Substance Use Specialist

Who we are:

C4 was founded in 1972 to help people released from psychiatric hospitals into the Uptown and Edgewater communities stabilize in the community. Since that time, C4’s service area has expanded to rekindle hope for individuals and families on Chicago’s north and west sides, remaining committed to community-level, system-focused interventions; C4 always seeks to avoid restrictive levels of care and maximize families’ agency to lead their recovery, allowing them to heal in their homes and community.  C4 is the leader in building hope and breaking down barriers – from the personal to the systemic - for Chicago’s systematically disadvantaged communities through the delivery of effective, empirically supported, and trauma-informed mental health services. C4 seeks to equip 7,000 individuals annually to help them move from trauma to living, to working and thriving within their community.

Our Mission - Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4), a behavioral health advocate and social service provider, offers quality, comprehensive customer-oriented services tailored to the diversity of its consumers. 

Our Vision - Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4) will be, and will be recognized as, essential to the wellbeing of the communities we serve. 

Philosophy - C4 believes that people recovering from mental illness and emotional trauma are able to live, work and thrive in the community. 

Purpose:

The Substance Use Specialist will provide ongoing comprehensive assessments of clients’ substance abuse and mental health symptoms, track clients’ stages of change readiness and stage of treatment and apply treatment approaches that are consistent with clients’ stage of change readiness.  As part of the team, he or she shall assist the Supervisor in providing the quality assurance and oversight necessary to ensure adherence to the ACT fidelity model, as well as direct ACT services with productivity expectations. Articulate C4’s mission and vision. 

Minimum Qualifications:  

1. Master’s degree in Mental health or Social Services required (QMHP)
2. CADC required
3. 3 years minimum clinical experience working with adult clients with serious mental illness and substance use needs.
4. A well-maintained personal vehicle for work related use, valid Illinois driver’s license, good driving record, and active vehicle insurance are required

Competencies (Minimum Skills, Knowledge and Experience):

1. Ability to be respectful of the diverse cultures of the people served and to provide culturally appropriate, competent and individualized treatment according to each client's age, gender, race, ethnicity, and culture.
2. Clinical competencies, including motivational interviewing techniques, as aligned with training mandated by agency
3. Understanding of personal and professional boundaries  
4. Organizational skills
5. Time and stress management skills
6. Communication skills to include interpersonal, teamwork, and collaboration skills
7. Conflict resolution and diplomacy skills
8. Computer literacy including clinical records
9. Ability to develop solutions to problems.
10. Ability to speak and write clearly and effectively.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Create a welcoming and inclusive environment where families feel valued and respected.
2. Provide a continuum of counseling services to adults and youth with substance use needs
3. Develop and maintain knowledge of the substance use provider network
4. Provide harm reduction education to clients, including training on Narcan
5. Maintain high quality documentation of all case work, completed in a timely manner, and consistent with outlined program policies and licensure requirements.
6. Prepare written service plans, incorporating input from clients, families, involved service providers, and wraparound team members, and clearly identifying problem areas and needs, strategies, and service objectives.
7. Understand risk assessment, safety planning, and de-escalation interventions\
8. Other duties as assigned by supervisor