Unit Specialist
RosecranceRosecrance, a behavioral health leader with more than a century of service, is seeking a Unit Specialist to oversee adolescent clients at the Harrison Campus in Rockford, Illinois. The role is onsite and centers on supervising a therapeutic program while delivering direct counseling in line with evidence-based practices. It’s a good fit for someone who has hands-on addiction treatment experience, solid skills in behavioral management, and a real drive to help teens and families on the path to recovery.
In this role, you’ll work as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive addictions treatment to clients and their families, keeping the focus on ethical care and regulatory compliance. You’ll help move recovery from the clinical setting into daily life, guiding clients through individual work, group activities, and educational lectures, all while maintaining a safe and supportive environment.
Based at Rosecrance Harrison Campus in Rockford, this position suits someone who takes pride in making a tangible difference and who wants to grow within a mission-driven organization. The employer supports professional development and offers a robust benefits package along with a sign-on bonus as part of a strong compensation package.
What You’ll Do in the Unit Specialist Role
You will directly supervise addicted adolescent clients and ensure continuity of program services in an ethical, legal, and compassionate manner within a safe therapeutic environment. Direct counseling will be part of your daily routine, including individual and group sessions and lectures designed for patients, their families, and community resources, with support for their recovery goals and treatment plans.
Day to day you’ll collaborate with the primary counselor to develop and implement individualized treatment plans, schedule sessions for AA step work, and monitor client progress. You’ll organize and supervise recreational activities, maintain client service records in line with required rules and regulations, and read logs from previous shifts to stay informed for the current one. You’ll also develop and present lectures, observe group dynamics, and facilitate focal group discussions to keep treatment engaging and relevant.
As a shift lead, you’ll consult with the treatment team to plan daily therapeutic direction, and you’ll ensure consistent communication across staff by reviewing notes and information from other shifts, counselors, and teachers. The role places a strong emphasis on role modeling, professional behavior, and delivering positive guest relations for clients and their families.
The Right Candidate for the Rosecrance Unit Specialist
- High School diploma or GED and one year of addiction treatment experience or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience
- Valid driver’s license
- Certified Addictions Counselor (CADC) or able to be certified within 24 months
Nice-to-have attributes include being skilled in behavioral management techniques, the ability to coordinate and present lectures for patients, parents and community resources, a passion to be part of a mission-driven organization, a teamwork approach, and a desire to make a difference in people’s lives.
Pay and Practical Details for the Unit Specialist
Schedule and shift: Sun-Thur 3pm-11:30pm, 2nd shift. Work location is the Rosecrance Harrison Campus in Rockford, IL, and the role is onsite. Compensation is based on education, experience, and credentials.
Starting pay is $18.43/hr for high school or GED holders, $19.37/hr for those with an Associate degree, and $20.25/hr for a Bachelor’s degree. There is an additional $0.50/hr with CADC certification. Shift differentials include +$0.25/hr for 2nd shift and +$0.50/hr for 3rd shift, plus an incentive of $0.50/hr with CADC certification.
Sign-on bonus of $4,000 is paid out within 2 years of hire, with $250 included in the first paycheck.
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance with multiple plan options
- 401(k) plan with employer match and discretionary employer contribution
- Group Life Insurance including LTD and AD&D
- Tuition assistance and licensure/certification reimbursement
- Paid Time Off, sick time, bereavement leave
- Referral program earning up to $1,000 per hire
- Wellness plan with on-site gym at certain facilities
- Discounts at participating retailers
- Daily pay available through UKG Wallet
The organization maintains a zero-tolerance drug-free environment, including marijuana, to prioritize safety for staff and clients. All candidates must pass an occupational health screening. Rosecrance is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in the workplace, with hiring based on qualifications, skills and experience relevant to the position.
Advice for Applicants for the Rosecrance Unit Specialist Role
Focus your resume on the work most relevant to this role. Put the emphasis on any experience supervising adolescent clients in an addiction treatment setting, along with any CADC status or progress toward certification, and detail specific duties like individual and group counseling, lectures you’ve delivered, and how you supported treatment plans.
When you talk about your must-have skills in an interview, back them with concrete examples. Describe how you’ve used behavioral management techniques, how you coordinated and presented lectures for patients, parents, and community resources, and how you collaborated with a treatment team to plan daily directions for a shift.
Prepare for interviews by outlining how you monitor progress, maintain records in line with regulatory standards, and schedule sessions for AA step work. Be ready to discuss a time you read logs from prior shifts to inform your approach and how you handled group dynamics or a difficult moment during a focal group discussion.
Ask a thoughtful question about the role’s day-to-day integration of recovery activities. For example, you could ask how the team incorporates AA step work into adolescents’ daily living and what success metrics they use to gauge recovery progress on the unit.