Alcohol & Drug Counselor

Be the backbone of hope and healing.
At Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge, every role matters in helping people overcome addiction and find a new path forward. Whether you're working directly with clients or supporting behind the scenes, your contributions make recovery possible. In return, we offer a values-driven workplace, supportive managers, and opportunities to grow. That commitment has earned us recognition from Newsweek as a Best Addiction Treatment Center and seven straight Star Tribune Top Workplace awards.

$5000 Hiring Incentive!

Job Summary

The Alcohol and Drug Counselor plays an important role in the delivery of treatment services to clients and is responsible for ensuring that all clients receive services mandated by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). In addition, counselors provide essential services to support achievement of effective personal development by working with clients individually or in group settings to identify and resolve issues including substance use, mental health, personal and/or emotional challenges, including family issues.


Essential Job Responsibilities:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. The essential functions include the following:

• Evaluate and modify program design for the purpose of meeting licensure requirements and needs of clients.
  Complete a comprehensive assessment and an assessment summary of the client's problematic chemical use within five calendar days after service initiation, utilizing ASAM criteria.
• Provide an individual treatment plan after completion of the comprehensive assessment which is subject to amendment until services to the client are terminated. The individual treatment plan must include treatment goals, specific methods to be used to address identified problems, resources to which the client is being referred, and client goals.
• Provide case management/file documentation for individual caseload, noting all treatment related activities and services in an accurate, professional, and timely manner including assessment of chemical use and mental health problems.
• Create and monitor individualized treatment plans, provide group therapy and individual counseling services to individuals with co-occurring chemical use and mental health problems.
• Facilitate groups regarding the disease of addiction and the recovery process consistent with maintaining good mental health.
• Facilitate psychoeducation in a lecture style to clients on topics related to addiction and recovery.
• Responsible for complying with federal and state statutes, upholding ethical standards established and implied by the profession, DHS regulations, etc.
• Participate in weekly treatment team meetings to review and update client progress notes.
• Initiate and maintain ongoing communication with client referrals, probation, and social service agencies, etc.
• Complete discharge summaries for each client at the conclusion of treatment services.

Required Skills & Experience (Minimum Qualifications):

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Current alcohol and drug counseling license in the state of Minnesota.
• Complete continuing education courses in current treatment concepts and methods as required by the state of Minnesota to maintain alcohol and drug counselor license.
• Must be at least 21 years of age or older.
• At least 1 year of freedom from problematic substances.
• Must be comfortable working with people with life-controlling challenges, including mental health and addiction.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to effectively manage time.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to interact with clients, staff, and leadership.
• The ability to live and work by MnTC's culture of honor & core values - practicing compassion, honor, respect, integrity, servanthood, and trust.
• Must be able to meet specific requirements for licensure outlined in Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health & Therapy. Reference: BHHT LADC Licensure Requirements
• Must be able to meet specific staff requirements outlined in Minnesota Statutes 245G.11. Reference: Sec. 245G.11 MN Statutes

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Able to stand and walk frequently during shift.
• Able to climb up and down multiple flights of stairs several times during a regular shift.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at a time.

Target Compensation (Negotiable based on Qualifications)

LADC: $61,000-64,000

ADC-T: $57,000-$61,000

We seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool in order to successfully meet our mission of helping every Minnesotan find help and healing from addiction.


Mn Adult & Teen Challenge is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on any category protected by federal, state or applicable laws.

Reasonable accommodation is provided upon request.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.