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Alternatives
Billings, Montana

Licensed Addiction Counselor

Addiction CounselorNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$23-$27/hr

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

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

Posted 2mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

  • Level: Experienced
  • Job Location: Passages - BILLINGS, MT 59101
  • Position Type: Full Time
  • Education Level: 4 Year Degree
  • Salary Range: $23.00 - $27.00 Hourly
  • Job Shift: Day
  • Job Category: Professional ServicesWe are hiring: Licensed Addiction Counselor – Passages Alcohol and Drug Treatment Unit Starting Wage: $23.00 to $27.00 per hour, based on licensure level (ACLC or LAC) and experience. Final compensation will be determined by considering the candidate's qualifications, credentials, and overall experience. Oversight of hours offered for candidate-licensure staff. Job type: Full-time, Non-exempt
  • Schedule: 8am-4pm Monday-Friday; or 4-10s Tuesday-Friday

Training: Alternatives provides thorough orientation and training for all new staff. You can expect a one-week orientation, where you will learn all about Alternatives and be prepared for taking on your role. This first week is 9am-5pm at our Alternatives Training Center.

Continual on-going training is provided to all our staff to keep them current on their roles, industry standards, and contractual compliance. What Skills do you need? Bachelor’s degree in Human Services or a related field and two years’ experience in field of substance abuse counseling is preferred.

Must be Montana State Licensed Addictions Counselor Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor – or be certifiable within one year, certified in another state which is transferable, or National certification. Must be able to pass federal workplace drug screening and background check. Must hold valid driver’s license.

What will you do in this position? As a Licensed Addiction Counselor, you will manage a caseload of clients, providing individual treatment services and facilitating group counseling sessions.

You will conduct regular reviews of client files to identify assessment needs, administer Substance Use Disorder (SUD) evaluations, and make recommendations regarding chemical dependency treatment and appropriate referrals.

In this role, you will collaborate with pre-release centers, probation officers, and other referral sources to ensure successful program completion and proper case closure. Strong public relations and interpersonal communication skills are essential.

Maintaining accurate, timely, and compliant documentation is critical, as is meeting deadlines and adhering to contractual and regulatory requirements. Additionally, you will participate in meetings and other professional activities as required.

Learn About the Passages ADT Team The Passages Alcohol and Drug Treatment (ADT) Program, operated by Alternatives, Inc., is a 90-day residential treatment program dedicated to helping individuals build a foundation for lasting recovery.

The program is led by an experienced Program Supervisor who has been with the agency for 13 years and brings extensive expertise in substance use treatment and social services.

She oversees a multidisciplinary team that includes Licensed Addiction Counselors (LACs), Case Managers, and other dedicated professionals across the ADT and PARC programs.

As a member of our team, you will work alongside experienced behavioral health professionals who are passionate about empowering individuals to reach their full potential. Our collaborative, supportive environment fosters professional growth while making a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve. We look forward to welcoming you to the team!

Benefits and PerksBenefits We offer a comprehensive benefits package for employees working 30+ hours per week, starting the first of the month, after 60 days of employment: Medical: Employer pays $532.23 toward employee coverage. Additional plans for children and family are available at employee cost.

Dental: Employer pays 100% of employee-only coverage. Affordable coverage for children and families is available at employee cost. Vision: Affordable plans are available for employees, children, and families at a low cost. Life Insurance: The agency provides a $25,000 coverage plan for all benefit-eligible employees.

Additional employee-paid supplemental plans available. Short-and-Long-term Disability: 100% employer-paid coverage for employees. 401k/Retirement Plan: Employees are eligible for 401k contributions after one year of employment and 1,000 hours worked. Employer profit sharing is eligible annually, based on board approval.

AFLAC: Supplemental plans are available to employees and their families at employee cost. PTO Accrual: Start accruing PTO from your first paycheck. Full-time (40-hour) employees with 0-2 years of employment accrue 4.65 hours per pay period, totaling 15 days a year.

Increased Accrual with Tenure: Accrual rates increase at 3 years, 5 years, and every subsequent 5-year mark, up to 25+ years. Pro Rata Basis: Accrual rates for employees working 20-30 hours per week are on a pro rata basis. Paid Holidays Full-Time Employees: Enjoy 11 paid holidays.

Part-Time Employees: Employees working 20-30 hours per week also receive paid holidays on a pro rata basis.

Here are some fantastic perks of working with us: Student Loan Forgiveness: Alternatives is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)-eligible employer, giving qualifying employees the opportunity to have their federal student loans forgiven while working for a nonprofit organization.

Scholarship Program: We invest in our employees' growth through scholarship opportunities, subject to eligibility requirements, program availability, and funding. Career Growth: We believe in promoting from within! Many of our team members have advanced into new roles throughout their careers at Alternatives.

Our CEO has been with the organization for over 40 years, and many employees have celebrated 10+ years of service.

Sunshine Teams: Each building has a Sunshine Team dedicated to boosting morale, planning fun activities, organizing food days, celebrating employee birthdays, and other special occasions throughout the year.

Key Responsibilities

Manage a caseload of clients by providing individual treatment services and facilitating group counseling sessions. Collaborate with referral sources such as probation officers and pre-release centers to ensure successful program completion and accurate documentation.

Requirements

Requires a bachelor's degree in human services or a related field and two years of experience in substance abuse counseling. Must hold a Montana State Licensed Addictions Counselor certification or be eligible for certification within one year.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Case managementTreatment planningRegulatory complianceCrisis intervention

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 68% are remote, 32% have no call, 50% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Montana is 94.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$52k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $55k in an average-cost state. 59.2% of Montana clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

How many Substance Use / Addiction Counselor jobs are remote?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$48k–$56kSubstance Use / Addiction Counselor median $58k (middle half $53k–$65k)459 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$55k in purchasing powerMontana index 94.6 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Addiction Medicine listings in Montana8 active—live on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
All substance use / addiction counselor listings in Montana45 active12,945 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 68% remote · 32% no call · 50% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentloan repaymentUS counselor listings (all specialties): 13% state a sign-on bonus (median $3k) · 14% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Nov 2026
New Addiction Medicine listings437 in the last 30 days217 the 30 days before (+101%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page. Montana figures use all substance use / addiction counselors: too few Montana Addiction Medicine postings state pay.

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Licensed Addiction Counselor at Alternatives 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.

Top Counselor Jobs

36 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

36 jobs · 23 employers
7
<$80k
13
$80k-100k
3
$100k-120k
10
$120k-140k
3
$140k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

30 jobs · 23 employers
401k / retirement match
90% this job
Sign-on bonus
43%
CME allowance
33%
Loan repayment
17% this job
Relocation assistance
3%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

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From $155k
#2

Licensed Mental Health Therapist

LifeStance Health · Lake Oswego, Oregon

$123k-$141k
#3

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT)

$123k-$141k
#4

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
+ 34 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 6.0
Better work-life than 50% 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
Alternatives logo

About Alternatives

Community Services
Billings, Montana
11-50 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Short & Long-Term Disability
401k with profit sharing
AFLAC
15 days PTO

Living in Billings

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$387k
Typical market rent
$1,393/mo
Residents’ average commute
17 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
93.5
State income tax
Up to 6.8%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Billings, MT metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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