Substance Use Specialist

Substance Use Specialist - ACT (Assertive Community Treatment)

Job Scope: Actively contribute as a clinician working on an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team providing intensive, holistic and recovery-oriented behavioral health services to persons living with serious and persistent mental illness who desire to live independently and engage fully in community life. Provide specialized group and individual substance use treatment and support to adults receiving ACT services. Coordinate and integrate care with SUPR services at ACT KYC for clients participating in services. Provide services following ACT treatment fidelity model regarding minimum frequency and length of contacts, flexibility of treatment services, and coordinated care with other team members. ACT members provide and coordinate a range of individual treatment services that target assessed areas of functional impairment and promote independence through the development and use of natural community supports.


Primary Responsibilities

• Provide assessment, service planning and supportive counseling services
• Provide independent living skills training, supportive therapy, case management, community support, crisis intervention and stabilization services to ACT clients
• Provide integrated and individualized substance use treatment to clients with co-occurring disorders on the ACT team
• Coordinate with SUPR staff at KYC regarding substance use treatment for clients on ACT team
• Provide regular consultation to medical, clinical agency and ACT team member staff to assist with treatment planning, assessment and provision of services to clients demonstrating active or prior substance use behaviors
• Utilize recovery and harm reduction principles to help ACT clients meet their goals around substance use
• Facilitate referrals for additional services consistent with assessed needs and consumer's desired outcomes
• Assist with services to improve client ADLS and independent living skills, including money management, apartment maintenance, and medication training
• Promote symptom stabilization thru medication monitoring, education, and assisting participants to take as prescribed
• Promote physical health, address substance use issues, establish access to entitlements, and develop skills to support participants engaging fully in their lives and communities
• Provide support to clients who are unhoused or residing in temporary housing to locate permanent housing as part of their comprehensive treatment plan

• Meet regularly with ACT members to integrate care provision and share clinical responsibilities so that adequate coverage is available to clients at all times
• Promote symptom stabilization thru medication monitoring, education, and assisting participants to take as prescribed
• Coordinate with Comprehensive Transition Team and Front Door Team members to support transitions to more independent living
• Routinely consult with other KYC Team members including front door, comprehensive transition team, vocational, psychosocial rehabilitation, substance use, outpatient therapy, and psychiatry to address specific client related clinical issues and coordinate care strategies
• Promote opportunities for clients to build natural systems of support within their communities through exposure to recreational, spiritual, educational, vocational, volunteer and civic activities
• Participate with other ACT members in regular 24/7 on-call crisis and stabilization coverage
• Work with Assertive Community Treatment team Supervisor, Program Assistant, and Team members to assess, plan, and participate in provision of services
• Meet productivity target estimated at 40-50% billable service
• Participate in supervision as directed and seek additional clinical and program consultation as needed
• Participate in All Staff meetings, Department meetings, Team meetings, and other staff meetings and trainings as directed by supervisor
• Interpret and communicate, at the service delivery level, Center policies and procedures
• Complete all clinical documentation and required reports in an accurate and timely manner following KYC policies
• Meet agency quality and compliance standards

Work Environment

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in an office setting, up to 50% of time
• A majority of the employee's time, approximately 40-50%, will be spent in the community, driving to and from client homes and providing case management in the home
• Treatment services are delivered at flexible times that meet clients' needs and in settings that offer the best potential for positive outcomes, that includes a rotating schedule with the team to cover evenings and weekends
• In supporting clients to live independently, employee may be exposed to varying home conditions

Travel Requirements:

• Employee is required to travel by automobile to and from Mt. Prospect, and Elk Grove office locations on a weekly basis, as well as daily client visits to client homes in the Chicagoland area and transporting clients in personal vehicle

Education, Experience and Other Requirements

• Preferred Masters Degree from an accredited college or university in social work, psychology or a related discipline, will accept lower education requirement for candidates with current or pending Illinois CADC certification
• Preferred CADC Certification
• 1-2 years experience working with individuals with serious and persistent mental illness with co-occurring substance use issues providing a variety of clinical interventions including case management and community support
• Preferred exposure to working in non-traditional treatment environments i.e.in-home, residential, hospital, nursing facility, and community settings
• At least 1 year of specialized training and/or work experience providing substance use services
• Basic computer proficiency, knowledge of Word and Internet skills, smartphone messaging and internal collaboration applications (ie Microsoft 365 / Teams)
• Applicant must have a valid IL Driver's License and daily access to a well maintained/insured vehicle

Schedule/Timekeeping

• Exempt, Full-Time, 37.5 hour work week
• Must work a flexible schedule in response to the needs of the target population served, including evening, Saturday, and/or Sunday hours to ensure team coverage.
• Able to participate in rotating on-call schedule to ensure 24/7 coverage (additional stipend)

Kenneth Young Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Pay Range: $58,000 - $62,500 per year