Description

Position: AOD (Alcohol and Other Drugs) Recovery Counselor

Program: Next Steps Program

Classification: Full Time (40 hours per week), Non-Exempt

Salary: Commensurate with Experience ($28 - $31/hr)

Start Date: As soon as County Sheriff Background Check is Cleared. See note below.

Background and Summary:UPAC subcontracts with NAMI San Diego for the Next Steps Program, which is funded by the County of San Diego Behavioral Health Services. Next Steps provides support to adults who present at the San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital and other participating sites with serious mental illness, co-occurring substance use disorders or a primary substance used disorder, and their family members. Next Steps assists clients and their family members navigate the complex and overwhelming system of healthcare and social services while providing support and education to family members. This position for AOD Recovery Counselor interacts with participants providing screenings, crisis intervention, brief individual and group drug and alcohol counseling and linkage to community services. The Recovery Counselor provides support to clients for up to three months following discharge from the hospital in order to connect them with resources needed to provide and maintain stabilization. The Recovery Counselor networks with other service providers to facilitate linkage to community services. This position will be for a 5-day schedule, but will require some weekends and/or evenings, including work on some major holidays.

Candidates must be Registered and close to be certified as a CADC-I or CADC-II as indicated in California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals https://www.caadac.org/ladder/; OR Must be certified as CAADE, as indicated in California Association for Alcohol/Drug Educators http://caade.org/content/only-caade-tiers-follow-samhsa-career-ladder

Background Check Requirements: Any interested applicant who passes the interview phase will be instructed to do two background checks: (1) UPAC Background Check, and (2) County of San Diego Sheriff Background Check. The timeline for Sheriff Background Check may take between 8-12 weeks. UPAC will not provide an official offer of employment until the employee has been successfully cleared by the Sheriff’s Background check.

Duties and Responsibilities: Works directly with the participant to:

• Provide orientation to the program and the concept of recovery
• Develop and implement crisis and recovery plans,
• Provide brief individual and group counseling and recovery services, information and education, and relapse prevention; 
• Link the individual with community resources for continued community services
• Develops a comprehensive recovery plan for each assigned participant and evaluate the individual’ progress according to the recovery plan.
• Designates new target goals for clients consistent with overall goals.
• Provides a variety of interventions including brief individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, collateral services, and other relevant recovery-related services to clients. 
• Establishes trusting relationships with and collaborates with clients, family members and/or significant others in order to facilitate clients’ recovery. 
• Provides psychoeducation to clients and their significant others. 
• Provides transportation to client appointments as needed. 
• Documents client progress accurately and completes all required paper work on time.
• Prepares and implements discharge plans.
• Maintains a caseload as prescribed by the Next Steps Manager.
• Attends San Diego County Psychiatric Hospital treatment team meetings and provides input to the hospital treatment plan.
• Participates in program staff meetings in which the progress of clients is discussed
• Integrates recovery concepts with sound theoretical and practical applications of brief individual and group counseling principles.
• Provides input to develop and improve program servicing and delivery.
• Assists other staff in dealing with challenging client behavior.
• Acts as leader or co-leader in assigned groups.
• Able to work with minimal direction and supervision.
• Displays regular and reliable attendance. Reports to and departs from work on time, as scheduled, and accurately reflected on time card.
• Successfully functions as a team member.
• Must be willing and able to provide home-based services and mobile services to those outpatient clients and family members needing a visit at their place of residence or other location outside of the healthcare site.
• Must be willing to transport clients, utilizing company vehicle, to initial outpatient appointment with therapist and/or MD
• Must be available for some weekends, evenings and major holidays
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

 Qualifications:

• Must be certified  as a CADC-I or CADC-II as indicated in California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals https://www.caadac.org/ladder/; OR Must be certified as CAADE, as indicated in California Association for Alcohol/Drug Educators http://caade.org/content/only-caade-tiers-follow-samhsa-career-ladder
• High school diploma or GED equivalent
• At least one year’s experience working with individuals with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health issues
• Experience with providing linkage to community resources
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality with regard to client information and other sensitive or proprietary information
• Ability to communicate effectively in written and spoken English, with ability to communicate mental health principles to clients, families and providers
• Ability to discuss the relationship between substance abuse and mental health
• Ability to work independently and also collaborate as a member of an interdisciplinary team
• Must be able to work with an electronic health record system
• Must feel comfortable working in an inpatient and outpatient psychiatric hospital setting
• Must be willing and able to drive company vehicle (4-door sedan), and have valid California Driver’s License and comprehensive automobile insurance as required by law.
• Must have satisfactory driving record, and be willing to sign and authorization to enroll in the Department of Motor Vehicles’ Employee Pull Notice Program. By participating in this program, UPAC promotes driver safety through monitoring the driving records of its employees who transport clients.
• Will not be debarred or excluded from participation in Federal programs by the General Services Administration and/or the Department of Health and Human Services of the Inspector General

Additional preferred qualifications which are a plus:

• Bachelor’s degree in the human services field
• Previous experience working in an inpatient psychiatric facility
• Lived experience as an individual in recovery
• Bilingual/Bicultural in Asian language or Spanish

Physical Demands and Work Environment: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. Spends approximately 70% of work time sitting and meeting with others or working at a desk and/or computer. Spends approximately 30% of work time standing or walking within the work area or outside the office at meetings and events, also bends, twists, stoops and reaches. Ability to communicate in writing and verbally. Regularly required to sit and talk or hear. Frequently is required to use hands to touch, handle or feel and reach with hands and arms. Occasionally lifts and/or moves up to 25 pounds. Working conditions are normal for an office environment and event venues. The noise level is usually moderate.