Bilingual Recovery Counselor Therapist

COMHAR is a nonprofit community-based organization. Our mission is to provide health and human services that empower individuals, families, and communities to live healthier, self-determined lives.

COMHAR’s CIRC (Community Integrated Recovery Center) model provides site and community-based psychiatric rehabilitation services for adults and seniors. Five different programs address the unique needs of individuals with behavioral health challenges, co-occurring substance use disorders, HIV/AIDS infection, and Spanish as the primary language. Individuals learn to become fully functional in their recovery through a strengths-based holistic approach that employs family inclusion, community integration, education, employment/volunteerism, financial counseling, housing, spirituality, and legal help. Additionally, educating individuals and their families about the recovery process through an empowering environment that promotes a resilient peer culture.

COMHAR’s CIRC Program is seeking a Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) Therapist/Recovery Counselor to join our ever-expanding team.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Education and Engagement

• Engage individuals who may be at-risk and provide stage-appropriate recovery education and supports.
• Assist in the orientation process for persons who are new to receiving mental health and/or co-occurring disorders services
• Assess individuals in their abilities, strengths, and assets towards the development of a recovery plan that addresses all domains of an individual’s life.
• Assist individuals in identifying their personal interests and goals using motivational interviewing.
• Provide individual and group coaching, counseling, mentoring instruction, training, feedback and positive reinforcement for individuals in areas such as money management, grooming/hygiene, meal preparation, public transportation, and other independent living skills.
• Educate individuals on evidenced based practices, e.g., illness management and recovery, Co-occurring disorders, supported employment, family psychoeducation, etc.
• Demonstrate cultural sensitivity and competence and be trauma informed as relevant to the needs of individuals in recovery
• Educate individuals in understanding their Wellness Recovery Action Plans as a means to recognize early triggers and signs of relapse, and use of individual coping strategies as an alternative to more restrictive services
• Educate individuals about self-help resources, e.g., Double Trouble, 12 Step, or other self-help groups for individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders.
• Engage individuals in individual and group psychotherapy to address issues that pertain to their recovery.
• Engage family members in working with individuals to explore family dynamics in family therapy.
• Work closely with Certified Peer Specialists to encourage peer supports and services that can assist individuals towards achieving a greater sense of well-being.

Community Integration

• Assist and support individuals in utilizing educational and support groups, activities deemed beneficial by the program community, e.g., warm line, calendar of events, etc.
• Assist individuals in developing and practicing the skills selected and defined in their recovery plans. This may include off-site coaching sessions while the individual is attending community appointments or participating in activities, e.g., social, leisure, and recreational activities, and fostering spiritual connections with faith-based organizations, and participating in 12 Step fellowships, self-help, and mutual support groups.
• Coach individuals in utilizing community resources and peer supports outside of the facility to promote community integration, e.g., public transportation, computer educational/G.E.D. classes, vocational services, (OVR, job training), health and wellness, banking, and financial entitlements, etc.
• Assist and teach individuals in learning how to access and maintain stable housing.
• Support and engage individuals in the process of obtaining reasonable accommodations.
• Support the individual and engage families, friends, and significant others in connecting with person in recovery and in learning how to improve or eliminate unhealthy relationships.
• Provide individual and family therapy in individual’s home if there are barriers for individual and family members to travel to facility.

Advocacy/Case Management

• Mediates and advocates on behalf of the individual to help him/her obtain and keep housing, health care benefits, employment, entitlements, etc.
• Support individuals in identifying their areas of need for treatment services.
• Identify barriers to full participation and develop strategies to overcome them.
• Provide education and advocacy within the community that promotes awareness of mental health and co-occurring disorders while reducing barriers such as stigma and misconceptions
• Assist others to understand and accept the concept of recovery and be supportive of a peer culture that promotes recovery.
• Actively participate in team meetings and engage individual, other team members, and family/significant others to provide input.

Follow-up

• Maintain contact by phone or email with individuals who are absent or leave the program to ensure their ongoing success.
• Stay in touch with graduates and alumnae to encourage mentoring and support for other members and ongoing success for themselves.
• Provide re-engagement support if needed
• Follow-up on crisis situations

Training and Supervision

• Complete of a 12-hour orientation on recovery/psych rehab offered by certified trainers to be completed within 1 year of hire or start-up of program.
• Complete at least 18 hours of training per year with at least 12 hours specifically focused on recovery/psych rehab, e.g., evidence-based practices, motivational interviewing, substance abuse, solution-oriented coaching, cultural sensitivity, harm reduction, etc.
• Participate in and complete all CBH mandatory in-services
• Keep supervisor informed of all potential problematic situations/concerns/issues
• Keep supervisor and team members informed about individuals’ strengths, accomplishments, and obstacles they are experiencing obtaining their recovery goals.
• Meet with supervisor face to face at least twice a month for individual supervision.

Documentation

• Complete all required documentation in a timely, legible manner, e.g., recovery plans, progress notes, encounter forms, daily entry, etc.
• Utilize computerized documentation.

Policies and Procedures

• Be aware of and follow COMHAR policies and procedures including those regarding confidentiality, HIPPA, compliance, personal policies, etc.

Quality Improvement

• Participate in quality improvement and data gathering, e.g., surveys, outcomes, record reviews, self-assessments, individual satisfaction, etc.

Other Duties

• Assume other duties as assigned by director.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Master’s degree in human service field and at least 2 years work experience in mental health direct service; Clinical Licensure preferred
• Bi-lingual (English/Spanish)
• Professional Experience in Psych Rehab Services preferred
• CPRP certification preferred, to be attained within 2 years from date of hire
• Demonstrated computer proficiency with Microsoft Office 365
• Knowledge of community resources in Philadelphia
• Culturally informed sensitivity towards Program’s target populations
• Willingness to work flexible work schedule to include some evenings, weekends, and holiday hours

We are proud to be an EEO employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace. COMHAR, Inc. is a not-for-profit community based health and human service organization founded in 1975. We do not discriminate in services or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, past or present receipt of disability-related services or supports, marital status, veteran status, or any other class of persons protected by federal, state or local law.