SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR / EMERGENCY APPOINTMENT HOMELESSNESS

Salary : $51,379.68 - $65,591.04 Annually
Location : Los Angeles County, CA
Job Type: Full time
Job Number: PH5884C-EA
Department: PUBLIC HEALTH
Opening Date: 01/14/2025


Position/Program Information
TYPE OF RECRUITMENT:
OPEN COMPETITIVE - EMERGENCY

FILING DATE: Thursday, January 16, 2025 at 8:30 a.m., Pacific Time (PT)

This examination will remain open until the needs of the service are met and is subject to closure without prior notice.

EXAM NUMBER:

PH5884C-EA

The LA County Board of Supervisors recently , and the County is working to revise and expand our response to help all who are affected. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to help us in the mission of addressing issues like housing, mental health, and substance use. If you are looking for a new career that will directly benefit the population of LA County, this may be the opportunity for you.

The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Substance Abuse Counselor vacancies related to the homelessness crisis.

Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment.

Before the end of your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%.

Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to Substance Abuse Counselor.
CLASSIFICATION STANDARDS:
Positions allocable to this journey-levelclass typicallyreceive general supervision from a higher-level supervisorsuch as a senior-level substance use disorder or mental health counselor, clinician, psychiatrist, or psychologistand participate in interdisciplinary programs. Incumbents provide a variety of substance use disorder and/or mental health prevention, brief intervention, treatment and recovery services, such as patient/client screenings/assessments, development of recovery and treatment plans, case management, and individual and group counseling/education. Positions allocated to this level are distinguished from the Substance Abuse Counselor Aid by their responsibility for more complex cases. Incumbents must have demonstrated knowledge of basic counseling and substance use service principles, practices and techniques. Incumbents are typically assigned to hospitals, rehabilitation centers, prevention and treatment programs, assessment and referral centers, and/or detention/correctional facilities.

Essential Job Functions

• Conducts interviews of clients/patients and/or their family members to obtain family, social, medical, work, and substance use, physical health, and mental health histories.
• Conducts services such as screening, assessment, intake, counseling, education, recovery support, case management, and maintains documentation for delivered services.
• Participates with the treatment team in developing, implementing, and evaluating treatment or therapy approaches for patients/clients, family members, and significant others in all phases of comprehensive substance use disorder and/or mental health treatment programs.
• Counsels patients/clients to reduce or cope with their substance use by assisting them in recognizing causal factors of substance use and/or mental health disorder and in developing appropriate coping behaviors.
• Counsels patients/clients regarding community resources or treatment services available to help reduce or cope with substance use.
• Assists patients/clients with linkage to appropriate community resources such as health benefits, housing, employment and legal services, as well as other substance use, mental health, and/or physical health services to help reduce or cope with substance use and address other needs critical to recovery.
• Assists senior-level counselors in complex areas of social and psychological adjustment counseling.
• Maintains a close system of follow-up for previously discharged persons by means of personal visits, telephone calls, and other means of communication; completes records on follow-up activities.
• Participates in educational activities in formal academic settings and in treatment or rehabilitation centers to improve knowledge of substance use disorder and mental health related areas.
• Develops and promotes interest in the substance use disorder and/or mental health fields by speaking before community groups or coordinating speakers or resource persons.
• Monitors and documents client/patient progress in substance use disorder /mental health recovery.
• Assists in the supervision of aids or trainees and in the recruitment, selection, and training of such program staff members as needed.
• Assists with on-call duties as needed.

Requirements

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Option I: One (1) year ofexperience in a substance abuse program with experience providing physical assessment of patients, counseling of individuals, families and groups, and documentation.

Option II: One (1) year oftraining at the level of Substance Abuse Counselor Aid* in a substance abuse counselor training program.

Option III: Completion of 60 semester units or equivalent quarter units in an accredited college or university** with specialization in substance abuse counseling, social work, psychology, sociology, or human services.

LICENSE:
A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.

PHYSICAL CLASS:
Physical Class II - Light: This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10 pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.


SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:
* Experience at the level of the Los Angeles County class of Substance Abuse Counselor Aid is defined as one who participates as a trainee in a substance abuse or mental health services program designed for the prevention of substance abuse and the treatment of rehabilitation patients and mental health clients with substance abuse problems.

**In order to qualify, you must include a legible copy of the Official Transcript(s) from the accredited institution which shows the area of specialization and the date the degree was awarded if applicable, with Registrar's signature and/or school seal with your application online at the time of filing or within seven (7) calendar days from application submission to

• Official Transcript is defined as a transcript that bears the college seal and states "official and/or copy" issued by the school's Registrar Office. A printout of the transcript from the school's website is NOT considered official and, therefore, will NOT be accepted and may result in your application being incomplete and be rejected.
• Foreign degrees must be evaluated for equivalency to United States accredited institutions standards by an academic credential evaluation agency recognized by The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE). (see Employment Information under Accreditation Information)

NOTE: If you are unable to attach the required documents with your application online, you must e-mail them to within seven (7) calendar days from application submission. In the "Subject" of the e-mail please type the Exam Number and Exam Title.


We do not accept password-protected documents. Ensure documents are unlocked before attaching to your application or sending to the exam analyst.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS: Active and unrestricted certification as a substance abuse counselor by one of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accreditation organizations recognized by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) which includes:

• California Association for Alcohol and Drug Educators (CAADE)
• California Association of DUI Treatment Programs (CADTP)
• California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP)

Additional Information

EXAMINATION CONTENT:
Before the end of your initial work assignment, the appointing department will evaluate your performance. Those who achieve a passing score on this evaluation will be considered for permanent appointment.
Application and Filing Information
HOW TO APPLY:

Applications must be filed ONLINE ONLY and will be reviewed for interview consideration on an ongoing basis. If you have not been contacted within 60 days and the recruitment remains open or reopens for filing, we encourage you to submit a new application. This will allow you to reaffirm your interest and update any relevant information.Applicants are required to complete and submit an online Los Angeles County Employment Application AND Supplemental Questionnaire in order to be considered for this examination. Paper applications, resumes, or any unsolicited documents will not be accepted in lieu of completing the online application and Supplemental Questionnaire. Application filing may be suspended at any time without advance notice.


Many important notifications will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. Please add View email address on click.appcast.io as well as View email address on click.appcast.io, and View email address on click.appcast.io to your email address and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk/clutter mail.
You have the ability to opt out of emails from LA County. If you unsubscribe, you will not receive any email notification for any examination for which you apply with Los Angeles County. Regardless of whether you choose to unsubscribe, you can always check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com and viewing your profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices.
Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the 5:00 p.m. PT deadline as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs to be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER:

Please include your Social Security Number for record control purposes. Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number.
COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES:

For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County. Check the website for updated information at


FAIR CHANCE EMPLOYER:
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.
DO NOT SHARE USER ID AND PASSWORD:

All applicants must file their application online using their OWN user ID and password. Using a family member or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.

ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (ARDI):
The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. The Department of Human Resources is committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the in equalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.


Department Contact Name: Exam Analyst

Department Contact Phone: (213)

684-8726

Department Contact E-mail:

Exam Number: PH5884C-EA

California Relay Services Phone: View phone number on click.appcast.io

ADA Coordinator Phone: (844)

914-1006

Teletype Phone: View phone number on click.appcast.io

Alternate Teletype Phone : View phone number on click.appcast.io
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Employment Information

Any language contained in the job posting supersedes any language contained below.

This document is intended to provide general information about the recruitment process of the County of Los Angeles. Applicants with questions about a specific job posting should contact the exam analyst listed on the posting.

Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Statement:
The County of Los Angeles is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to non-discrimination in the County workforce, regardless of age (40 and over); ancestry; color; ethnicity; religious creed; protected family or medical leave status; disability; marital status; medical condition; genetic information; military and veteran status; national origin; race ; sex; gender; sexual orientation; or any other characteristic protected by State or federal law. For more information, please visit:
Testing Accommodations for Applicants:
The County of Los Angeles complies with all federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting. Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling the teletype phone number on the job posting. For more information on accommodations, please visit:
Fair Chance:
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, which may include, but is not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act (Gov. Code Section 12952).
Employment Eligibility:
Final appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States.
Career PathFinder:
Resources to help current and prospective employees plan a career with Los Angeles County are available. To explore career paths to and from nearly all job titles, please visit our interactive Career PathFinder application at
Veteran's Credit:
Pursuant to the County Charter and County policy, in all open competitive examinations (i.e., examinations open to everyone), the County of Los Angeles will add a credit of 10 percent of the total credits specified for such examination to the final passing score of an honorably discharged veteran, as well as the spouse of a deceased or disabled veteran, who served in the Armed Forces of the United States under specific conditions.
For more information on veteran's credit, please visit:
Revised September 2025
For detailed information, please click
01


The information you provide on this supplemental questionnaire will be evaluated and used to determine your eligibility to participate in the next phase of the examination process. Please be as specific as possible and include all information as requested. Please do not use "see resume and application", for this is not acceptable and credit will not be given. Please note that all information is subject to verification at any time in the examination and hiring process. Falsification of any information may result in disqualification or dismissal.

• Yes, I understand the above information

02


This position works directly with individuals experiencing homelessness.

• Yes, I understand and am willing to perform all necessary work duties.

03



OPTION I EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT:

Please describe in detail your experience in a substance abuse program with experience providing physical assessment of patients, counseling of individuals, families and groups, and documentation.

If you do not have experience please indicate "Not Applicable".
NOTE: For each experience please indicate the following information:
a) Employer's Name and Address
b) Position/Title held
c) Employment Period: From (MM/YYYY) To (MM/YYYY)
d) Hours Worked per Week
e) Describe experience/responsibilities in detail.


You will not receive credit for your response if you have missing requested information.
Comments such as "see resume or application" will not be considered a response.
04



OPTION II EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT:

Please describe in detail your experience in training at the level of Substance Abuse Counselor Aid* in a substance abuse counselor training program.

If you do not have experience please indicate "Not Applicable".
NOTE: For each experience please indicate the following information:
a) Employer's Name and Address
b) Position/Title held
c) Employment Period: From (MM/YYYY) To (MM/YYYY)
d) Hours Worked per Week
e) Describe experience/responsibilities in detail.


You will not receive credit for your response if you have missing requested information.
Comments such as "see resume or application" will not be considered a response.
05



OPTION III: EDUCATION REQUIREMENT Have you completed 60 semester units or equivalent quarter units in an accredited college or university** with specialization in substance abuse counseling, social work, psychology, sociology, or human services?In order to qualify, you must include a legible copy of the Official Transcript(s) from the accredited institution which shows the college or university coursework and the date the degree was awarded if applicable, with Registrar's signature and/or school seal with your application online at the time of filing or within seven (7) calendar days from application submission to View email address on click.appcast.io.

• Yes, I have attached a copy of my official transcripts to my application.
• Yes, I will email a copy of my official transcripts within 7 calendar days of my application submission to View email address on click.appcast.io.
• No, I have not completed the coursework at this time.

06



DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS: Do you have an active and unrestricted certification as a substance abuse counselor by one of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accreditation organizations recognized by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS)?
If yes, please select the certification you have.

• California Association for Alcohol and Drug Educators (CAADE)
• California Association of DUI Treatment Programs (CADTP)
• California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP)
• N/A

Required Question