Pregnant & Parenting Women's Counselor-- Sign On Bonus

Vision Statement - Our vision of Lifeline Connections is to be the recognized premier provider of substance use and mental health services in the Pacific Northwest by providing integrated care, comprehensive services, and enduring relationships.

Mission Statement - Through the use of superior customer service, high quality programs and a well-trained and dedicated staff, our mission is to inspire hope and support life-saving changes for people affected by substance use and mental health conditions.

Salary: $24.00-$27.00 + $5000 Sign on Bonus

MAJOR DUTIES: The Substance Use Dependency Professional provides clinical services, counseling and case management for clients of the agency. The work includes assisting supervisory staff and Program Director in program review, daily management of treatment activities, and training/orientation of junior staff and trainees. The SUDP is responsible for the daily treatment activities for clients on their caseload. In providing these services, the incumbent performs the following duties independently:

1. Collaborates with the supervisory staff and Program Director, other senior staff members, and other counselors in building and maintaining an intense treatment environment that motivates clients to focus on problematic behaviors, , and teaches clients more productive coping strategies;
2. Assesses the psycho social functioning of assigned clients and develops individualized treatment plans;
3. Apprises team members of specific treatment plans and intervention strategies so that therapeutic consistency can be maintained;
4. Leads treatment groups according to agency treatment guidelines;
5. Develops discharge/aftercare plans and makes appropriate referrals for follow-up care;
6. Documents relevant clinical information including treatment plans, treatment reviews, progress notes, and discharge summaries;
7. Provides crisis intervention services, information, and referrals to clients and their family;
8. Provides motivational counseling to collaterals to encourage participation in family support programs;
9. Teaches specialized treatment concepts to client groups according to agency treatment schedule;
10. Trains junior staff, trainees, and students in didactic presentations;
11. Provides complete and accurate written and oral formats regarding the course of treatment to families, referral sources, and legal representatives;
12. Recommends and participates in the development, design and documentation of policies, procedures, and activities for the agency;
13. Conducts alcohol/drug assessments pursuant to WAC 246-341;
14. Assumes responsibility for unit management in the absence of supervisory staff; and
15. Other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS OF POSITION:

1. Bachelor's degree in substance use dependency, human sciences or related field or equivalent work experience required;
2. Knowledgeable of a wide variety of therapeutic approaches and the ability to set and maintain therapeutic limits. The agency milieu mandates that the incumbent be flexible, versatile and skilled in developing creative behavioral interventions that modify inappropriate behavior;
3. Must be capable of functioning autonomously while maintaining continuous communication with other staff members;
4. A broad knowledge of the stages of human personality development including cultural, social, and psychological factors affecting individuals and families involved with chemical use;
5. Knowledge of the various theories, forms, stages, and manifestations of addictive behavior, awareness of socio-cultural barriers to change, and an in-depth knowledge of alternative coping mechanisms to replace the use of chemicals;
6. An in-depth understanding of the theory and practice of individual and group treatment to facilitate client self-examination, expression of feelings, insight development, problem solving, and motivation to develop a chemically free lifestyle;
7. Ability to instruct other Substance Use Dependency Professional trainees in treatment planning, clinical teamwork, clinical record keeping, and counseling skills, in accordance with agency and DBHR established procedures;
8. CPR/First Aid Certification required for inpatient staff members;
9. Good verbal and written communication skills;
10. Great attendance;
11. Ability to work well with others.

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:

Incumbent functions as a Substance Use Dependency Professional on an agency treatment team with specialized experience, training, and skills in the treatment of chemically dependent persons. S/he is under the supervision of an agency Program Director and the Chief Clinical Officer. S/he independently plans and carries out treatment activities selecting his/her own approaches with minimal guidance. Consultation is provided by appointment, informal contacts or regularly scheduled team meetings. Supervision or consultation is required only when dealing with problems of an unusually difficult or complex nature which requires additional experience and expertise.

GUIDELINES:

The Substance Use Dependency Professional must meet the requirements in RCW 18.205 and WAC 246-811. The SUDP relies on specialized training and/or equivalent experience in the field of Substance Use dependency treatment, DBHR, Washington Administrative Codes, Revised Codes of Washington, and performance standards developed for the position.

COMPLEXITY:

The incumbent counsels clients who differ widely in age and socioeconomic status and who may possess a variety of chronic and serious social, behavioral and psychological problems. Problems frequently encountered may include a history of varied and complicated criminal activities, mild to serious emotional disorders, a chronic absence of job skills or career goals, serious family maladjustments, poor education and inadequate interpersonal communication skills. In this position the Substance Use Dependency Professional is required to assess the psycho social functioning of the client to develop and implement a treatment plan appropriate to the identified and unique needs of the client. To accomplish this, the person must be capable of using a variety of treatment approaches for insight development, problem solving, and appropriate confrontation to assist the client to assume a chemical free lifestyle. Autonomy, clinical maturity, sound judgment, and creativity are required to help identify and monitor policies and treatment activities that will meet the complex needs of the clients.

SCOPE AND EFFECT:

The scope of activity is to assess, motivate and treat chemically dependent persons. The incumbent facilitates problem resolution by means of insight development, appropriate confrontation of behavioral problems and communication problems in the context of individual counseling and group therapy teaching. S/he utilizes a variety of community resources to address the complex range of client problems. The goal is to help the client eliminate the use of chemicals, develop alternatives to substance abuse, and commit himself or herself to a viable recovery/rehabilitation plan. This is done in part by establishing and maintaining a therapeutic environment that is conducive to personal growth in the client.

PERSONAL CONTACT:

Contacts are with members of the treatment team, clients, significant others of the clients, administrative supervisory and clerical personnel, employers, representatives of various community agencies specializing in the treatment of chemical abuse, related community representatives including lawyers, parole officers, and other court officials. All personal contacts are carried out in accordance with federal and state laws dealing with the confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse client/patient records.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the essential functions of the job, the employee is regularly required to sit, speak clearly, hear and use hands and fingers to manipulate writing utensils and keys on a keyboard. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk, reach with hands or arms, stoop, kneel, crouch and/or move a maximum of 20 lbs. Occasional heavy lifting may be required.

WORKING ENVIRONMENTS:

Most working hours are spent indoors in offices or meeting rooms. Occasional supervision of outdoor activities, visits to community agencies, and participation in staff retreats/staff development activities may be required.