Substance Use Specialist

Center for Alternative • New York, NY

7d

About The Position

The Bronx Nathaniel Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team is a multi-disciplinary, alternative-to-incarceration (ATI) program that provides evidence-based, mobile, community mental health treatment to promote the recovery and community integration of individuals age 18 and up with serious mental illnesses, high rates of co-occurring substance use disorders, high utilization of emergency/crisis services, and criminal legal involvement in Manhattan or Brooklyn courts. The Nathaniel ACT Team is a unique and pioneer program that focuses on providing intensive outpatient treatment to individuals with serious mental illnesses so that they can maintain stability in the community and successfully complete their ATI mandates.

The Substance Use Specialist is a CASAC level mental health clinician who outreaches clients in the community to provide treatment and services with high fidelity to the ACT model. The Substance Use Specialist provides psychoeducation and support for clients’ substance use treatment needs, including but not limited to: coordination of detox or rehab referrals, assessment of clients’ current substance use and stages of change, advocacy with service providers to ensure clients receive clinically appropriate substance use treatment. Specific title does not limit the scope of clinical services that the staff member provides as ACT staff are both generalists and specialists, based on their areas of experience and interest.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and CASAC
• Experience working with individuals with serious mental illness, and/or co-occurring substance use disorders
• Experience with various evidence-based models pertaining to treatment of substance use, and mental illness
• A team player, highly organized and self-motivated
• Proficient in computers

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with individuals involved in criminal legal system
• Fluency in Spanish

Responsibilities

• Provide at least 80 percent of treatment contacts in the community and complete expected minimum monthly treatment contacts, including leading groups when clinically indicated
• Attend and participate in daily team meetings to discuss clients’ clinical and case management issues and needs
• Complete documentations required by the NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) and NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s (DOHMH) licensing guidelines, NYS Medicaid billing guidelines as well as per CASES ACT Policy and Procedures
• Identify the treatment services clients should receive based on severity of substance use diagnosis, stages of change, immediate needs and complete treatment plans using a person-centered approach
• Collaborate with client’s support network and other service providers on treatment planning, service coordination, and case management support with the goal of promoting client’s recovery and stability in the community
• Use motivational interviewing, recovery and trauma-informed approaches when delivering services
• Provide clinical services that are anti-racist, gender-responsive, culturally humble, trauma-informed, recovery-oriented, client-centered, and evidence-based
• Complete required documentations and toxicology tests for clients with active Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) order
• Provide 24-hour crisis intervention on-call services on rotating basis
• Provide culturally competent services in accordance with CASES policies and practice

Benefits

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Vacation and Paid Time Off – starting at 25 days
• 12 Paid Holidays per year
• Retirement 403(b) Competitive matching up to 6%
• Employee Referral Program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level