SUBSTANCE ABUSE THERAPIST

About Sinai Health System

Located on Chicago’s West and Southwest Side, Sinai Chicago is comprised of Mount Sinai Hospital, Holy Cross Hospital, Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital, Sinai Children’s Hospital, Sinai Community Institute, Sinai Medical Group, and Sinai Urban Health Institute. The entities of Sinai Chicago collectively deliver a full range of quality inpatient and outpatient services, as well as a large number of innovative, community-based health, research and social service programs. We focus our collective depth of expertise and passion to improve the health of the 1.5 million people who live in our diverse service area. With our team of dedicated caregivers, Sinai Health System is committed to building stronger, healthier communities.

A partner with the Jewish United Fund in serving our community

Substance Abuse Therapist

The therapist works in collaboration with the patient, case managers, social workers, and physicians to assist patients in substance use related services. The Therapist is responsible for the following but not limited to providing services that affirm clients’ strengths, broaden their problem-solving abilities, increase their self-knowledge, short-term therapeutic interventions, and information on referrals for discharge. Therapists are responsible for assisting patients in the identification of psychosocial barriers that impact the discharge planning process & coordination of substance use treatment. They provide assessment, advocacy, education, and information, referral and linkage, coordination, counseling, and crisis intervention for assigned patients. Services are provided in the inpatient and outpatient setting. The therapist acts as a mentor and leader to newer staff. Candidates must have exceptionally good interpersonal skills, clinical insight, and comfort/experience working with individuals. Key Job Activities and Essential Function/Duties: - Assists patients with understanding different treatment options including medical stabilization units, Intensive outpatient services, Medication-Assisted Treatment (Methadone, Suboxone, & Vivitrol) and following recommendation of referral to community-based resources in order to restore the patient to their optimal level of functioning - Provides client education and training in the areas of psychiatric illness, substance use, and treatment with Naloxone. - Ongoing monitoring of delivery as it relates to the internal service providers and contracted providers. - Works with the healthcare team to further their understanding of the substance use, social and emotional factors that impact the discharge plan. Participates with the team to develop the care plan. - Participates in multidisciplinary rounds providing recommendations for the next level of care based on input from the patient. - Identifies potential high-risk complications, including those that may result in readmission/relapse & addresses these with the patient and healthcare team. - Evaluation for suicide: knowledge of risk factors for suicide. - Evaluation for violence: Knowledge of risk factors for violence. - Conduct psychotherapeutic and other clinical treatment sessions for individuals, families, and groups. - Complete all required documentation in case records and statistical reporting documentation within specified timeframes. - Provide clinical assessment of substance use disorder, administer screening tools, evaluates information, develops & implements plans to meet the identified needs of the patient. This is done in collaboration with the patient and healthcare team to provide linkage to services for appropriate level of care. - Provides timely follow up evaluation & intervention of post discharge services in order to ensure continuity of post discharge services and referrals. - Provide direct service for 70% of work hours. - Facilitate consultation and outreach to assure linkage to substance use services. - Attend monthly all staff meetings, clinical case staffing’s, and designed in-service sessions. - Evaluation of case management needs: Knowledge of state, federal, local community financial, social and services resources and of various agencies providing various services in the community. - Ability to advocate for and with patients and families in utilizing resources and services: Knowledge of medical, substance use and mental health systems and various financial and community available and how patients and families can use them. - Ability to do crisis therapy: Knowledge of theoretical paradigm that forms the basis of crisis therapy and its distinction from crisis interventions. - Ability to do family therapy: Knowledge of family dynamics/systems and how they impinge on behavior and knowledge of theoretical paradigms that are used to change family dysfunction. - Ability to do group psychotherapy: Knowledge of various or identified paradigms of group processes so as to identify them and use established models to bring out therapeutic change. - Provides culturally sensitive care to clients with substance use disorders or dual diagnosis.

Minimum Education:

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology or related behavioral health required

Minimum Work Experience:

• Two years’ experience working in substance use field preferred

Knowledge & Skills:

• Must be culturally competent

• Bilingual Spanish is a plus

Required Licenses, Certificates, Registrations:

• CADC required within one year of hire

Benefits

• Tuition Reimbursement

• 403 b with matching contributions

• Work-life balance - Personal time off & Schedule

• Medical / Dental / Vision