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Acadia
Anchorage, Alaska

Substance Use Counselor

CounselorNo weekendsFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

  • Outpatient MAT Opioid Treatment Program
  • Seeking: Substance Use Counselor
  • Alaska CDC I or CDC II is required

Full Time Hours

Monday - Friday 5:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Our Benefits

  • Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
  • Competitive 401(k) plan
  • Paid vacation and sick time
  • Employer-paid clinical supervision (free to employees)
  • Free and unlimited access to 500+ accredited Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering continued support to employee lifestyle and well-being
  • Early morning hours offering a great work/life balance
  • Opportunity for growth that is second to none in the industry

Our Team

Anchorage Comprehensive Treatment Center (CTC), located in Anchorage, AK, is part of Acadia Healthcare's Comprehensive Treatment Centers, the leading provider of medication-assisted treatment in the nation. Our counseling team provides compassionate, high-quality counseling and therapy to patients that are seeking recovery from Opioid Use Disorder.

Your Job as a Substance Use Counselor

The Substance Use Counselor is instrumental in our patient’s treatment and recovery from opioid use disorder. Substance Use Counselors provide high quality, compassionate care through various mediums which include both individual and group counseling sessions.

Job Responsibilities

  • Provide high quality, compassionate guidance in both individual and group counseling sessions.
  • Plan, oversee, facilitate and document patient's recovery.
  • Co-facilitate assigned group or family sessions as needed.
  • Ensure all documentation regarding patient care, treatment, and incidents is completed timely and in a clear, concise manner.
  • Prepare individual treatment plans for each assigned patient.
  • Initial assessments as well as follow up assessments.
  • Evaluate patient needs and determine if referrals to other programs or facilities are needed.
  • May plan for aftercare for assigned patients.
  • Provide crisis intervention to patients, as needed.
  • Provide case management duties for patients, ensuring individualized quality care as needed.
  • Act as a liaison between referral sources and patients, as needed.

Eligible positions may qualify for student loan forgiveness through HRSA, depending on clinic site eligibility. Check your eligibilty here: HRSA Eligibility

Required Education, Skills, and Qualifications

  • Bachelor's or Master’s degree in social or health services field required;
  • Degree must be from an accredited college or university.
  • Previous experience in addiction recovery or behavioral health settings, such as outpatient, residential, or correctional facilities.
  • Familiarity with Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), including methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.
  • Experience conducting individual and group counseling sessions focused on substance use recovery.

Knowledge of evidence-based practices, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and relapse prevention techniques.

Documentation experience, including maintaining clinical notes, treatment plans, and progress updates in accordance with state and federal guidelines.

Familiarity with state regulatory standards (e. g., 42 CFR Part 2, HIPAA, Joint Commission standards).

Experience collaborating in a multidisciplinary team with medical staff, case managers, and peer support specialists.

Licenses/Certifications

  • Chemical Dependency Certification (CDC) I or II required.
  • We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment regardless of an individual’s characteristics protected by applicable state, federal and local laws.
  • AHCTC

Key Responsibilities

The Substance Use Counselor provides compassionate individual and group therapy to patients recovering from opioid use disorder. Responsibilities include developing treatment plans, documenting patient progress, and providing crisis intervention and case management.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's or Master's degree in a social or health services field and possess a valid Alaska CDC I or CDC II certification. Previous experience in addiction recovery or behavioral health settings is required.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Substance use counselingIndividual counselingTreatment planningClinical documentationHIPAA compliance

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Alaska is 102.4 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 58.9% of Alaska clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Addiction Medicine pay on WeekdayDoc is up 2.4% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Substance Use Counselor at Acadia a 6.4 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Substance Use / Addiction Counselor — ranked against 1,008 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.

Location & Logistics

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

Top Substance Use / Addiction Counselor Jobs

5 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution5 jobs · 4 employers

2
<$55k
1
$68k
0
$70k-85k
2
$85k-100k

Annual compensation range

Work-Life Balance Distribution5 jobs · 4 employers

0
1-2
0
3-4
1
5-6
4
7-8
0
9-10

Higher = better work-life balance

#1

Substance Use Counselor

St. Anthony Foundation · San Francisco, California

$60k-$90k
#2

SUD Counselor - COAT

DESC · Seattle, Washington

$39.08-$43.15/hr
#3

Substance Use Counselor

$29-$32.5/hr
#4

Substance Abuse Counselor II

$24.00 per hour
+ 3 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 6.4
Better work-life than 70% 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

Living in Anchorage

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$418k
Typical market rent
$1,802/mo
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
105.4
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Anchorage, AK metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

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About Acadia

Mental Health Care
Franklin, Tennessee
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
Competitive 401(k) plan
Paid vacation and sick time
Employer-paid clinical supervision
Free and unlimited access to 500+ accredited CEUs
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Student loan forgiveness through HRSA (if eligible)