Substance Abuse Counselor - Outreach & Engagement (C3)

  • Full-time

Company Description

Background

Since 1976, St. Joseph Center has been meeting the needs of low-income and homeless individuals and families in Venice, Santa Monica, Mar Vista, and surrounding communities.  The Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization that assists people without regard for religious affiliation or lack thereof through comprehensive case management and integrated social service programs.  The Center enjoys broad-based community support as well as a sponsored relationship with its founders, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.  St. Joseph Center serves approximately 6,000 individuals annually.

Brief Description of Principal Activities

Multifaceted intervention, prevention, and education services are carried out at four sites on the Westside of Los Angeles.  St. Joseph Center’s integrated programs provide clients with concentrated and coordinated access to services according to the nature of their needs.

Job Description

 Job Summary

The Substance Abuse Counselor works as a team member with several social service professional and paraprofessional staff ensuring the delivery of quality care in accordance to the rules and regulations established for contracted agencies as well as adhering to the mission of St. Joseph Center.

*This position requires Current and active CADAC or CAADE certification

 ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Substance Abuse Counselor’s key areas of responsibility include:

Key Areas of Responsibility:

  • Implement case management service plan goals emphasizing coordinated strategies for addressing substance abuse issues, relapse prevention, and any other risk factors that could impede client’s functioning.
  • Provide ongoing assessment of client progress in attaining goals.
  • Utilize a harm reduction model when working with clients.

 Essential Duties:

  • Provide ongoing case management services that will decrease social isolation and prevent relapse risks; provide linkage and brokerage to any mental health, substance abuse, and meaningful community activities.
  • Provide crisis management, case management, and other related substance abuse/mental health services to clients on the streets, in service venues, in housing placements, or other locations as appropriate.
  • Respond to urgent requests for assistance from clients as needed.
  • Participate in all meetings with collaborative agencies and other community meetings as directed.
  • Conducts 1:1 consistent with harm reduction principles to facilitate patient awareness, understand, and motivation to change related to addiction and recovery issues, as necessary.
  • Cultivate relationships with substance abuse treatment providers in the service area.
  • May be dispatched via county-wide 211 referral system as needed.

Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed are designed to provide typical examples of the work performed; not all duties and responsibilities assigned are included here, nor is it expected that all similar positions will be assigned every duty and responsibility.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

  • Must be highly motivated and a self-starter. The ability to communicate with and relate to a diverse group of people including clients, community, and other staff. Must have excellent organizational skills.

Experience:

  • One or more years providing chemical dependency counseling (supervised internship applies)

Education:

  • Degree from an accredited college or university in social work, human services or a related field; a combination of education and experience may be substituted.

Direct Reports:

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

Computer Skills:

  • Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
  • Ability to use widely supported internet browsers.

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations:

  • Current and active CADAC or CAADE certification
  • Valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.
  • Valid automobile liability insurance.

Travel Requirements:

  • xxxx

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, sit, walk, stoop, talk, hear, reach above and below shoulders; use hand and finger dexterity, keyboarding and making and receiving telephone calls. The employee may be required on occasion to lift and or carry up to 20 lbs.

Additional Information

Status: Full time/Exempt

Salary: DOE

Employment with St. Joseph Center is contingent on completion of satisfactory background check.

For consideration, please submit cover letter and resume. St. Joseph Center is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. All applicants for employment are invited to voluntarily self-identify their gender, race, ethnicity, and veteran status, by completing the EEO Information. Providing your EEO Information is voluntary and refusal to self-identify will not subject applicants to any adverse treatment. Similarly, applicants who do self-identify will not be subject to any adverse treatment based on the information they provide.

St. Joseph center invites you to review the current "EEO is The Law" poster as part of the application process. A link to the current poster is located here.

 https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf