Substance Use Counselor

The Substance Use Counselor provides counseling services to people with substance use or co-occurring substance use/mental health diagnoses in our SAMHSA funded program and provides crisis intervention to agency clients. Specifically, the Substance Use Counselor assesses the needs of clients, many of whom are living with and affected by HIV/AIDS and assists with linkages to necessary services/resources related to their medical status and/or psychosocial needs.

The Substance Use Counselor provides necessary monitoring, follow-up, and coordination of services, and actively participates in a multi-disciplinary treatment team designed to improve the overall functioning of clients by providing an individualized care plan addressing the continuum of their substance use and/or co-occurring diagnosis and medical care.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

The following duties are mandatory requirements of the job:

• Conduct biopsychosocial assessments of new clients to determine their appropriateness for admission to the program. 
• Provide formal diagnosis for clients based on DSM and clinical consultation with Clinical Supervisor
• Assess clients’ substance use and mental health needs and refer to appropriate agencies/support services, as needed.
• Complete comprehensive treatment plans with clients with regularly scheduled updates.
• Provide ongoing individual, couples, and family counseling sessions using evidence-based practice interventions.
• Provide individual counseling, utilizing a person-centered approach employing evidence-based practices.
• Develop and facilitate psychotherapy and/or support groups.
• Identify appropriate resources to address client needs and assist clients with identifying, building, and maintaining in-house and external support systems.
• Work collaboratively with staff to ensure that an integrated service plan is in place and addresses the continuum of mental health and medical care.
• Participate in monthly and/or other internal chart reviews and provide feedback in a timely manner.
• Provide all required documentation/statistics accurately and in a timely manner.
• Provide crisis-intervention services to agency clients, including client assessment, brief counseling, referral and/or other follow-up, notifications to staff and supervisors, and documentation, as needed and as assigned.
• Attend monthly GMHC all-staff meetings, and/or other meetings and trainings, as assigned.
• Create a welcoming and professional environment for all volunteers and embrace the value of volunteerism at GMHC.
• Perform related tasks as required.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

The following duties are to be performed as assigned by the supervisor:

• Assist with special projects and perform other related duties.
• Participate in AIDS WALK

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION

• Master’s degree in social work or mental health counseling or doctoral degree in psychology required, with New York State licensure or permit enabling the practitioner to provide psychotherapy in the State of New York.
• LMSW/LMHC preferred.
• SIFI-eligible is preferred for social work candidates.

SPECIAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

In addition to the above-listed job responsibilities and educational requirements, the ideal candidate for this position possesses most or all of the following:

• Established clinical expertise working with people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS and/or with persons with mental health issues and substance use/misuse issues.
• Knowledge/experience using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to diagnose.
• Knowledge/experience using evidence-based practices such as CBT, DBT, ACT, etc.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience working with HIV/AIDS, POC, and LGBTQ-identified adults and community needs. Familiarity and ease with person-centered care and recovery-based models of care.
• Knowledge of HIV/AIDS, substance use populations, and mental health and substance use counseling interventions.
• Excellent written, verbal, and organizational skills required, including proficiency in computer systems.
•  Strong interpersonal, organizational, and computer skills. This individual must be able to work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary treatment team.
• Solid understanding or ability to support the overall well-being of clients, including need for psychiatric care, vocational training, and more intensive treatment.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish preferred.
•  Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job

GMHC supports a racial and gender-diverse environment which contributes to a positive and inclusive atmosphere. Working at GMHC requires a demonstrated awareness of communities that we serve, and we seek candidates who are dedicated to promoting equity and social justice.