Alpharus Health logo
Alpharus Health
St. Joseph, Missouri

Substance Use Counselor

CounselorNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$18-$24/hr

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

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

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

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'll discover personal and professional fulfillment by aligning your career with your values.

We are honored to offer behavioral healthcare services in Corrections

Perks of Working in Correctional Healthcare

  • Opportunity to make a positive impact on a marginalized population
  • Exposure to diverse patient demographics
  • Focus on driving change, tracking progress, and improving care
  • Development of skills in a unique healthcare setting
  • Location: Western Reception Diagnostic Correctional Center, 3401 Faraon St, St Joseph, MO 64506
  • Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (Normal business hours)

Substance Use Counselors Are Responsible For

Completes comprehensive assessments of clients’ substance abuse history and treatment requirements, and develops individualized treatment plan.

  • Provides individual and group counseling and may facilitate didactic groups.
  • Documents treatment and discharge plans, and clients’ progress and responses to treatment; and maintains related records and charts.
  • Performs case management and contributes to client care monitoring.

Job Requirements:

High School Diploma/GED

Certification as a Missouri Alcohol Drug Counselor (MAADC) required. Ability to obtain higher MSAPCB certification within 6 months of hire preferred.

Must be able to obtain Missouri Department of Corrections clearance.

Physical Requirements:

Ability to walk and move about the facilities for up to two hours at a time, to monitor and interact with clients

Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

  • Ability to use a keyboard and video display terminal to receive, retrieve, and/or audit information and data
  • Ability to record, proofread and check documents and files for accuracy
  • Ability to respond to telephones, and to hear and detect alarms and unusual noises

Compensation (based on experience and credentials):

Non-Credentialed range begins at $18 per hour - $24 per hour.

Alpharus Health conducts annual reviews including merit increases.

Benefits at Apharus Health

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

Assess clients’ substance use histories and treatment needs, develop individualized treatment plans, and provide individual and group counseling. Document treatment plans and client progress, maintain records, and perform case management and care monitoring.

Requirements

A high school diploma or GED and Missouri Alcohol Drug Counselor (MAADC) certification are required. Candidates must be able to obtain Missouri Department of Corrections clearance; obtaining a higher MSAPCB certification within six months of hire is preferred.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Substance Use AssessmentTreatment PlanningIndividual CounselingDidactic Group FacilitationClient Progress MonitoringClinical DocumentationRecordkeepingClient Care Coordination

Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 44% are remote, 36% have no call, 66% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Missouri is 90.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$44k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $48k in an average-cost state. 60.1% of Missouri clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

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.

Top Counselor Jobs

29 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution29 jobs · 14 employers

10
<$75k
8
$75k-95k
6
$95k-115k
5
$115k-135k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks29 jobs · 14 employers

401k / retirement match
90% this job
Sign-on bonus
55%
CME allowance
21% this job
PSLF eligible
14% this job
Loan repayment
10% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist - LICSW/LPCC/LMFT

LifeStance Health · Maple Grove, Minnesota

$74k-$117k
#2

Licensed Clinical Therapist (LSCSW, LCPC, LCMFT) Sign-on Bonus $5,000

LifeStance Health · Lawrence, Kansas

$81k-$117k
#3

Licensed Clinical Therapist (LCSW, LPC, LMFT) Sign-on Bonus $5,000

$81k-$117k
#4

Licensed Mental Health Counselor

$90k-$115k
+ 27 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
  • On-site

Living in St. Joseph

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$213k
Typical market rent
$1,038/mo
Residents’ average commute
17 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
86.4
State income tax
Up to 5.3%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · St. Joseph, MO-KS metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Alpharus Health logo

About Alpharus Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Chicago, Illinois
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Employee wellness program
Employee assistance program
403(b) retirement plan with 3% employer match
Short-term and long-term disability
Life and AD&D insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)