Chemical Dependency Group Counselor (CADC)

Chemical Dependency Group Counselor

Department: Program

Reports To: Chemical Dependency Programs Manager

Classification: Non-Exempt

POSITION SUMMARY

Conducts mental health and/or addiction recovery groups for adolescent clients in a short-term, psychiatric residential treatment setting. Conducts chemical dependency assessments as assigned by Chemical Dependency Programs Manager or Clinical Supervisor.

QUALIFICATIONS

CADC 1 is currently in good standing. Two years’ mental health or addiction recovery work experience with adolescents in a residential or other treatment setting preferred. Bachelor’s degree in the mental health field required. Master’s degree in the mental health field preferred. If recovering from a substance abuse related disorder, must be able to document continuous abstinence under independent living conditions or recovery housing for the immediate past two years.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and APTITUDES

· Good moral character, including honesty, fairness, and respect for the rights of others.

· Knowledge of the age-specific, diagnostic-specific, and cultural-specific needs of the population served.

· Knowledge of client assessment, intervention, and treatment planning methods.

· Knowledge of client-centered, trauma-informed, and strength-based treatment approaches.

· Knowledge of effective, evidence-based group therapy principles and approaches.

· Knowledge of various group modalities (e.g., didactic, experiential, process, expressive, etc.)

· Knowledge of behavior management techniques with the chemically dependent and/or mentally ill adolescent.

· Knowledge of clients’ rights, abuse reporting laws, confidentiality, and crisis intervention/de-escalation techniques.

· Knowledge of applicable regulatory standards (e.g., federal, state, OSHA, Joint Commission).

· Excellent customer and public relations skills.

· Excellent organizational and interpersonal communication skills.

· Skill in organizing and prioritizing workload to meet deadlines.

· Skill in interacting with multiple individuals with diversified roles and perspectives.

· Skill in telephone etiquette, voice mail, and email procedures.

· Currently certified skills in CPR and basic First Aid.

· Ability to establish and maintain therapeutic rapport and appropriate therapeutic boundaries.

· Ability to focus on details, work rapidly, and follow-through in a busy, fast-paced environment

· Ability to operate in an unstructured environment; orchestrate a myriad of activities and to manage multiple priorities within complex systems.

· Ability to accept direction and to tolerate ambiguity, uncertainty, and change.

· Ability to carry out all code procedures and adhere to all policies and procedures.

· Ability to communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing, with clients, family members, and co-workers.

· Ability to use good judgement and demonstrate tact, resourcefulness, patience, and dedication.

· Ability to maintain required records on individuals in care and their families.

· Ability to react calmly and effectively in emergency situations.

· Ability to work as a team leader as well as a team player.

PHYSICAL, MENTAL, and SPECIAL DEMANDS

The physical and mental 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.

· Ability to work and to concentrate amidst distractions such as noise, conversation, and foot traffic

· Ability to handle interruptions often and to be able to efficiently move from one task to another

· Ability to be flexible and not easily frustrated in dealing with differences of opinion or “difficult” individuals

· Ability to exercise self-control in potentially provocative situations such as being verbally or physically confronted in a threatening or aggressive manner

· Ability to stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, lift, grasp, and be able to perceive the attributes of objects such as size, shape, temperature, and/or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of the fingertips

· Ability to stand, sit, or walk for up to six continuous hours

· Ability to communicate verbally, see well enough to read written materials, and to discern a variety of odors continuously

· Ability to hear/perceive the nature of sound with no less than 40 dB loss @ Hz, 1000 Hz, and 2000 Hz with or without correction; ability to perceive detailed information through oral communication and to make fine discriminations in sound

· Ability to express and exchange ideas via spoken/written word during activities in which you must convey detail or important instructions to others accurately, sometimes quickly and loudly

· Ability to perform repetitive motions with wrists, hands, and fingers

· Ability to occasionally carry or lift program materials of up to 15 pounds. (i.e., brief case, clients’ belongings, etc.)

· Ability to exert up to 75 pounds of force occasionally and to be able to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

· Ability to see with a minimum standard of visual acuity, with or without correction, that will enable people in the role to complete administrative and clerical tasks and visually observe clients on the unit and in therapeutic activities.

· While a worker might possibly be subjected to temperature changes, the worker is generally not exposed to adverse environmental conditions as the work is predominantly inside

· Ability to occasionally assist in the physical management of clients, requiring bending, stooping, twisting, grasping and lifting of up to 65 pounds from a squat.

· Ability to occasionally push/pull carts of 200 pounds. (i.e., client on Gurney or in wheelchair).

· Ability to follow policies, procedures, and program manuals.

· Ability to appropriately handle hazardous/infectious waste on an occasional basis.

· Work continuously in an environment where the noise level is frequently high, chemicals are frequently used for cleaning, mechanical and electrical hazards may be occasionally present, and dust, mist and steam are generated in showers or housekeeping tasks.

MACHINES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT and OTHER WORK AIDES

· Electronic Health Records

· Telephone, paging, and voice mail system

· Email, cell phone, and other digital communication equipment

· Television, DVD, and other audio-visual equipment

· Computer

· Copy machine

· Fax Machine

· Shredder

· Policies, procedures, plans and program manuals

· Door locks

· First aid items

· Refrigerator

RESPONSIBILITIES

Models healthy functioning for clients

· Consistently demonstrates and models friendliness.

· Consistently demonstrates poise and stability.

· Consistently demonstrates maturity.

· Effectively demonstrates and promotes enthusiasm.

· Consistently demonstrates initiative and ambition.

· Consistently promotes professionalism through word, action and appearance.

· Consistently demonstrates appropriate, therapeutic boundaries.

· Consistently demonstrates ability to provide safe, therapeutic client care.

Conducts mental health and/or addiction recovery groups

· Consistently demonstrates mastery of

o Active listening skills

o Empathy skills

o Communicating respect/genuineness

o Problem-spotting skills

o Information-giving skills

o Confrontation skills

o Effectively overcoming resistance in clients

· In collaboration with other staff, consistently develops relevant group material/content (e.g., emotional regulation, healthy relationships, improved communication, smoking cessation)

· Always approaches every group with a prepared plan

· Always makes good choices on

o how little or how much leadership to exercise

o how to structure the group

o when to intervene

o how to effect a successful intervention

o how to manage the group’s collective issues.

· Consistently provides appropriate group structure.

Maintains clear and consistent boundaries, such as specific start and end times, expectations/standards for behavior in group, and ground rules for speaking. Responds consistently/predictably to particular behaviors.

· Always effectively integrates new members into the group

· Consistently demonstrates creativity and flexibility

Develops fresh, relevant approaches. Operating between the certain and the uncertain, does not overly rely on formulas or supply easy answers to clients’ complex problems. Instead, remains attentive to each client’s experience and the unpredictable unfolding of each group session’s work.

· Consistently demonstrates how to effectively deal with challenges in group

o Always effectively handles conflict in group

o Always effectively manages subgrouping

o Always effectively manages disruptive behavior

§ Clients who cannot stop talking

§ Clients who interrupt

§ Clients who distract others

§ Clients who take excessive “time-outs” or flee a session

§ Clients who will not participate

§ Clients tuning out

o Clients participating only around the issues of others

o Cooling down runaway affect or turning a crisis into an opportunity

· Always therapeutically brings the group to a close

· Always records timely group progress notes per the organization’s standards.

· Always communicates with treatment team and actively participates in treatment planning.

Always participates in peer, group, and individual supervision

· Accompany Teen and Family services clients to functions and activities off site

· Be a positive role model for student

· Mentor and/ or sponsor

· Plan/ Organize weekend functions

· Keep service area clean and neat

· Keep attendance of clients’ participation in all groups and functions

· Administer drug screens as per drug screen policy

· Attend to light administrative duties as needed, i.e.; making parent handbooks

· Be familiar with all policies and procedures as outlined in the employee handbook

· Report to program director all significant behaviors and communications that influence the recovery and well being of group members

Evidences competency at tasks associated with job performance.

· Demonstrates knowledge of adolescent program rules and protocols.

· Assists other unit staff in the monitoring and management of clients and client care.

· Consistently displays working knowledge of current, accepted psychological theory and chemical dependency treatment, including but not limited to, interpersonal communication, individual therapies, behavior modification in a residential setting, trauma-informed/strength-based interventions, and other evidence-based therapeutic interventions in a residential setting.

· Always respects confidentiality per policy.

· Demonstrates working knowledge of supplies and equipment.

· Always follows policy and procedure (e.g., client rights standards, infection control standards, environment of care standards, etc.) and observes legal and ethical norms.

· Always follows emergency procedures (Dr. Strong, Code Red, Code Blue) per policy and procedure.

· Shows conscientious attention to clients' physical care functioning.

· Demonstrates vigilant attention (by their actions) to the cleanliness and safety of client care areas

· Effectively promotes the spirit of the program philosophy.

· Always follows documentation protocol regarding client treatment and progress.

· Always follows close observation protocols.

· Documents all incidents necessary on the appropriate form and completes according to policy in a timely manner.

· Adeptly practices and promotes guest relation practices with referral sources, parents, clients, visitors, and phone callers.

· Consistently wears organization’s identification badge

Utilizes efficient, productive work habits.

· Establishes appropriate priorities for timely and accurate completion of tasks.

· Completes all work assignments within expected time frame.

· Consistently responds positively and cooperatively to changing work environment, work demands, and pressure.

· Always works positively and professionally with others regardless of interpersonal differences.

· Regularly seeks and does additional tasks when normal work pressure decreases.

· Identifies problems proactively and offers constructive suggestions for improvements on a regular basis.

· Takes initiative and responsibility to obtain the knowledge and skill to improve job performance.

· Actively promotes team-building.

· Always appropriately follows guidance and direction.

· Always maintains infection control, quality, and safety standards/practices.

· Is always punctual.

· Is up to date on all mandatory inservices.

Assists in evaluation and improvement of overall program and services.

· Always ensures that work meets or exceeds state, federal, Joint Commission, and applicable regulatory requirements.

· Actively participates in all applicable meetings and inservice trainings.

· Always understands and implements performance improvement principles and initiatives.

· Assists in development of improvements in program and new treatment modalities.

· Assists in orientation of new personnel, assists in monitoring practicum students, assists in program and company promotion, assists in planning in-service education, and is responsible for professional self-development.

· Provides leadership in areas of expertise

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $20.00 - $23.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Medical Specialty:

• Addiction Medicine

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Every weekend
• Night shift

Work Location: In person

Salary : $20 - $23