Extra Help Substance Abuse Counselor I

Under direct supervision, learns to provide assessments, treatment planning, and counseling for substance abuse program clients; learns to provide education, consultation services, and training for other staff, community agencies, and the public; performs prevention activities designed to prevent alcohol and drug abuse in the county; and performs related duties as assigned.

Licensing and Certifications:

Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate valid California Driver’s License.

Current certification as an Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Counselor from the State of California approved certifying organization.

OR

Possession of registration to obtain certification as an AOD counselor by the State of California approved certifying organization, and the completion of the certification as an AOD Counselor within five (5) years from the date of registration.

Education and Experience:

Applicants must meet the necessary educational requirements to register to obtain certifications as an AOD Counselor by the State of California approved certifying organization.

This is not exhaustive of all job responsibilities. For more details, please refer to the link provided below.

To view the complete job description, you have two options: Either visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lakecountyca/classspecsor simply click on this link.

The information presented in job postings, job descriptions, or recruitment materials does not form a legally binding contract, either explicit or implicit. Benefits may differ among different employee groups. The details provided in these materials are subject to change or cancellation without prior notification. Prospective employees of the County of Lake must undergo the County's pre-employment medical review program upon receiving a conditional job offer before assuming their position with the County.

Applicants may substitute relevant experience and/or education at a 2 to 1 ratio to fulfill minimum qualifications. For further details, individuals should reach out to the Human Resources department.

ADA Accommodations

Individuals in need of accommodation during the application and/or selection process under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should reach out to County of Lake Human Resources at (707) 263-2213.

The County is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action Employer

Veteran's Preference

SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR I

Under direct supervision, learns to provide assessments, treatment planning, and counseling for substance abuse program clients; learns to provide education, consultation services, and training for other staff, community agencies, and the public; performs prevention activities designed to prevent alcohol and drug abuse in the county; and performs related duties as assigned.

This is the entry and first working level classification in the Substance Abuse Counselor series.  Incumbents learn to provide a variety of substance abuse counseling services for individuals and groups.  Incumbents learn program procedures, policies, counseling techniques, and treatment methods in the identification of client problems and development of case service plans.  

This class is distinguished from Substance Abuse Counselor II in that incumbents in the former have responsibility for more independently performing the full range of duties and activities.

Positions in the Substance Abuse Counselor series are flexibly staffed.  Incumbents may advance to the higher classifications after gaining the knowledge, skill, experience, licenses, and certifications which meet the qualifications for and demonstrating the ability to perform the work of the higher-level class.

Receives direct supervision from assigned supervisory or management staff, depending on areas of work assignments.  Exercises no supervision over staff.

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the scope of duties performed by employees in this class and are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

• Meets with individuals, families, and groups in a variety of settings to develop client centered service plans and learns to determine appropriateness for program service. 
• Learns to conduct assessments of clients with substance abuse problems and determine the appropriate course of action. 
• Learns to develop treatment plans for clients. 
• Learns to provide outpatient counseling on an individual and group basis. 
• Assists clients in understanding their problems and developing plans to resolve them. 
• Advises clients on available community resources and serves as a liaison with organizations and service agencies. 
• Makes referrals and other arrangements for client treatment and service, as necessary. 
• Prepares and presents progress reports on assigned cases. 
• Cooperates with professionals from other disciplines in the development of a team and collaborative diagnoses and counseling programs. 
• Develops recommendations to mitigate client problems and follows-up with clients and their families to assess progress. 
• Learns to perform crisis intervention. 
• Maintains records and prepares reports for state and local agencies. 
• Assists with prevention activities and community substance abuse prevention programs for targeted groups, such as children or young adults.
• Travel to various work locations to provide services may be necessary, as well as travel for  participation in meetings, conferences, planning sessions, or events, both locally and outside the county.
• May work with clients’ families to secure their cooperation in programs. 
• Performs related duties as assigned. 

Knowledge of:

• Basic methods and techniques for conducting assessments of an individual’s substance abuse problems.
• Approved principles and practices of substance abuse counseling.
• Basic knowledge of an individual’s legal rights in counseling and treatment programs. 
• Psychological and social aspects and characteristics of substance abuse.
• Drugs and drug abuse patterns, alcoholism, and the physiological effects of drug abuse and alcoholism.
• Case management principles, practices, and processes related to the assessment, care, treatment, and documentation of individuals with behavioral disorders.
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures relevant to State and local laws, policies, and procedures governing the administration of alcohol and drug prevention and treatment programs.
• Requirements and needs of persons with serious substance abuse problems.
• Available community resources for substance abuse services.
• Customer service principles and techniques. 

• Written and oral communications skills.
• Proper English spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Computers and software programs (e.g., Microsoft software applications) to conduct research, assess information, and/or prepare documentation.
• Principles and techniques for working with groups and fostering effective team interaction.

Ability to:

• Learn principles and conduct effective individual and group counseling related to substance abuse problems and recovery.
• Learn to assess substance abuse problems and develop services to meet client problems.
• Recognize a potential crisis and deliver crisis intervention services.
• Handle stress and unstable client behavior.
• Communicate effectively with people from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Learn to explain complex and technical terminology and concepts in an understandable and non-threatening manner.
• Learn to establish and maintain a variety of administrative records and related materials.
• Learn to understand, interpret, and apply all pertinent laws, codes, regulations, policies and procedures, and standards relevant to work performed.

• Learn to conduct detailed assessments by obtaining information, establishing facts, and drawing valid conclusions.
• Implement comprehensive case management for all clients, including those referred to other providers.

• Effectively represent alcohol and other drug services and the Behavioral Health Department in contacts with clients, the public, community organizations, other County staff, and other government organizations.
• Regularly work well under pressure, meeting multiple and sometimes conflicting deadlines.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

• Utilize a computer, relevant software applications, and/or other equipment as assigned to perform a variety of work tasks.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Licensing and Certifications:

Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate valid California Driver’s License.

Current certification as an Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Counselor from the State of California approved certifying organization.

OR

Possession of registration to obtain certification as an AOD counselor by the State of California approved certifying organization, and the completion of the certification as an AOD Counselor within five (5) years from the date of registration.

Education and Experience:

Applicants must meet the necessary educational requirements to register to obtain certifications as an AOD Counselor by the State of California approved certifying organization.

The County of Lake is an equal opportunity employer and will comply with its obligations under the law to provide equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals with disabilities.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions. 

Incumbents generally work partially in an office environment with moderate noise levels and controlled temperature conditions and partially in the field.  As such, incumbents may have occasional exposure to loud noise levels, cold and hot temperatures, inclement weather conditions, and direct exposure to hazardous physical conditions.  Incumbents may also be subject to clients or members of the public afflicted with behavioral disorders or who are under emotionally stressful conditions.  

Positions in this class typically require: sitting, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, grasping, talking, hearing, seeing, and repetitive motions.

Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.  Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time.  Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Light Work: Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.  If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for Sedentary Work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for light work.

A successful candidate will be required to submit to and pass a background check prior to the appointment.  Depending upon the position and/or assigned department, the background check may include but is not limited to civil and criminal history check, reference check, Live Scan, and/or credit check (as allowed under state law).

Disaster Service Workers: As members of the County of Lake Emergency Services Organization, all Lake County employees are designated as Disaster Service Workers during a proclaimed emergency and may be required to perform certain emergency services at the direction of the department and / or County.

Salary : $20 - $25