Addictions Counselor

POSITION SUMMARY

The role of the Addictions Counselor (AC) is to provide professional and evidence-based treatment for people experiencing substance use disorders. The AC performs their role in such a way that Fora Health can fulfill its mission working in concert with other staff representing other services in the continuum of care. The AC will be a core member of a multi-disciplinary team , to include the medical team which provides access to medications to treat addiction, mental health providers, and peer mentor services. The AC will be expected to collaborate closely with the multi-disciplinary team to provide evidence-based behavioral health interventions to all patients. The AC will have a robust understanding of trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, medication-supported recovery, and harm-reduction.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

Clinical Evaluation, Treatment Planning, Insurance Authorizations, Course of Treatment, Collaboration, Transition, and Documentation

• Inform patients of confidentiality rights, program procedures that safeguard them, and the exceptions imposed by regulations. Protect patient rights to privacy and confidentially in the communications of patient information.
• Gather data systematically from the patient and other available collateral sources. Obtain and interpret all relevant assessment information and utilize the ASAM to assess and justify medical necessity of the ASAM level of care and overall risk rating.
• Participate in intake process to facilitate enrollments into all levels of care offered by Fora. 
• Continually determine the patient's motivation for treatment and change, using the Stage of Change model as a guide for interventions throughout the treatment process.
• Continuous treatment planning: formulate mutually agreed upon and measurable treatment outcome statements for each need identified in the assessment. Identify evidence-based interventions to reach the patient-identified goals. Track and document patient progress towards intended outcomes.  
• Initial treatment plans are completed at intake, individualized within the first two sessions following the intake assessment, and updated at minimum every 30 days for residential and every 90 days for outpatient level of care, indicating patient engagement and progress in treatment.
• Assess treatment and recovery progress, and through consultation with the patient, care team, and medical providers, make appropriate changes to the treatment plan to ensure progress toward treatment goals at regular intervals and/or when indicated by changing circumstances.
• Utilize the electronic medical record and additional technology tools made available by Fora to document all patient encounters, to include progress and outcomes in relation to the treatment goals in progress notes, ASAM assessments and updates, (such as for re-authorizations or referral to a different level of care), screenings related to enrollment in specific services, and transfer summary. Apply placement, continued stay, and completion/transition criteria based on medical necessity and patient preferences. 
• Conduct and document continuing care, relapse prevention, and completion/transition planning with the patient and involved community partners or significant others.
• Progress Reports are completed electronically, faxed or emailed to referents and other appropriate entities every 30 days and when requested by referent. Must demonstrate the ability to maintain professional written and verbal communication with referents and ensure referents are kept informed of patient progress. 
• Documentation to be completed in the electronic medical record within 24 hours of service performed. 
• Establish and maintain partnerships in the community that work to provide increased access to community resources, to include culturally specific communities
• Manage caseload for all levels of care, to include tracking legal requirements for DHS or legally involved patients, track engagement and document attempts to engage for patients that no show for appointments, and ensure charts are closed in a timely manner.   
• Transfer Summary is sent to referents within 5 days of patient discharge when appropriate.

 Counseling and Education

• Establish a helping relationship with the patient characterized by professionalism, warmth, respect, genuineness, concreteness, and compassion. Motivational Interviewing is the foundational approach expected of all counselors. 
• Facilitate the patient's engagement in the treatment and recovery process.
• Provide individual and group counseling as a part of the therapeutic process to achieve treatment goals. Individualize these services throughout the episode as indicated. 
• Demonstrate the skillset of cultural humility and remain aware of patient’s individualized needs in relation to cultural identity and values, ethnic background, age, and gender in treatment and recovery 
• Be able to explain and support abstinence based, medication assisted and/or harm reduction models of treatment with patients. Help to reduce stigma for the individual through increased understanding of both use disorders and the healthcare system in general. 
• Be able to describe the health and behavior problems related to substance use, including transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS, TB, STDs, and other infectious diseases. Provide referrals for above as needed.
• Be able to teach life skills, including but not limited to, stress management, relaxation, communication, and refusal skills.
• Complete continuing education classes and maintain required credentials for position. 

Referral

• Document all referral activity.
• Arrange and assist patients in following through with referrals to other professionals, agencies, community programs, or other appropriate resources to meet patient needs. 
• Clearly explain the necessity for and process of referral.
• Exchange and document relevant information with the agency or professional to whom the referral is being made to include ensuring 42CFR Part 2 steps are followed, such as a records request and signed Release of Information. 
• Develop effective collaborative relationships with mental health practitioners, prescribers, PO’s, ADSS/ADES’S, EAP, DHS etc., or insurance authorization representatives, and/or any other agency with whom the patient is engaged.

Functions as an Active Member of the Program Clinical Team

• Contribute to a high quality patient experience by remaining a flexible and positive team member at all levels of care. This includes supporting overage needs within all departments as assigned by direct supervisor; which includes ASAM assessments, group, individual sessions, and case management with little to no advance notice to ensure patient needs are met during last minute schedule changes. This includes cross department coverage at all levels of care (outpatient, intensive outpatient, residential, and intake assessments) 
• Attends and participates in all treatment team and clinical supervision meetings as assigned.
• Actively builds, strengthens, and maintains effective working relationships with clinical team members, management and community partners.
• Communicates and collaborates effectively with staff from other departments.
• Maintains cleanliness and safety of work environment.
• Performs additional related tasks as assigned to maintain and support the growth of the program.
• Maintains flexibility in scheduling to meet changing needs of program, setting, and team environments. Periodic adjustment of work schedule and overtime may be required.  
• Participates in development of and working toward department quarterly and annual goals.

Productivity in billable hours

• Manage a caseload of patients (which may vary depending on nature of caseload and needs within team, and is determined by manager). This may increase and decrease from time to time, depending on time of year and current staffing patterns. 
• Complete Assessments, as required by agency policy guidelines and patient needs. 
• Meet individually with patients on caseload at the frequency indicated by the enrolled level of care. Ensure that attempts to engage patient are completed and documented for all no shows. 
• Facilitate evidence-based groups at the frequency indicated by the assigned level of care.
• Maintain a minimum of 55% of direct care hours ( a minimum of 22 billable hours/week for full time employees, that is direct patient contact, or directly involves the patient, which includes assessment, individual, group, and case management).

Professional and Ethical Responsibilities

• Demonstrate ethical behaviors by adhering to established professional codes of ethics that define the professional context within which the counselor works, in order to maintain professional standards and safeguard the patient.
• Adhere to Federal and State laws, accreditation board standards, and agency policies & procedures regarding the treatment of substance use disorders and maintaining confidentiality.
• Recognize the importance of individual differences that influence patient behavior and apply this understanding to clinical practice.
• Actively participate in ongoing supervision and consultation, bringing any ethical questions that have come up into this setting.
• Develop and utilize strategies to maintain one's own physical and mental health.
• Maintain current addiction counselor certification.  
• Maintain any licensure held at time of hire. 
• Meet or exceed patient outcome goals (engagement, retention and completion) as set by the agency and the State of Oregon. See supervisor for current standards. 

ADDITIONAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Attend staff and team meetings as scheduled.
• Additional trainings to be completed as assigned in a timely manner.
• Special projects and other duties as assigned.
• Participate in ongoing supervision and consultation.
• Maintain quality treatment services that are responsive to client needs and reflect best practices.
• Establish a therapeutic environment in which staff works together so that clients' needs, individual circumstances, and culture determine the optimal clinical approach.
• The AC is expected to learn to balance conflicting demands, actively seek help from supervisory staff as needed, and manage workload in 40 hours/week. The AC is expected to communicate with supervisory staff when it is believed that work may exceed 40 hours in a given week.  

SUPERVISORY FUNCTIONS

This position does not have supervisory duties.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Minimum of Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor 1 certification required; or for internal candidates a CADC-R or obtaining CADC-R within 90 days of hire. 
• Willingness to complete QMHA credential is preferred. 
• Bilingual with demonstrated written and verbal fluency in Spanish is a plus. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite esp. Outlook, Excel and Word.
• Ability to type 40 words per minute using a standard keyboard.  
• Detail-oriented and organized.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in presenting ideas, transmitting information, or convey concepts to individuals or groups of people of varying educational, cultural and experiential levels.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries with patients, the community, and other staff members.
• Ability to work collaboratively with patients, other treatment program staff, team members, and to treat everyone with respect and dignity at all times.
• Written and organizational skills to complete all required documentation.
• Communicate effectively in writing and verbally. Ability to establish rapport.
• Display initiative and problem-solving skills independently.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and ability to record treatment plans, session notes and progress of patient in relation to treatment goals and objectives consistent with agency standards
• Demonstrates ability to facilitate groups
• Marked ability to demonstrate and utilize self-awareness.
• Basic understanding of mental health disorders and symptom presentation.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• For employees with a history of substance use disorder, Fora Health’s policy requires certification of a minimum of two years of sobriety for this position.
• Ability to pass pre-employment or for cause drug tests.
• Ability to pass DHS criminal background check.
• Completed registration with Oregon Health Authority (DMAP) and National Plan and Provider Identifier (NPI).

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Prolonged use of computer.
• This position generally works in an indoor office environment with sporadic travel between sites and/or off-site for meetings and/or trainings, or to special events and may include assessment/screenings offsite within community partner facilities.
• Position requires some overtime, including occasional evening and weekend work. Adjustment of work schedule may be required.
• Possible exposure to communicable diseases can encompass a variety of illnesses and infections, including COVID, tuberculosis, Hepatitis A, B, and C, and HIV.
• Possible exposure to upset, angry, severely traumatized, disabled or emotionally disturbed adults, adolescents, and families.
• Exposure to potentially hazardous cleaning chemicals, personal protective equipment provided. 
• Fast paced, high volume work environment.