Substance Use Specialist

Center for Alternative•New York, NY

1d•$55,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Are you a credentialed alcohol and substance use counselor?  Are you looking to make a difference in the lives of people impacted by substance use and the criminal legal system?  Would you like to learn new skills and be part of an interdisciplinary that provides therapeutic case management services?  If so, then CASES is the place for you! We are seeking a Substance Use Specialist for our Brooklyn NCS team, who will join a multidisciplinary team comprised of a Team Leader, Forensic Clinical Case Coordinator, Case Coordinator, Criminal Legal Justice Specialist, Peer Specialist, and Program Assistant. The NCS team provides clinical case management and linkage to services for mental health and medical treatment. The Substance Use Specialist offers peer-centered, recovery-oriented support to participants by fostering trust, encouraging engagement in treatment, and sharing relevant participant progress with the NCS team to support individualized service planning. The Substance Use Specialist will have a focus on assessment & documentation, interdisciplinary collaboration, outreach, and therapeutic support. We believe that in-person operations are the best way to serve our clients, both directly and through essential operational support. This job requires work in our offices and the community.

Requirements

High School diploma or GED
CASAC AND/OR relevant experience
Two years of experience navigating the substance use and mental health systems in NYC
Background working with people with serious mental illness and/or people with involvement in the criminal justice system

Responsibilities

Perform initial drug assessments, individual case management sessions, and group therapeutic support sessions
Perform enrollment for new/mandated clients
During the assessment, obtain information to establish the degree of risk for substance use and assess harmful behaviors and interventions required to promote progress towards recovery
Complete comprehensive assessment, crisis intervention and relapse prevention plans, progress notes, and other significant documentation
Evaluate use of services and expected outcomes on a continuing basis
Conduct toxicology tests if mandated by courts
Perform other related duties as assigned by the Team Leader or Senior Director
Participate in multidisciplinary team approach providing comprehensive support for each participant
Participate in case conferences
In collaboration with participants, identify their treatment needs, based on severity of substance use, stage of change, and immediate needs, as well as recommended treatment objectives
Work effectively with client’s support system including external providers (e.g., therapist, psychiatrist, primary care providers), as well as family and other collaterals
Conduct Outreach diligent search when needed or requested
Collaborate and network with inpatient/residential detox and rehabilitative treatment centers
Act as an advocate and liaison for clients in securing emergency detox and rehabilitation care, and other community supports that promote integrated substance use or dual disorder treatment
Encourage substance use support and facilitate Relapse Prevention groups as needed
Provide individual therapeutic support around substance use, relapse prevention, psychoeducation, and harm reduction based on motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral responses to substance use
Provide therapeutic support in a person/family-centered, strengths-based, recovery-oriented, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive manner
Contribute to person/family-centered, trauma-informed, recovery-oriented treatment planning and awareness