Substance Use Counselor
Listed compensation
$19.23-$24.47/hr
The week · per this posting · Wednesday – Saturday
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations and nights and shift pattern.
Job Description
Who Is Alpharus Health?
Alpharus Health is a national nonprofit behavioral health provider dedicated to helping people build healthier lives. For nearly 60 years, we have provided substance use and mental health treatment that helps individuals, families, and communities find healing, hope, and lasting wellbeing.
Our mission is simple: We help people build healthier lives. By combining clinical expertise with a person-centered approach, we help people build the skills, resilience, and support systems needed to create meaningful, lasting change.
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 be 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 have the opportunity to find both personal and professional fulfillment by aligning your career with your values.
- Location: Caseyville Residential Treatment Facility - 600 W Lincoln Ave, Caseyville, IL 62232, USA
- Work Schedule: 2 options available below
12:30pm-11pm: Wednesday-Saturday
7:00am-3:30pm: Tuesday-Saturday
Residential Substance Use Counselors are responsible for:
Preparing and facilitating group counseling sessions, educational programs, and lectures to assist clients in meeting therapeutic goals
Conducting individual counseling to provide crises intervention, support & guidance, and address client behaviors and personal problems
- Documenting clients’ progress and responses to treatment
- Maintaining client records; ensuring records are complete, accurate, and up to date
- Monitoring clients in medication self-administration
- Ensuring client safety and well-being
- Monitoring client behavior during social, recreational, or daily activities
- Enforcing house rules
- Scheduling, coordinating and transporting clients to appointments and maintaining the vehicle
- Collecting urine samples and administering breathalyzer
- Other duties as assigned
Job Requirements:
High school diploma or equivalency required
Minimum 6 months of previous experience in substance abuse or mental health counseling required
Related work experience with a program specific population (adolescent/adult) in a residential treatment setting required
Physical Requirements:
Ability to walk and move about the facilities for up to two hours at a time, to monitor and interact with clients.
- Ability to speak with others in order to exchange information and provide counseling.
- Ability to record, proofread and check documents and files for accuracy on a regular basis.
- Ability to use a keyboard and video display terminal to receive, retrieve, and/or audit information and data on a regular basis.
- Ability to respond to telephones, and to hear and detect alarms and unusual noises.
Ability to drive an automobile or van; remain alert to traffic conditions, and to identify and comply with traffic signals and signs
Compensation (based on experience and credentials):
$19.23 - $24.47 per hour
Starting rates are determined based on years of experience, qualifications, and relevant skills.
Alpharus Health conducts annual performance reviews, with merit increase eligibility determined by employee performance and organizational financial performance.
Benefits at Alpharus
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 Alpharus
- 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
Alpharus Health 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 is responsible for facilitating group and individual counseling sessions while monitoring client safety and behavior in a residential setting. They must also maintain accurate clinical records and assist with daily living activities and medication administration.
Requirements
Candidates must possess a high school diploma or equivalent and at least 6 months of experience in substance abuse or mental health counseling. Experience working with specific populations in a residential treatment setting is also required.
Key Skills
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Substance Use Counselor at Alpharus Health a 6.0 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 35% of all Addiction Medicine counselor listings evaluated on our platform. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.
Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context
Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 44% are remote, 28% have no call, 66% require no weekends.
The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$45k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $45k in an average-cost state. 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
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