Associate Therapist

APLA Health•Los Angeles, CA

42d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the direction of the Substance Use Disorder Services Director, provide substance use disorder services for patients of APLA Health & Wellness. Staff will provide services identified through a substance use disorder screening tool and assessment to promote health and wellness through services, advocacy and education with a focus on the needs of low-income LGBTQ adults including but not limited to people living with HIV/AIDS. Position will collaborate with existing services at APLA Health & Wellness to provide integrated care from a holistic perspective. In addition, staff will be tasked with providing education and consultation to primary care and behavioral health providers on areas of substance use disorder treatment, and seeking to enhance our integrated care model.

Requirements

A Master’s Degree in social work, counseling, clinical psychology or a related field from an accredited university
Current California license in good standing as an Associate Clinical Social Worker (ACSW), Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT), or Associate Professional Clinical Counselor (APCC).
Ability to be credentialed as a Medicare and Medi-Cal provider.
Bilingual required – English/Spanish.
Knowledge of: LGBTQ behavioral health issues and effective treatment modalities; HIV behavioral health issues; ability to perform differential diagnosis using the DSM-V; various theoretical orientations; treatment modalities; clinical techniques and interventions; treatment planning; biopsychosocial assessment; crisis intervention and reporting obligations.
Requires significant experience in the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of substance use disorders, with a specific focus on alcohol, meth and opioid misuse.
Ability to: Communicate effectively orally and in writing; organize work in an effective manner; work in a collaborative, interdisciplinary, fast paced environment; work effectively independently and as part of a team; communicate and relate to a variety of personalities, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and gender identities and presentations; complete documentation in a comprehensive and timely fashion in accordance with APLA H&W policies.
Must possess a valid California driver’s license; proof of auto liability insurance; and have the use of a personal vehicle for work related purposes.
COVID-19 Vaccination or Medical/ Religious Exemption required.

Responsibilities

Complete substance use disorder services intakes, screening tools, bio-psychosocial assessments; develop a treatment plan that addresses the collaborative clinical goals of clinician and patient and document treatment progress notes; provide treatment termination & case closure.
Provide crisis counseling/intervention to patients and their social networks (i.e., partners, significant other, spouse, and immediate family member[s]).
Provide individual and group counseling, building a caseload with a goal of 30 hours of billable services delivered per week.
Provide substance use disorder treatment or behavioral health referrals, advocacy, and service information to patients and their support systems.
Screen, assess, and plan appropriate interventions to minimize client risk of acquiring or transmitting sexually transmitted infections.
Provide outreach, patient identification, education, and provider consultation on addiction treatment and enhancing our integrated service delivery model of care.
Expand the use of substance use disorder screening tools into our care delivery systems, including evidence-based opioid risk assessment into our Electronic Health Record.
Participate in the collection, development, and deployment of education and outreach materials with a specific focus on issues related to the LGBT population in need of substance use identification and treatment, including opioid misuse information and resources.
Identify and expand use of community-based resources and referrals to facilitate higher-level services for patients with greater need than we are able to provide directly.
Utilize harm reduction techniques and framework to engage clients and reduce risky behavior while remaining well-versed and open to abstinence-based interventions for clients seeking that model.
Document services in eClinicalWorks and/or other charting and data collection systems as appropriate. Documentation will be performed in a timely and accurate fashion in accordance with program policies and professional standards of care.
Adhere to all applicable professional, legal, and ethical standards of substance use disorder practice in the provision of services, including but not limited to: mandated reporting, provision of effective services, case documentation, client confidentiality/HIPAA regulations, ensuring client safety, and maintaining professional boundaries.
Attend trainings and case conference meetings as required.
Prepare monthly reports and statistics as requested.
Maintain patient substance use disorder files to ensure completed documentation required by funders and agency Quality Management Plan.
Effectively communicate with clients/patients in English and Spanish as required per aforementioned job duties.