Substance Abuse Counselor Job Description
Substance Abuse Counselor Duties & Responsibilities
To write an effective substance abuse counselor job description, begin by listing detailed duties, responsibilities and expectations. We have included substance abuse counselor job description templates that you can modify and use.
Sample responsibilities for this position include:
Substance Abuse Counselor Qualifications
Qualifications for a job description may include education, certification, and experience.
Licensing or Certifications for Substance Abuse Counselor
List any licenses or certifications required by the position: AOD, ACLS, BLS, CSAC, CADC, CPR, DOJ, NC, DHCS, IDEP
Education for Substance Abuse Counselor
Typically a job would require a certain level of education.
Employers hiring for the substance abuse counselor job most commonly would prefer for their future employee to have a relevant degree such as Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Counseling, Human Services, Social Work, Psychology, Health, Substance Abuse, Social Sciences, Education, Criminal Justice, Sociology
Skills for Substance Abuse Counselor
Desired skills for substance abuse counselor include:
Desired experience for substance abuse counselor includes:
Substance Abuse Counselor Examples
Substance Abuse Counselor Job Description
- Conduct initial counseling psych/social evaluations including strengths, needs, abilities, preference for aftercare, addiction and development and psychiatric history and assessment
- Conduct daily individual counseling session with assigned case load (up to 12 patients) focusing on progress in treatment, needs and aftercare plans, arrangements with community based resources, legal, family, and discharge arrangements
- Conduct family discharge session
- Identify resources and refer patient to community service provider, PCP, on-going substance abuse detox or maintenance, and other sources of support and education
- Lead large group counseling sessions (20-30 patients) utilizing various counseling approaches and formats (didactic, interactive, engagement worksheets) on addiction topics such as relapse prevention, self-help, triggers, feelings, denial, and stress management
- Identify and complete all necessary releases to complete aftercare arrangements
- Develop a self-help plan for each patient including educatino and identification of local meetings
- Completes comprehensive assessment of clients’ substance abuse history and treatment requirements and develops individualized treatment plans
- Facilitates community meetings
- Serves as the lead staff member in substance abuse service
- Prefer A.A
- The work environment and physical demands described below are representative of those that an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job
- Use of standard office equipment such as computer, keyboard, telephone, fax machine and copier
- Have a minimum of one (2) years experience providing substance abuse treatment services to an offender population
- Knowledge of addiction, chemical dependency, dual diagnosis, mental health, psychiatric diagnosis and the recovery process
- Ongoing education on psychiatric disorders, depression/anxiety/PTSD and their impact on addictions
Substance Abuse Counselor Job Description
- Assists the Program Director in daily administrative or support tasks
- Counsels inmates, individually and in group sessions, to assist in overcoming substance dependencies, adjusting to life, and making changes
- Completes and maintains accurate records and reports regarding the inmates' histories and progress, services provided, and other required information
- Develops individualized client treatment plans based on research, clinical experience, and client histories
- Reviews and evaluates clients' progress in relation to measurable goals described in treatment and care plans
- Interviews inmates, reviews records, and confers with other facility professionals to evaluate the inmate’s and physical condition and to determine their suitability for participation in specific programs
- Provides inmates or family members with information about addiction issues and about available services and programs, making appropriate referrals when necessary
- Modifies treatment plans to comply with changes in client status
- Provides relevant substance abuse information in a classroom-like environment
- Facilitates and co-facilitates educational presentations and group counseling on substance related matters
- Must be able to pass a detailed background check
- Certification as a Certified Addiction Counselor based on the requirements of the state in which the position works in
- Graduated from an accredited college or university with a minimum B.A
- CADC, required
- CADC (Illinois Substance Abuse Certification) is required
- AOD credentials (California certfication)
Substance Abuse Counselor Job Description
- Maintains professional relationships with other substance abuse professionals, programs, and associations
- Participates in staff training
- Participates in program disciplinary activities for inmates
- Maintains inmate records storage area in a secure manner
- Assists in the development of inmate schedules
- Provides case management and individual and group counseling for an assigned caseload of inmates, create, update and maintain case records
- Utilizes crisis intervention techniques if an emergency situation arises
- Utilizes conflict resolution strategies
- Completes comprehensive assessment of inmates’ substance abuse history and treatment requirements and develops individualized treatment plan
- Collects statistics as required for reporting purposes
- Working knowledge of support agencies such as Alcoholics Anonymous
- IV
- Licensed independent Arizona Substance Abuse Counselor (LISAC) is required
- Reports immediately to supervisor or Director
- Reports medical or safety concerns to the Director or RN in charge of
- A Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology, Social Work, or equivalent thereof
Substance Abuse Counselor Job Description
- Participates in inmate classification hearings and program disciplinary activities for inmates
- Assists in the development of inmate schedules and inmate release planning
- Implements the Company's therapeutic community treatment model
- Prepares and submits all treatment and educational outlines, lectures, handouts and other relevant materials
- Maintains records and clinical charts as required by Company and client's contractual requirements
- Prepares schedules, reports, or other information required for the program
- Assesses client aftercare needs, issues and services
- Coordinates individual clinical care of assigned client caseload
- Maintains and updates resident client records and documents program in charts
- Facilitates of group therapy and utilizes appropriate treatment modalities in group sessions
- Associate's Degree in counseling or human services and a minimum of two year's experience working with the substance abuse treatment population, or
- Bachelors, Degree in counseling or human services and a minimum of one year of experience working with the substance abuse treatment population, or
- Master's Degree in counseling or human services
- Experience working with a corrections population is desired
- Minimum of three year's experience counseling criminal justice population in a substance abuse population
- Associate degree and/or high school diploma
Substance Abuse Counselor Job Description
- Prepares and presents lectures as assigned
- Responsible for maintaining resident files and preparing necessary paperwork and documentation as required by the Department of Health, Department of Corrections, Corporation
- Attend staff meetings and clinical supervision as scheduled
- When assigned, transports residents by company vehicle to out-of-facility appointments
- Provides input to the Clinical Supervisor as to the current and future therapeutic/resident needs and issues
- Responsible for maintaining or receiving the minimum credentials required by the Department of Health
- Responsible for meeting the goals and objectives of the individual training plan and completing the training requirements of the staff development plan
- Functions and serves as a team member with treatment staff, clinical supervisor and support staff
- Enforces the facility rules of conduct with the residents
- Provide substance abuse counseling and recovery skills training
- Associate of Arts or Associate of Sciences degree from a granting institution accredited by the WASC or equivalent and/or high school diploma or equivalent
- Additionally, applicants who have completed the Offender Mentor Certification Program (OMCP) and having obtained AOD Certification may be considered for this position
- Certification as a Certified Addiction Counselor based on the requirements of the state in which the position works in preferred
- Waivers for AOD certifications may be available to candidates who have registered with certification boards recognized by DHCS
- AOD certfication waivers may be available to candidates who have registered with the certifying agency recognized by DHCS
- AOD certification waivers may be available to candidates who have registered with the certification boards recognize by DHCS