D&A CASE MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

This is professional work providing a full range of case management services in the drug and alcohol field. This position will master the full spectrum of the case management service activities and therefore, will have the ability to assess clients’ needs and/or determine the level of care required based on placement guidelines and/or coordinate access to treatment services and/or develop and implement a comprehensive service plan to supplement the client’s treatment episode. This position will be responsible for documenting all client activities/exchanges and advocating for clients with other agencies or organizations to maximize clients’ benefits. Initially, assignments will be limited in scope of difficulty and will be under supervision of the a Case Management Supervisor. As knowledge, skills, and abilities are acquired, variety and difficulty of assignments will increase with more latitude in judgment permitted. Work performed by this position will be regularly reviewed and scrutinized by its supervisor on a routine basis through scheduled individual supervision, scheduled group supervision, and performance evaluations.   

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

• A Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Dependency, Sociology, Social Welfare, Psychology, Nursing or a related field; and one year direct service experience performing counseling or case management work in alcohol or other drug treatment setting; or a bachelor's degree which includes or is supplemented by successful completion of 18 college credits in sociology, social welfare, psychology, criminal justice or other related social sciences; and one year direct service experience performing counseling or case management work in alcohol or other drug treatment setting; or one year as a Drug and Alcohol Case Management Specialist Trainee; or any equivalent combination of experience and training.
• Knowledge of social casework principles and methods.
• Knowledge of addiction as a disease and its treatment.
• Knowledge of current social, economic and health problems and available resources.
• Knowledge of assessment practices.
• Knowledge of the agency treatment funding parameters set forth in the state and federal regulations and as indicated in the fully executed agency treatment contracts.    
• Ability to establish and maintain an effective working relationship with clients from various cultures and social economic backgrounds.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to interpret regulations, policies and procedures and apply them accordingly.
• Ability to work with persons who have physical, mental or emotional disabilities or who are economically disadvantaged or involved with the criminal justice system.
• Ability to plan and organize work, prepare records and reports, set priorities, and maintain a caseload in an effective and timely manner with minimal supervision.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other members of the staff, outside agencies and institutions, and the general public.
• Ability to advocate effectively on behalf of the client.
• Ability to work with clients who have physical, mental or emotional disabilities or who are economically disadvantaged or involved with the criminal justice system.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Master the case management activities of screening, assessment, placement, case coordination, level of care placement approval, continued stay/concurrent review, tracking/documenting service delivery and utilization review.
• Demonstrate proficiency in such areas as: engagement; coaching; linking; advocacy; use of recovery support services; etc.
• Understand the addiction process and recovery process as it relates to the client, as well as how it relates to the clients family, friends, colleagues, employer, community-at-large, etc.  
• Acquire and maintain knowledge of the formal treatment services as well as the non-clinical community-based resources that support recovery, early identification, engagement and sustention of the recovery process for individuals and families.
• Acquire and maintain practical knowledge of the available recovery support services and how, through these services, clients, families, and communities can gain access to recovery-focused services and support that will increase successful treatment completion rates, promote early re-engagement for those who have relapsed, and provide pathways to recovery for individuals not in need of clinical treatment services.  
• Coordinate and/or assist in the coordination of ancillary services for the clients during their treatment service episode. These ancillary services are typically available outside of the drug and alcohol treatment program itself and available through other local agencies. Examples of ancillary services include health care, transportation, education, vocational training, and stable and secure living environments, and support networks.
• Ensure client continuity of treatment service, ensure the efficient and effective utilization of available ancillary service resources, and ensure the appropriate match of the ancillary service to the needs of the client.
• Coordinate with the client and the client’s treatment service provider that all appropriate available ancillary service resources and listing of said services have been made available to the client. Ensure that all appropriate client referrals have occurred.
• In conjunction with the clients treatment provider, assist the client to address non-treatment needs (that is: education/vocation, employment, physical health, emotional/mental health, family/social, living arrangements/housing, legal status, basic needs (food, clothing, transportation, and life skills) as part of the clients recovery process.
• After a referral has been executed, provide liaison and/or follow-up and/or advocacy to promote client satisfaction and/or continued delivery of services and/or continuity of services.
• Facilitate client access to available resources, promote client retention in treatment and promote client’s use of available support services.
• Develop and adhere to the annual training activity plan as determined by the supervisor.
• Encourage identified drug and alcohol dependent persons to seek treatment, coordinate placement, and execute make appropriate referrals.
• Retain a broad knowledge base of the treatment facilities and human services agencies providing services.
• Enhance clients’ knowledge of service availability and promote clients’ self-sufficiency within the system, etc.
• Practice progressive disengagement as clients’ knowledge base grows.
• Acquire knowledge and skill set to present to groups the role of an SCA, the available contracted prevention/intervention/treatment services through the agency, the treatment continuum, the process to access treatment services, the process to access funding, etc.  
• Assist the supervisor in the scheduled monitoring site visits of the contracted treatment providers.  
• Assist clients in the management of their recovery by ensuring that the resources to address the client’s needs are in place, and that those resources are made available to all clients at the time the needs are identified. The act of case coordination will facilitate the identification of services offered to and utilized by the client.
• Promote and enhance access to the continuity of care system available to the residents of the community at large.