SUBSTITUTE SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR

 DEFINITION:  Under the direct supervision of a Counselor Supervisor, the Substance Abuse Counselor will be responsible for the case management of individuals who have been convicted of offenses for “driving under influence” of alcohol and/or drugs and who have been sentenced by the Courts to receive treatment services provided by the MAAC Project.

 PRIMARY DUTIES:

1.       Conduct group enrollments and individuals reinstatements.

2.       Develop treatment objectives and goals for program participants.

3.       Audit participant files.

4.       Lead group counseling discussions that are directly associated with alcohol and/or chemical dependency issues.

5.       Monitor timely fee payments of assigned caseload participants.

6.       Conduct individual counseling interviews to assess treatment objective progress by participants assigned to caseload.

7.       Contact participants via telephone and/or written correspondence regarding absences from program activities and/or delinquent payments.

8.       Properly document all levels of program participation in the participants’ case file.

9.       Provide on-going monitoring of the participants’ compliance with program’s rules and regulations as approved by the State, County of San Diego and MAAC Project.

10.   Attend staff meetings and trainings as assigned by the Counselor Supervisor.

11.   Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge and Skills

·         Strong counseling skills which include the ability to conduct individual interviews and facilitate group discussions.

·         Demonstrated ability to assess individual alcohol/drug dependency problems and develop treatment goals/objectives.

·         Strong case management skills particularly in the area of recording participant progress in case records or other documents as may be required by State, County, or judicial system.

·         Strong oral communication skills to work effectively with program participants, program staff, diverse government agency representatives and community groups.

·         Strong knowledge and understanding of the recovery philosophy and steps associated with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA).

·         Thorough knowledge and understanding of the principles of case management in a social model, outpatient treatment setting.

Education and Experience

A minimum of two years experience in providing counseling services to persons with alcohol and/or other drug problems.  As used in this requirement, “one year of experience” means 1,776 total hours of full or part time, compensated or uncompensated, work experience.

One year of college-level education that includes the satisfactory completion of at least 12 semester units or the equivalent of alcohol and drug studies, psychology, counseling, social work, or a related field, may be substituted for one year of the experience required.  As used in this requirement, “one year of college-level education” means satisfactory completion of a minimum of 24 semester units or the equivalent of classroom instruction provided by an accredited or approved, public or private, post secondary institution of higher learning.

Special Requirements

If recovering, minimum of two (2) years of continuous sobriety.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Requirements:

Physical:             Upon occasion may push/pull and lift/carry objects more than 20 pounds, but fewer than 50 pounds.  Frequently perform simple manipulative skills such as standing, walking, etc.  Frequently performs tasks, which require moderate to complex manipulation such as 10-key/computer/typewriter keyboarding.  Frequently walk, stand, and sit for prolonged periods of time.  Frequently needs to perform functions, which require ability to reach above shoulders, bend, and kneel or squat.

Sensory:              Frequently read fine print.  Frequently distinguish normal sounds with some background noise, as in answering telephones, hearing overhead page, etc.  Must be able to speak clearly and make self understood while also understanding others using the English language.

Cognitive:             Frequently concentrates on moderate to fine detail with constant interruption, and attends to task/function for more than 60 minutes at a time.  Must understand and relate to specific ideas, generally several at a time, and relay such understanding to others.  Must also remember multiple tasks/assignments given to self and others over a period of several weeks.

Environmental       Frequent exposure to Electro-magnetic radiation, as in CRTs  (VDTs) and other

Conditions:           hazardous office chemical materials, i.e., correction fluids and CRT screen/typewriter cleaners. 

Equipment:          Frequently utilizes equipment including, but not limited to, computer, 10-key, variety of printers, typewriter, teleconferencing equipment, transcription equipment, telephone, copy machine, and fax machine.

SALARY:             $12.00 per hour.

CLOSING DATE:  Continuous filing

A completed MAAC Project application for employment, affirmative action form, and resume of qualifying education/experience must be submitted to the MAAC Project, 1355 3^rd Avenue Chula Vista, Ca 91911  

SELECTION PROCEDURES:

In-House Applicants

As outline in the Union Contract, Article 12.

Public Applicants

Part A:              An appraisal will be made by an interview committee for the qualification of each candidate who best satisfies the preferred requirements for the position based upon information contained in the application and resume.

Part B:              An interview committee will conduct interviews of candidates passed by the committee in Part A to evaluate education, experience and training.

Part C:              Final selection will be made by the Director and President/CEO from the recommendations of the Part B interview committee.

MAAC PROJECT promotes a diverse workforce and is an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER