Substance Abuse Counselor

Position:                                 Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Use Counselor (CASAC)
Classification:                        Full-time Nonexempt
Reports to:                             Senior Director of Outpatient and Community Outreach Services
Work location/Schedule:     Upper East Side – Monday- Friday 8:30AM-4:30PM some evenings needed.

ABOUT US: 

Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter (NCS) helps New Yorkers who have a history of homelessness, often compounded by mental illness or substance use, to achieve their highest level of independence. We were established in 1982 by faith and community leaders on Manhattan’s Upper East Side who believed that homelessness is the responsibility of the entire community. More than 40 years later, we are still guided by the principle that neighbors should help neighbors. 

Today, NCS offers an array of groundbreaking housing and supportive services, including counseling, substance use treatment, vocational and educational programs, and employment support, and we are poised for further growth. 

NCS provides New Yorkers who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with a home, a community, and access to the services that they need to thrive. To learn more about our work, please visit Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter (ncsinc.org).

POSITION SUMMARY:

The CASAC is a frontline outreach, engagement, and care coordination professional supporting NCS’s PATH-funded Chance to Connect programs. These initiatives serve chronically homeless adults, particularly individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), substance use disorders (SUD), or co-occurring disorders (COD), through low-barrier, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive services that facilitate access to housing, treatment, and recovery supports.

The CASAC provides outreach, engagement, screening, brief intervention, referrals, follow-up, and documentation for PATH-eligible individuals encountered. The CASAC is responsible for providing SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) and substance use–related psychoeducation within the scope of PATH services.

This role emphasizes trust-building, person-centered planning, harm reduction, and coordinated care to reduce barriers to treatment and housing stability.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct regular community-based outreach in shelters, drop-in centers, meal programs, and locations frequented by individuals experiencing homelessness to identify and engage PATH-eligible individuals.
• Establish rapport and build trust with individuals who may be unsheltered, service-resistant, or disconnected from formal support systems using trauma-informed, harm-reduction, and strengths-based approaches.
• Conduct PATH eligibility screenings and informal assessments of substance use, mental health, housing status, and basic needs.
• Provide SBIRT services, including evidence-based substance use screenings, brief interventions utilizing motivational interviewing and CBT-informed techniques, and referrals to treatment and recovery supports.
• Deliver substance use education and relapse-prevention support within PATH-allowable service parameters.
• Provide ongoing care coordination and support, including assistance with shelter access, housing applications through 2010e and Coordinated Entry, and navigation of public benefits such as SSI/SSDI, Medicaid, and public assistance.
• Facilitate referrals and warm handoffs to mental health, substance use, and medical providers, including outpatient treatment, MAT, ACT teams, and other community-based services.
• Provide on-site engagement and support at the Chance to Connect low-threshold service hub, including assistance to walk-in participants with crisis intervention, safety planning, basic needs support, hygiene kits, harm-reduction supplies, and service linkage.
• Collaborate with co-located and external providers, including OASAS-licensed programs, shelters, housing providers, and outreach teams, to support integrated and coordinated care.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of outreach encounters, SBIRT activities, services provided, referrals, and follow-ups in the AWARDS EHR system.
• Complete and maintain PATH eligibility documentation and assist with collection of required program metrics, including outreach logs, SBIRT activity tracking, and service outcomes for reporting purposes.

Professional Development & Team Participation

• Participate in weekly supervision, team meetings, interdisciplinary case conferences, and PATH compliance activities.
• Maintain CASAC credentialing and required continuing education.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned as needed.

Required

• Valid CASAC credential (CASAC, CASAC-M, CASAC-P, or CASAC-GP)
• Minimum of 1 year of experience working with homeless or unstably housed populations, preferably in outreach, drop-in, shelter, or community-based settings.
• Demonstrated knowledge of substance use disorders, mental illness, harm reduction, and trauma-informed care.
• Familiarity with NYC homeless services, 2010e, Coordinated Entry, and PATH/CoC systems.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong engagement and rapport-building skills.
• Ability to provide SBIRT and brief clinical interventions in community and non-clinical settings.
• Crisis de-escalation and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

Ability to work independently while collaborating within a multidisciplinary team

Additional requirements:

NCS is committed to maintaining a safe and secure workplace for our employees and clients. Please be advised that regulatory agencies mandate all potential employees

• Successfully complete a background screening process that includes fingerprinting prior to employment. A section of the background screen requires address history for the last 28 years.
• Are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are selected for the position, proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 will be required as part of the onboarding process.

SALARY:  $50,000 - $57,000 annually

Final pay rate will be determined based on various factors which may include internal equity, work experience, skills, knowledge, and/or education and/or certifications. 

BENEFITS:

NCS offers a comprehensive benefits package including a collaborative team; medical, dental and vision insurance plans; paid time off: vacation, sick, personal days; paid holidays; 403 (b) retirement plan; disability; life insurance, and more.

Equal Opportunity Employer

NCS is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. NCS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, parental status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply.

Salary : $50,000 - $57,000