Chemical Dependency Specialist

Position Summary:This member of the multidisciplinary team assesses, plans, develops, coordinates, and provides treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to program clients with severe and persistent mental illnesses under the clinical supervision of the team leader and the psychiatrist. Treatment is provided primarily in the community at a location that best meets the needs of the clients served.Schedule:Monday - Friday, 8 am to 5 pm + participation in the rotation for after-hours call coverage

Responsibilities:

• Provide service coordination (case management), engagement and motivational enhancement strategies, problem solving and relapse prevention for an assigned group of clients.
• Conduct comprehensive substance use assessments that consider the relationship between substance use and mental health. Apply stages of treatment and functional analysis to inform treatment planning.
• Provide individual supportive therapy and symptom management, ensuring immediate changes are made in the treatment plans as clients' needs change
• Educate and support clients' families, and advocate for clients' rights and preferences
• Acts as liaison and consult with community agencies and families to maintain coordination in the treatment process
• Provide on-call crisis intervention covering nighttime hours, medication monitoring, and case management
• Document client progress to maintain a permanent record of client activity according to established methods and procedures
• Provide treatment, rehabilitation, and support services with some interventions directed or performed by staff with specialty training and skills
• Take the lead role or participate in providing substance use and treatment services
• Provide ongoing assessment, problem solving, side-by-side services, skill training, supervision (e.g., prompts, assignments, monitoring, encouragement), and environmental adaptations to assist clients with activities of daily living.
• Provide individual supportive therapy (e.g., problem solving, role-playing, modeling and support), social-skill development, and assertiveness training to increase client social and interpersonal activities in community settings.
• Provide ongoing assessment of clients' occurring disorders symptoms and clients' response to treatment.
• Make appropriate changes in treatment plans to ensure immediate and appropriate interventions are provided in response to changes in mental status or behavior which put clients at risk
• Provide symptom education to enable clients to identify their mental illness symptoms
• Provide direct clinical services including individual supportive therapy to clients on an individual, group, and family basis in the office and in community settings to teach behavioral symptom management techniques to alleviate and manage symptoms not reduced with medication and to promote personal growth and development by assisting clients to adapt to and cope with internal and external stresses.
• Provide individual and group treatment in the office and in community settings in a stage-based treatment model that is non-confrontational, considers interactions of mental illness and substance abuse, and has client-determined goals.
• Coordinate with outside inpatient services to detoxify clients and establish linkage to outpatient treatment self- and help programs
• Take a lead role or participate in the provision of rehabilitation services.
• Organize and lead individual and group social and recreational activities to structure clients' time, increase social experiences, and provide opportunities to practice social skills and receive feedback and support.

Job Requirements:

The following requirements are those that are normally required for performance of this position. Any disabled applicant or incumbent who does not meet or more of the physical requirements, but who can perform the essential function of the job (with or without reasonable accommodations) shall be deemed to meet these requirements.

Physical Requirements:

This position normally requires that physical demands of standing, walking, bending, lifting or performing other work requiring low physical exertion, talking and hearing on a regular basis to perform the job requirements. These physical demands are required up to 80% of the time. Position also requires ability to drive with adequate vision and skill.

Non-Physical Requirements:

Education

• Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, or a related behavioral science field
• Education as required to obtain Substance Use Disorder Professional credential

Experience

• Prior experience providing behavioral health treatment
• Experience working with individuals with severe and persistent mental illness is preferred

Special Skills

• Familiarity with harm reduction principles, motivational interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques, and Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment (IDDT)
• Strong individual employment plan writing and computer skills
• Possess and utilize effective verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to be self-motivated, work independently and as a team member
• Ability to represent the agencies in a professional manner within the community
• Skills and competence to establish supportive trusting relationships with persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses and respect for client rights and personal preferences in treatment are essential

Licensure, Registration, Certification

• Valid Washington State driver's license and minimum required liability insurance for WA State
• Must be deemed insurable as determined by Catholic Charities liability insurance provider
• Registered Agency Affiliated Counselor Registration
• Substance Use Disorder Professional (SUDP) license in WA State or Co-Occurring Disorder Specialist Enhancement to a qualifying clinical license

Employment is conditional upon:

• Being cleared by a criminal background check and fingerprinting when required.

Wage:$27 - $34 per hour, depending on experience

Signing Bonus: $5,000-$10,000 depending on experience (paid out in 2 or 4 installments depending on bonus amount)

Benefits:

• 13 paid holidays, 12 days of vacation, 12 days of sick leave per year
• Health insurance including medical & prescription coverage, with optional dental and vision insurance plans. Majority of premiums paid by Catholic Charities
• Retirement 403(b) Plan: employee contributions commence upon employment; Catholic Charities contributes 2% of monthly income and matches up to 4% of employee contributions following 6 months of employment
• Basic Life Insurance paid 100% by Catholic Charities
• Flexible Spending Account eligibility following 6 months of employment
• Education Assistance Program reimbursing up to $5,250 per year for approved continuing education after 6 months of employment
• Additional voluntary insurances including supplemental life, accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D), critical illness, long term disability, accident, and ID theft
• Employee Assistance Program includes 3 counseling sessions per year, legal consultations, financial coaching, and other wellbeing tools
• Annual longevity awards begin at 5 years of employment

It is the practice of Catholic Charities to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, citizenship status, marital status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status, sexual orientation, gender expression, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Applicants from underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We gladly offer reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities to support participation in the hiring process and employment