State of Nebraska logo
State of Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska

Behavioral Health Practitioner - Substance Use (PLADC/LADC) - Lincoln and York

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$37/hour

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations and weekend coverage.

Posted 3mo ago

Job Description

The work we do matters! Hiring Agency: Correctional Services - Agency 46 Location: Lincoln, NE, York, NE Hiring Rate: $36.798 Job Posting: JR2026-00027083 Behavioral Health Practitioner - Substance Use (PLADC/LADC) - Lincoln and York (Evergreen) (Open) Applications No Longer Accepted On (If no date is displayed, job is posted as open until closed): Job Description: The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS) health services team is actively seeking dedicated and compassionate professionals to join our Substance Use Division as Behavioral Health Practitioners. We invite individuals committed to supporting recovery and rehabilitation to apply and become a part of our transformative team! Information about the Department can be found at: corrections.nebraska.gov. For Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations, please contact Megan Jones at megan.jones@nebraska.gov.

  • 13 paid holidays
  • Vacation and sick leave (24 days your first year, accruing immediately)
  • Military leave
  • 156% state-matched retirement
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • Employee assistance program
  • 79% employer paid health insurance plans
  • Dental and vision insurance plans
  • Employer-paid $20,000 life insurance policy
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) eligible through the Federal government
  • Meaningful public service -- service with a purpose!
  • Numerous training and development opportunities License eligible individuals also encouraged to apply and will be considered at a lesser salary. Additional $3/hour facility differential for hours worked. PLMHP or PLADC: $27.145 LMHP or LADC: $31.844 LMHP and PLADC: $34.231 LMHP and LADC or LIMHP: $36.798 DUTIES: Facilitate educational, individual, and/or group counseling sessions related to substance abuse. Plan, review, and revise inmate/parolee programs/treatment plans; complete parole progress reports/personalized plans, maintain written documentation, files, and reports. Serve on assigned committees; perform evaluations/personal history reviews; plan follow up treatment services.

Requirements / Qualifications Minimum Qualifications

Behavior Health Practitioner I: Provisional license to practice as a Mental Health Practitioner or Alcohol and Drug Counselor in Nebraska. Behavior Health Practitioner II: Nebraska License as Mental Health Practitioner or Alcohol and Drug Counselor.

Behavior Health Practitioner III: Nebraska license as Mental Health Practitioner AND Nebraska Provisional License as Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Behavior Health Practitioner IV: State of Nebraska licenses as Mental Health Practitioner and Alcohol and Drug Counselor OR Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner.

Legal Requirements: Licensure requirements pursuant to Nebraska State Statutes 38-2122, 38-2123, 38-314, and 38-316. Licensed as a Mental Health Practitioner or possess another license that allows the incumbent to provide the above mental health services as required by NE. Rev. Statute 38-2122.

Master's Degree in Social Work, Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Human Development, Psychology, Family Relations, Vocational Rehabilitation, Art Therapy, Divinity, Human Resources, Naturopathy, Mental Health or other field approved by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services in order to become a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner AND 3000 hours of post-degree supervised counseling experience.

Other: Proof of licensure and transcripts required prior to scheduled interview. Successful completion of background check. Applicants accepting a job offer must pass the following pre-employment exams in this order: medical exam, and at a randomly announced time, pass a drug test.

Must successfully complete the fully paid NE Corrections Training Program. If you're currently employed by the State of Nebraska, please don't apply through this external career site. Instead, log in to Workday and open the Jobs Hub - Internal Apply app from your home landing page.

You can access Workday anytime through the Link web page: link.nebraska.gov Benefits We offer a comprehensive package of pay, benefits, paid time off, retirement and professional development opportunities to help you get the most out of your career and life. Your paycheck is just part of your total compensation.

Check out all that the State of Nebraska has to offer! Benefit eligibility may vary by position, agency and employment status.

For more information on benefits, please visit: statejobs.nebraska.gov Equal Opportunity Statement The State of Nebraska values our teammates as well as a supportive environment that strives to promote diversity, inclusion, and belonging.

We recruit, hire, train, and promote in all job classifications and at all levels without regard to race, color, religion, sex. age, national origin, disability, marital status or genetics. We are seeking talented individuals to join our team in careers that make a difference in the lives of Nebraskans.

Once you've had the opportunity to explore our current open positions, apply for those of interest to you. Click here for a video tutorial. Contact state.jobs@nebraska.gov for additional support.

Check back on your candidate profile to see the status of your submitted applications, as well as any new postings that might interest you! Thank you for your interest in joining our team! State Government is one of the largest and most diverse employers in Nebraska.

Whether it's helping a vulnerable child, advancing public health, making highways safer, or preserving our natural resources, the work we do matters!

Key Responsibilities

Facilitate educational, individual, and group counseling sessions focused on substance abuse for inmates and parolees. Plan and revise treatment plans while maintaining detailed documentation and progress reports.

Requirements

Requires a Master's degree in a behavioral health field and specific Nebraska licensure (LADC, LMHP, or LIMHP). Candidates must pass a background check, medical exam, drug test, and complete the NE Corrections Training Program.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Substance Abuse CounselingIndividual CounselingTreatment PlanningCase ManagementClinical DocumentationBehavioral Health AssessmentRehabilitation Support

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Addiction Medicine listings this role was benchmarked against, 70% are remote, 24% have no call, 70% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Nebraska is 90.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 59.4% of Nebraska clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Addiction Medicine pay on WeekdayDoc is up 2.3% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Top Counselor Jobs

36 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution36 jobs · 13 employers

4
<$75k
6
$75k-90k
2
$90k-105k
10
$105k-120k
14
$120k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks33 jobs · 13 employers

401k / retirement match
91%
Sign-on bonus
58%
CME allowance
15%
Loan repayment
9% this job
Relocation assistance
3%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

LifeStance Health · San Diego, California

$117k-$134k
#2

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

LifeStance Health · Saint Louis Park, Minnesota

$74k-$126k
#3

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

$92k-$125k
#4

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)

$115k-$120k
+ 34 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 3.0
Better work-life than 30% of Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings

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

Living in Lincoln

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$292k
Typical market rent
$1,308/mo
Residents’ average commute
18 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
91.6
State income tax
Up to 6.6%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Lincoln, NE metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

State of Nebraska logo

About State of Nebraska

Government Administration
Lincoln, Nebraska
501-1,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

13 paid holidays
Vacation and sick leave (24 days first year)
156% state-matched retirement
Tuition reimbursement
Employee assistance program
79% employer-paid health insurance
Dental and vision insurance
Employer-paid $20,000 life insurance