SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR

Full Job Description

About the Position: Provides individual screening, individual and group counseling, family counseling, education, training, and crisis intervention to rehabilitate those suffering with substance use and co-occurring disorders.

The counselor provides structure and continuity to the milieu. The counselor may serve in the role of instructor\trainer conducting early intervention education classes.

This position is located in Portsmouth, VA Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social).

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.

Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirement (IOR): Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in behavioral or social science, or related disciplines appropriate to the position, such as social work, psychology, or substance abuse.

OR Experience: Four years of appropriate experience that demonstrated that the applicant has acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience that provided the applicant with knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes assisting healthcare providers with behavioral health treatment options for patients such as assisting with conducting interviews with patients to evaluate for substance abuse or other behavioral health disorders; assisting with maintaining patient treatment plan records to track patient's treatment progress; and assisting with the development of treatment plans to address psychosocial needs of patients.

This specialized experience is equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service.

OR Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: social work, psychology, or substance abuse.

OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%.

To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12.

Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages. Major Duties:

• Provides education to family members of patients in a treatment program.
• Utilizes Healthcare Organizations standards and facility guidelines to assist patients in a treatment program.
• Monitors patient participation to identify those who need additional support.
• Develops an aftercare plan for patients who received and completed treatment.
• Modifies treatment plans for patients when goals and objectives are not being met.
• Adheres to the ethical standards for drug and alcohol counselors.