pounds
Target Compensation (Negotiable based on Qualifications)
LADC: $61,000-$65,000
ADC-T: $57,000-$61,000
We seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool in order to successfully meet our mission of helping every Minnesotan find help and healing from addiction.
Mn Adult & Teen Challenge is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on any category protected by federal, state or applicable laws.
Reasonable accommodation is provided upon request.
Key Responsibilities
The counselor will assess clients using ASAM criteria and develop individualized treatment plans to address substance use and mental health needs. They will also facilitate individual and group therapy sessions while maintaining accurate clinical documentation and collaborating with the treatment team.
Requirements
Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree and a current Minnesota Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) license. Applicants are required to have at least one year of personal freedom from problematic substance use and the ability to meet state licensure standards.
Qualifications
- Education
- Bachelor degree
Key Skills
Addiction Counseling — Counselor Career Context
The cost-of-living index for Minnesota is 98.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$61k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $62k in an average-cost state. 63.4% of Minnesota clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
Of the 50 active Addiction Counseling listings this role was benchmarked against, 68% are remote, 22% have no call, 64% require no weekends.
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Listed pay | $57k–$65k | Addiction Counseling median $77k (middle half $70k–$91k)11 comparable listings, Nov 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$62k in purchasing power | Minnesota index 98.6 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Addiction Counseling listings in Minnesota | 9 active | 122 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 68% remote · 22% no call · 64% no weekends50 benchmarked listings |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | $5k sign-on | Minnesota Counselor listings: 16% state a sign-on bonus (median $2k) · 28% offer loan repayment238 active listings, Nov 2026 |
| New Addiction Counseling listings | 49 in the last 30 days | 36 the 30 days before (+36%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Addiction Counseling pay trend | −1.4% vs prior quarter | —through Oct 2026 |
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