Substance Abuse Counselor I

MTC Corrections•Dayton, TX

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Substance Abuse Counselor I provides substance abuse counseling and recovery-skills training to offenders at Henley State Jail in Dayton, Texas. The counselor supports orientation, education, and individual and process counseling groups while following program standards and facility policies. The role also helps maintain a peer-driven Therapeutic Community in coordination with correctional staff. The counselor interviews, screens, and evaluates offenders for program participation; uses valid assessment tools and clinical interviews to determine recovery needs and re-offense risk; and contributes to individualized treatment plans. The position maintains service and workload records, prepares reports, and develops progress summaries. It also coordinates follow-up and aftercare planning before release and shares information about community treatment resources. This is a full-time position with a Monday–Friday schedule of eight-hour shifts. Pay is dependent on licensure and is listed as $19.00–$21.00.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited senior high school or equivalent (GED).
Current letter of registration as a Counselor Intern (LCDC-I) from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), or current valid Certified Criminal Justice Professional Applicant Status (CCJP-A) certification approved by the Texas Certification Board of Addiction Professionals.
Selected applicants must obtain an LCDC license or CCJP certification within five years from the date of Counselor Intern registration or CCJP-A certification.
Must sign a Credential Contingency Agreement (CCA); failure to comply may result in separation from employment.
Valid Texas driver’s license with an acceptable driving record, unless waived by management.
Successfully complete Correctional Awareness Training (CAT), TDCJ-approved annual in-service training requirements, and background checks.
Maintain Counselor Intern status or CCJP-A certification for continued employment.

Responsibilities

Provide substance abuse counseling and recovery-skills training.
Participate in offender orientation, education, and individual and process counseling groups in accordance with program standards, guidelines, policies, and procedures.
Maintain a Therapeutic Community within the facility and work with correctional staff to create a peer-driven living environment.
Interview, screen, and evaluate offenders for potential program participation.
Use valid measurement tools to assess offenders’ recovery needs and risk of re-offense.
Participate in developing individual treatment plans based on assessment results, collateral information, and clinical interviews.
Maintain offender and service records, workload statistics, and related reports and documentation.
Implement follow-up and aftercare plans before offenders’ release and provide information about community resources for follow-up treatment.
Develop an Individual Progress Summary for each offender on caseload at program completion, documenting evaluation results, participation, and quality of completion in the SAFPF/IPTC programs.