AODA Counselor

Purpose of the Position:

The AODA Counselor is a member of the Lakeside Recovery multidisciplinary team and plays a key role in helping patients with AODA primary or co-occurring mental health diagnoses navigate the steps toward recovery through individual and group counseling and recovery-oriented activities and assessments.

Education, Licenses, Certification, Skills, and Experience Requirements:

• Associate degree in Human Services related field
• Current Wisconsin Substance Abuse Counselor or CSAC certification
• 1-3 years’ experience in a Behavioral Health or AODA services position
• Strong verbal and written communication skills

• Driving Requirements:
  • NA

• Preferred Qualifications, Skills, Education, Licenses, Certifications and Requirements:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Human Services related field
  • Current Wisconsin CSAC certification
  • 3-5 years’ experience in a Behavioral Health or AODA services position

Any combination of education and experience that provides equivalent knowledge, skills and abilities may be considered.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Maintains regular on-site attendance
• Provides daily planning and provision of therapeutic and psychoeducational mental health and AODA/recovery-focused curriculum, including daily provision of groups and therapeutic activities
• Engages Lakeside Recovery clients in exploration of treatment options and services
• Helps clients identify treatment goals by creating treatment plans.
• Conducts initial AODA assessments and ASAM assessments for clients with presenting AODA issues
• Follows the daily program schedules and ensures the direct care team is following the schedules as well
• Responsible for timely completion of group and assessment documentation.
• Participates in CPI training and assists Acute Care Department staff with client safety restraint & seclusion as necessary

Non-Essential Job Duties:

• All other duties as assigned.

Organizational Competencies:

• Demonstrates behaviors that support excellence as defined by North Central Health Care
• Completes competencies as required by North Central Health Care and/or various regulatory agencies based on entity and/or job title
• Provides Person-Centered Service
  • with a proactive approach and caring attitude
  • by fostering a culture of trust and safety
  • that is values and respect based
  • that offers choice, input and involvement
•  Adheres to professional boundaries, ethics, confidentiality and privacy practices, policies, procedures, and regulations (HF, HR, PP)
• Demonstrates adherence to accepted ethical and behavioral standards of conduct
• Understands HIPAA regulations and ensures release of information is consistent with NCHC's privacy policies (HF, HR, PP)
• Uses knowledge of regulatory and accreditation standards along with federal, state, and local codes needed to perform job duties
• Adheres to quality standards and follows policies, processes, procedures, and regulations
•  Understands role in the organization and aligns actions with NCHC goals, core functions and values
• Participates in continuing professional development

Lakeside Recovery AODA Counselor

Functional Demands:

Activity Requirements (including Mental & Physical Activities):

• _45__% General Office Work: Frequent use of computer, keyboard, and other technology; data interpretation, decision making, problem recognition, problem solving, visual acuity (near visual acuity, far visual acuity, depth perception, color vision), hearing, verbal communication, verbal comprehension, writing communication, and written comprehension
• _0__% Sedentary Work: Continuous sitting at desk for several hours occasional standing, walking, turning, twisting, bending, stooping, carrying, pushing, pulling, reaching, grasping, and lifting of under 10 pounds as required
  • _45__% Light Work: Intermittent lifting, sitting, standing, walking, turning, twisting, bending, stooping, carrying, pushing, pulling, reaching, and grasping. Must be able to lift a minimum of 10 pounds unassisted
  • __5_% Medium Work: Frequent lifting, standing, walking, turning, twisting, bending, stooping, carrying, pushing, pulling, reaching, and grasping. Must be able to lift a minimum of 25 pounds unassisted
  • __5_% Heavy Work: Frequent lifting, standing, walking, turning, twisting, bending, stooping, carrying, pushing, pulling, reaching, and grasping. Must be able to lift a minimum of 50 pounds unassisted
  • __0_% Very Heavy Work: Frequent lifting, standing, walking, turning, twisting, bending, stooping, carrying, pushing, pulling, reaching, and grasping. Must be able to lift a minimum of 100 pounds unassisted

• Exposure to Hazards: Select the most appropriate level of hazard exposure
  • Moderate exposure to workplace hazards

• Types of Hazards:
  • Biological
  • Chemical
  • Physical
  • Other

• Working Conditions:
  • Indoors
  • Outdoors
  • Background Noise
  • Tight Spaces and/or Close Quarters
  • Subject to one or more of the following conditions that affect the respiratory system: Fumes, odors, dust, mist, gases or poor ventilation
  • Exposed to infectious diseases or other possible infectious materials including: blood, fecal matter, OPIM...
  •  Required to function around high behavioral or physically disruptive individuals

• Travel Requirements:
  •  Frequency:
    •  Minimal
  •  Type of travel:
    •  In community
    •  Within the county
    •  Out of the county
  •  Nature of travel: 
    •  Errands
    •  Transport clients/patients/residents

General Competencies:

• Identifies problems and uses logical analysis to find information, understand causes, and evaluate and select best possible courses of action.
• Demonstrates excellent organizational, interpersonal, analytical, problem solving and critical thinking skills
• Works under general direction, on multiple tasks with demanding timelines as well as works independently with minimal managerial oversight
• Uses evidenced-based process-improvement tools for continuous improvement
• Acts with the highest personal, professional, and behavioral integrity to withstand internal and external pressures to ensure that ethical and at times difficult decisions are made and supported by the organization

Regulation Required Department/Program Competencies:

• Completes state approved CBRF training requirements as needed (upon hire and refreshers)
• Is registered on the UWGB registry for completed CBRF state approved trainings
• Adheres to all regulations to State of Wisconsin Chapter DHS 35 & 75
• Screens for psychoactive substance toxicity, intoxication, and withdrawal symptoms
• Screens for danger to self and others
• Screens for co-occurring mental health issues
• Analyzes and interprets data to determine treatment recommendations and priorities
• Demonstrates adherence to accepted ethical and behavioral standards of conduct

Department/Program Competencies:

• Demonstrates knowledge about and treatment of substance abuse, dependence, and other addictive

behaviors

• Understands range of substances commonly used, their effects, and causative factors contributing to usage

patterns

• Appropriately uses other assessments as needed, including social assessments and AODA screening
• Understands, follows, contributes to, and writes treatment, crisis, and discharge plans as appropriate
• Creates a safe, welcoming environment while facilitating group activities, discussions, and meetings

Clinical Competencies:

• Accurately performs and documents assessments, interventions, and data in the medical record
• Maintains current licenses and certifications
• Follows evidence-based practice guidelines with a person-centered approach that focuses on the prevention, early detection and appropriate treatment
• Develops written treatment, safety and crisis plans that address the individual’s immediate, acute and continuing needs
• Understands and follows NCHC suicide assessment, screening, prevention and management policies and procedures

Regulation Required Job Specific Competencies:

• Successfully completes a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education every 2 years

Job Specific Competencies:

• Identifies presence of altered behavior, poor judgments and changes in thought processes
• Evaluates client for changes in mental state that may place the individual and others at risk
• Conducts all clinical duties while not contradicting client’s beliefs
• Establishes rapport and an ongoing therapeutic alliance with client, and maintains appropriate boundaries in doing so
• Provides group counseling, therapeutic activities, and individual client support with a high level of quality, consistency, efficacy, and core values