Addiction Counselor

Job Title: Healthcare - Addictions Counselor
Location: Norristown, PA (onsite)
Contract Duration: until 01/17/2025
Working hours - 6AM - 2PM
Total Weekly Hours: 40 hours

Job Description: Job Title: Addictions Counselor

Summary:
The Certified Addictions Counselor (CAC) functions as a member of a progressive, interdisciplinary team. The Certified Addictions Counselor impacts the health of individuals, families and the community through health promotion, disease prevention and chronic disease care including monitoring and evaluating health services and outcomes and documenting services. The Certified Addictions Counselor supports patients, families and the community to achieve their highest level of wellness, learn to live with or recover from illness or addiction, and to enhance their care capabilities and to support their right to make choices. A valued member of the primary care team, the Certified Addictions Counselor is strategically placed to optimize exercising his/her knowledge and expertise as a counselor and educator for patients and families.

The Certified Addictions Counselor will be primarily responsible for enrollment of patients into care/ new patient intake, coordination of Suboxone inductions, patient education, naloxone training, peer support groups, counseling, coordination of referrals, community outreach and administrative support duties.

Essential Duties and Functions:

1. Work collaboratively with the Primary Care Department, the Integrated Behavioral Health Department, the Outpatient Health Department, and Outreach teams to provide comprehensive care coordination for all MAT program patients.
2. Completes intakes/comprehensive assessments for assigned MAT/SUD clients
3. Performs follow up, ongoing assessments and notes for MAT/SUD patients. Develops a plan for on-going MAT clients specifying objectives and outcome goals
4. Collaborate with Behavioral Therapists in coordination of group and individual psychoeducation intervention strategies to assist patients in their wellness plan.
5. Provides individual and group treatment to address addictive behaviors by using Evidence Based practices and approaches such as: Trauma Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, Harm Reduction, and 12 step group sessions
6. Conduct group and schedule individual substance use disorder counseling meetings with patients to assess triggers, cravings, withdrawal symptoms, substance use, motivation to remain in recovery
7. Assist the client in developing skills required to achieve sobriety and better enhance his/her abilities to function as a productive member of the community.
8. Provides ongoing support for clients in areas of their daily living situation; assist client to build resilience through focusing on interpersonal skills, maintenance of mental needs with particular focus on substance abuse issues, educational needs, connecting to work training, fulfilling their legal obligations in order to remain in the community.
9. Facilitates appropriate needed referrals as recommended by BTs and Prescriber to other treatment programs, i.e., detox, inpatient or residential treatment facilities and medical care in conjunction with the client's insurance and primary care provider. Meet with patients in program at least monthly to assess any issues. Perform outreach as needed, facilitate transitions of care to different level facilities as needed. Provide support during taper.
10. Responsible for overseeing the patient schedule and attending huddles to identify issues/potential new referrals; facilitate patient scheduling in conjunction with PSRs to ensure smooth clinical workflow.
11. Attendance and participation in meetings, in-services, educational programs and other activities as deemed appropriate.
12. Implement and maintain quality improvement activities related to Primary Care, in collaboration with the Quality Coordinator and the Primary Care Director.
13. Assist with Prior Authorizations as needed
14. Provides after hours work including: participation in weekly on call phone rotation schedule to permit 24 hour/7 day a week access to service
15. Monitors and reports information to the Manager
16. Performs other duties assigned by the Manager

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Knowledge of primary health care and the social determinants of health
• Knowledge of concepts of health promotion, disease prevention, behavior change counseling, program planning, individual and group counseling
• Excellent organizational skills to manage numerous practice activities
• Proficiency in computer skills, familiarity with Electronic Medical Records and willingness to learn all computer systems
• Unconditional ability to maintain HIPAA regulations
• Leadership skills that include the ability and desire to champion teambuilding within the Primary Care Department
• Demonstrates effective time management skills and follow through
• Support the Center’s commitment to the creation of a trauma-informed system of care that continually recognizes and responds to the impact of traumatic stress on all those who have contact with the organization, including children, adults, families, caregivers, and staff. Uphold the commitments that include: non-violence, emotional intelligence, social learning, open communication, social responsibility, democracy, and growth and change.
• Demonstrate cultural competence/proficiency in interactions with others by treating co-workers, colleagues and those receiving service with respect and fairness at all times.
• Awareness and sensitivity to the structural conditions and power dynamics involved in systems of oppression embedded in health care that impacts health
• Ability to build and maintain positive and professional relationships based on respect, trust, and safety.
• Ability to create a space for staff and those we serve to feel physically and emotionally safe.
• Ability to support individuals on their paths to recovery and healing and resist re-traumatization of staff and patients.
• Demonstrate exemplary problem-solving, communication, interpersonal, and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to work effectively as a team member
• Exemplary organizational skills and ability to prioritize

Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s Degree Required
• Completion of 8hrs of Buprenorphrine training program (can be completed post-hire)
• At least 2 years’ experience in drug and alcohol setting
• Experience in an outpatient practice and drug & alcohol programs setting, preferred
• Current CAC certification from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania