Position Summary:

The Substance Abuse Counselor schedules and facilitates individual and group counseling activities, completes clinical documentation, develops individual treatment plans, and assesses program participants. Essential Job Functions include those listed below.

Essential Job Functions:

• Utilizes counseling and psychotherapy to evaluate and treat emotional and mental problems and conditions, whether cognitive, behavioral, or affective;
• Conducts interviews and makes assessments of potential clients, in order to determine need and appropriateness for program participation and referrals;
• Conducts individual counseling sessions with assigned program participants;
• Schedules and facilitates group counseling sessions, ensuring that each program participant assigned to his/her caseload participates in scheduled activities;
• Keeps a working knowledge of the treatment progress and behavior(s) of assigned program participant(s) and those of other staff as needed;
• Analyzes situations and takes necessary actions to provide crisis intervention in a manner that is consistent with WestCare's Code of Ethics;
• Participates in the decision to refer program participants for ancillary services, (i.e., family support groups, continuing care groups, etc.);
• Completes documentation required for clinical records and other reports as assigned;
• Refers assigned program participants to other staff members, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist as required;
• Assists other WestCare staff as needed to promote cooperation and portray a professional image to the community;
• Embraces and embodies the mission, vision, guiding principles, clinical vision and goals of WestCare Foundation;
• Performs any other duties as assigned.

Essential Qualifications:

Certifications/Licensures:

• CADC or similar certification required; Preference will be given certified candidates;
• Valid driver's license and the ability to obtain and maintain WestCare's vehicle insurance is required.

Education:

• Graduation from an accredited two-year or four-year college with a degree in Counseling, Criminal Justice, Social Work, Psychology or other field related to the position is required;
• High School Diploma or equivalent is required;
• Graduation from a Doctoral or Master's level program is preferred.

Experience and Competencies:

• Experience working with individuals suffering from mental health and substance abuse disorders required;
• Two (2) years of experience in providing direct counseling services to persons with alcohol and/or drug problems is highly preferred;
• Excellent communication skills are required;
• Ability to exercise good judgment and discretion required;
• Ability to work well in a team environment required ;
• Adherence to the highest standard of ethical conduct, especially to standards governing confidentiality required;
• Professional appearance and demeanor required;
• Must be culturally/linguistically sensitive to populations served;
• Intake and assessment experience is highly preferred;
• Bilingual ability is preferred;
• Knowledge of the criminal justice system is preferred;
• Prior experience using office equipment, including phones, scanners, printers, and fax machines, and web cameras is highly desired;

Working Conditions:

• Work is primarily performed in an office or indoor setting;
• Some outdoor activities and travel between multiple locations may be required;
• Regular and prompt attendance is required throughout employment.

Essential Physical and Mental Demands of the Job

The employee must be able to perform the following essential duties and activities with or without accommodation:

Physical Demands:

• Requires mobility and physical activity: Having an adequate range of body motion and mobility to work in an office, residential, or outdoor environment including standing and walking (even and uneven surfaces), sitting for extended periods of time, bending, twisting, reaching, balancing, occasional lifting and carrying of up to 50 pounds. Use of computer and telephone systems is required which includes coordination of eye and hand, and fine manipulation by the hands (typing, writing, and working with files).
• Requires the ability to defend oneself and clients in physically abusive situations through the use of approved physical de-escalation techniques.
• Requires talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Talking is required to impart oral information to employees, clients, patients, and the public, and in those activities in which the employee is required to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to others accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Requires hearing: Hearing is required to receive and communicate detailed information through oral communication.
• Requires seeing: Clarity of vision at 20 inches or less and at distance. This factor is required to complete paperwork for many of the employee's essential job functions and to observe client behavior and activities in and out of the facility.

• The normal work routine involves no exposure to human blood, body fluids or tissues. However, exposure or potential exposure may be required as a condition of employment. Appropriate personal protective equipment will be readily available to every employee.

Mental Demands:

• Requires the ability to collect and analyze complex numerical and written data and verbal information to reach logical conclusions.
• Requires the ability to work and cooperate with clients, co-workers, managers, the public and employees at all levels in order to exchange ideas, information, instructions and opinions.
• Requires the ability to work under stress and in emotionally charged settings.
• Requires the ability to defend oneself and clients in mentally/verbally abusive situations through the use of approved mental/verbal de-escalation techniques.