AOD Counselor I

Whether you work within the clinical arena, or the administrative world. We all work toward our shared mission, and uphold the CLARE|MATRIX values of:

COMPASSION – TEAMWORK – INTEGRITY – EMPOWERMENT – ADAPTABILITY - EQUALITY. If your values align with ours… JOIN US

Why work for CLARE|MATRIX?

CLARE|MATRIX is seeking bright and compassionate leaders to help save lives through recovery We are a nonprofit organization providing effective and compassionate treatment, recovery, and prevention services for alcoholism and substance abuse to individuals, families, and the community. We offer an engaging, mission-driven work environment with excellent benefits and compensation. Work with dedicated colleagues in a dynamic setting, utilizing innovative approaches to addiction recovery and mental health treatment.

We recognize our staff as the heart of our organization, and seek to provide a generous and competitive benefit package to support our employees well-being. We offer the following:

• Employer paid Medical, Dental, Vision, Life/AD&D, and LTD insurance
• Vacation and sick Leave
• 11 Paid Holidays (including a birthday holiday)
• 403(b) Retirement Plan (may be eligible for employer matching up to 6% the 1st of the quarter after 90 days of service)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Clinical supervision, on-going clinical training, MATRIX Model Training & CEUs available

Job Title: AOD Counselor I
Reports to: Program Manager/Director of Residential Services

About CLARE|MATRIX:

CLARE|MATRIX is a nonprofit organization providing effective and compassionate treatment, recovery, and prevention services for alcoholism and substance misuse to individuals, families, and the community.

Since 1970, CLARE|MATRIX has provided quality substance misuse and mental health treatment to men, women, and children in southern California.

Through programs run by a compassionate, committed, results-oriented team of counselors, therapists, and administrators, CLARE|MATRIX continues to build its reputation as a leader in Evidence- Based Treatment practices and continues to break new ground in the areas of positive outcomes, outreach, research, and community involvement.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, CA, CLARE|MATRIX maintains 7 facilities in the Southern California region; providing services to participants in a manner consistent with its Core Values: Compassion, Teamwork, Integrity, Empowerment, Adaptability and Equality.

Summary:

The Counselor supports the activities of the department, which provides high quality substance misuse recovery services for people who are struggling with the addictions to alcohol and other drugs by assisting them in achieving identified goals.

Major Areas of Responsibility:

• Manage a caseload of clients
• Group Facilitation, individual counseling & case management of clients
• File compliance ensuring contractual guidelines and CLARE|MATRIX’s standards are upheld
• Crisis Management
• Collaborative team work
• Maintain a good knowledge and understanding of CLARE|MATRIX’s mission, vision, & philosophy
• Contribute to a healthy work environment
• Actively participate in meetings and team-building activities.
• Communicate on a direct and timely basis about needs and problems as they arise.
• Ensure standards of conduct are upheld to CLARE|MATRIX standards.
• Ensure a community environment is maintained.
• Ensure health and safety regulations are upheld to CLARE|MATRIX standards.
• Maximize learning opportunities by remaining receptive to constructive feedback and utilizing support available from your supervisor and others.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Ensure client files are upheld and managed to contractual and CLARE|MATRIX standards.
• Develop a treatment plan with each client; update the treatment plan as needed or as required by licensure, certification, and/or contract.

• Conduct goal oriented individual counseling sessions with caseload clients or as needed within the assigned department.

• Conduct group counseling and educational sessions.
• Act as a client advocate and assist clients with problem solving.
• Provide appropriate referrals, following up on all referrals and interventions to ensure that the client has access to designated services.
• Provide crisis intervention and emotional support to clients when appropriate.
• Maintain contact with each client as required by contract and program guidelines.
• Maintain accurate and up to date information in each client’s chart and document client contact by using the progress note system.
• Advocate with primary care providers to ensure access to quality treatment and/or care
• Attend and actively participate in case conferences, related training, and collaborative relationships between CLARE|MATRIX and established partners.
• Represent CLARE|MATRIX at community meetings, collaborate with other social services agencies as a part of continuum of care, and serve as an advocate for CLARE|MATRIX constituents, if applicable.
• Medication monitoring.

Other Related Classes:

• Counselor II is an AOD Counselor who is certified by a recognized governing body by the state of California.

Knowledge, Experience and Skills:

The ideal candidate will have counseling experience in a substance misuse treatment center setting, with a certification by a recognized governing body by the State of California. If the candidate is not certified, a Registration with a recognized governing body by the State of California is required as well as the candidate going to school and working towards their certification. In addition the following are strongly desired/ required experience and ability to work well with diverse populations.

• Possess an understanding of issues of substance use and mental health.
• Must have reliable transportation.
• Excellent organizational, verbal, written, and counseling skills.

The 12 Core Functions of a alcohol and other drug counselor are as listed below:

Screening, Intake, Orientation, Assessment, Treatment Planning, Counseling, Case Management, Crisis Intervention, Client Education, Referral, Reports and Record keeping, Consultation with Other Professionals

Medical History:

All employees whose functions require or necessitate contact with client or food preparation shall complete a health screening report or a health questionnaire. Health screening report or health questionnaire will be provided upon hire. For all residential employees a health screening report be completed and signed off by a medical practitioner signature for clearance. All outpatient employees will complete at minimum a self-report screening questionnaire.

TB test are to be conducted under licensed medical supervision not more than 60 calendar days prior to or 7 calendar days after employment and renewed annually from the date of the last tuberculosis test. Staff with a known record of tuberculosis or record of positive testing shall not be required to obtain a tuberculosis skin test. Unless there is documentation that the staff completed at least 6 months of preventive therapy, the staff shall be required to obtain, within 45 calendar days of employment, a chest x-ray result and a physician’s statement that the incumbent does not have communicable tuberculosis and has been under regular care and monitoring for tuberculosis. A chest x-ray within the prior 6 months is acceptable. The physician’s statement shall be renewed annually.

Physical Demands:

While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to sit and use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions.

Work Environment:

This job will be primarily located at the CLARE|MATRIX’s offices in Santa Monica, CA. While performing the responsibilities of the job, these work environment characteristics are representative of the environment the job holder will encounter. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Conclusion:

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the job and the general nature and level of work performed by job holders within this job. But, this job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.