Credentialed Counselor Intern (LSW/LAC/LCSW/LPC)

Credentialed Counselor Intern (Paid Position)

Headquartered in Paterson, NJ, Straight and Narrow is the largest program of its kind. We provide innovative and compassionate services to individuals struggling with substance use and co-occurring disorders. We are looking for dedicated, caring and compassionate people to work in our Residential/Outpatient Treatment Facilities and Community Programs.

Location: All Straight & Narrow Programs

Hours: Monday-Friday (9:00am -5:00pm) Saturday Rotation.

Regular Salary: $28.00-$30.00/Hr.

Job Summary: The Credentialed Counselor intern functions an integral part of the treatment team and provides individual, group, family and didactic sessions as well as case management services to the clients on his/her caseload ensuring that the treatment requirements of all regulating bodies are fulfilled.

Position Specific Job Duties and Responsibilities:

Each substance abuse counselor shall be responsible for the following:

• Assessing the counseling needs of the clients;
• Assessing clients using the ASI or using other standardized assessment tool and for adolescents using the CASI or using other evidence-based validated assessment tool and diagnosing clients for substance disorders using the DSM-IV-TR;
• Determining the appropriate level of care based on ASAM PPC-2R;
• Obtaining previous records that are relevant to the current treatment episode;
• Collaborating with the client in order to develop a written treatment plan that is client-centered and recovery oriented and includes goals and measurable objectives.

• The director of substance abuse counseling shall develop, monitor and provide clients and the treatment team with written schedules that will be used to update each client treatment plan(s) in order to ensure that each client's treatment needs are addressed;

• Providing the substance abuse counseling services specified in the client treatment plan;
• Reviewing clients throughout the treatment episode according to ASAM PPC-2R, to determine the need for continued services or discharge/transfer;
• Reviewing and, where necessary, revising the substance abuse counseling portion of the client treatment plan to address emerging problems;
• Developing the client discharge/transfer plans to ensure movement to the appropriate levels of care;
• Contacting referral sources, providing case consultation, and coordination with referral sources (for example: mental health treatment providers, criminal justice agencies, schools, employers, the Division of Youth and Family Services);
• Participating as a member of a multidisciplinary team for assigned clients;
• Providing active case consultation; and
• Documenting all counseling and education services, assessments, reassessments, referrals and follow-up in the client's clinical record, providing appropriate signatures and dating of such entries, including those made in electronic records.

Additional Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide individual, group and family counseling; didactics; treatment planning and case management as required per licensing standards (residential or ambulatory according to program) for a caseload of clients
• Maintain clinical portion of clients' charts as per the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) and CARF guidelines, ensuring that all documentation is up to date as per Straight & Narrow's Policy on Timeframe for Documentation in Clients' Charts
• Attend regularly scheduled multidisciplinary team meetings (MDT) and present information for Treatment Plan or Treatment Plan Review for clients on caseload
• Attend individual and group supervision with Clinical Supervisor as scheduled
• Provide clients on caseload with referrals to other agencies (i.e., health, psychiatric, vocational rehabilitation and public assistance) for concurrent and/or continued care as part of case management as necessary
• Provide crisis intervention to clients as necessary
• Submit documentation to Supervisor daily for any/all sessions held with clients on that day
• Attend and actively participate in all CQI subcommittee meetings and/or Grievance Committee meetings on which membership is held
• Prepare monthly reports to overseeing agencies/referral sources (i.e., DCP&P Drug Court, probation officers, parole officers)
• Present supervisor with documentation of continuing education coursework for maintenance of CADC/LCADC certification, annually
• Encourage and support clients' participation in AA/NA/GA activities
• Follow all Electronic Health Records (EHR) policies
• Maintain professionalism, ethical conduct and appropriate boundaries at all times while delivering direct services to clients or representing the agency in accordance with agency standards and substance abuse best practices.
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Must have a HS/AA/BA/BS or MA/MSW degree with an LSW, or LCSW, or LAC or LPC
• 1-3 years' experience in the addictions and/or mental health field.
• Good interpersonal, verbal, and written skills.
• Is familiar with NJSAMS, ASAM and LOCI.
• Experience facilitating groups and individuals; and familiar with Drug Court Policies.
• Excellent working knowledge of computers.
• Experience in the fee per service environment is a plus.

Benefits:

For full-time positions, we offer medical, vision, dental, life and supplemental life insurance. Accidental and Critical Illness Insurance, 403B with employer match, Paid Time off (PTO), in house training seminars, two training days for certified professionals. SN also offers supervision for those individuals trying to become licensed in NJ as a LCADC/CADC, LSW, LCSW, LAC, LPC and LMFT. We participate in employee discount programs such as the Working Advantage program.