Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor

Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse (AODA) Counselor: Position Purpose

To provide outpatient/day treatment Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) services targeting injection and other drug users utilizing the Harm Reduction approach. The AODA Counselor will conduct intake assessments, treatment planning, group & individual counseling. This person will also be responsible for providing after care and discharge planning activities including follow-ups, as well as assisting with program development.


Scope of Responsibilities

The AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW) is one of the nation’s largest providers of HIV prevention, care and treatment services with a budget approaching $130 million and employing over 300 professionals.  Our organization also includes both St. Louis Effort for AIDS (EFA) and Denver's Rocky Mountain CARES (RMC). 

The unique, nationally recognized ARCW HIV Medical Home model of care assures that everyone with HIV has access to medical, dental, mental health and social services and provides the best opportunity for patients to achieve high quality health outcomes.  ARCW also provides aggressive HIV prevention services to gay men, injection drug users and others at the highest risk for HIV infection. 

ARCW operates in the states of WI, CO and MO.  It embraces a Market Culture to increase access to care, enhance quality outcomes and achieve and surpass financial performance expectations and has an aggressive plan to expand into additional states.

• Adhere to Federal, State, and local government regulations while assuring compliance with all ARCW service delivery standards.  This includes complying with the ARCW Health Care Corporate Compliance Standards of Conduct and policies and procedures of the Behavioral Health and Wellness Clinic generally and the AODA Treatment Program specifically.
• Participate in the delivery of a variety of AODA services (as well as BHWC services if qualified) at various levels of practice, giving primacy to outpatient/day treatment AODA services.  This includes on-call/after-hours care. This may require obtaining additional training, specialized expertise, certification, and/or licensure.
• Participate in administrative tasks related to AODA program development and reporting.
• Keep abreast of the changing developments in the treatment of HIV and substance use conditions and ensure that patient/clients are receiving evidenced-based or best practice services whenever possible.
• Ensures that all his/her clinic patient/clients receive quality assessments and an accurate diagnosis including initial screening and appropriate referral for mental health issues, facilitate admission to treatment facilities and provide follow-up interventions and care as required or necessary.
• Prepare, formulate, evaluate and manage an appropriate treatment plan for each assigned patient/client, based on assessment and diagnosis, focusing on improving total quality of life.
• Act as a liaison between patient/clients and their collateral contacts.
• Prepare accurate and timely reports, correspondence and patient/client record documentation utilizing an Electronic Health Record.
• Develop knowledge of and maintain regular communication with the emerging specialized service providers and other circles of care/treatment providers (agency and community resources) to facilitate patient/client access and to continually coordinate care. This includes networking with community stakeholders including CBO’s and State AODA Programs.
• Actively participate in the Behavioral Health and Wellness Clinic staff meetings,  trainings, AODA staffings, individual and group supervision sessions, providing consultation when warranted.
• Any and all other duties assigned by the Director of Behavioral Health and Wellness.

Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse (AODA) Counselor: Required Qualifications
 

• Preferred: Master's degree and licensed as a LPC, LMFT or LCSW.
• State of Wisconsin certification as an SAC or C-SAC.
• Knowledge of Federal and State AODA statues and requirements.
• Live out, on a daily basis, ARCW’s mission.
• Adhere to the Code of Ethics of one’s chosen profession.
• Experience in providing AODA services, especially to the IDU population
• Understanding of program development activities and an appreciation for the Harm Reduction approach as well as knowledge in a variety of best-practices and evidence-based practices in behavioral health and wellness programming.
• Knowledge of and sensitivity to the HIV/AIDS patient population.
• Satisfactory Caregiver and Criminal Background Checks.

• Valid Driver’s License    
• Insurable Driving Record        
• Access to a reliable insured vehicle   
• Ability to type along with a working knowledge of Windows and Microsoft Office
• An Influenza vaccine is required of all new employees at the time of employment, and is required thereafter on an annual basis.
• A tuberculin/TB skin test is required of all new employees at the time of employment, and may be required thereafter on an annual basis, depending on position.

Position Responsibilities

• Adhere to Federal, State, and local government regulations while assuring compliance with all ARCW service delivery standards.  This includes complying with the ARCW Health Care Corporate Compliance Standards of Conduct and policies and procedures of the Behavioral Health and Wellness Clinic.
• Participate in the delivery of a variety of behavioral health and wellness services including educational, psycho-educational and psycho-therapeutic at various levels of practice, giving primacy to individual, couple, and family psychotherapy.  This includes on-call/after-hours care. This may require obtaining additional training, specialized expertise, certification, and/or licensure.
• Participate in administrative tasks related to a variety of behavioral health and wellness services (e.g. program and policy development/maintenance, marketing, research activities) including assisting with the financial/billing tasks of providing patient care.
• Keep abreast of the changing developments in the treatment of HIV and mental health/substance use conditions.
• The Therapist (in conjunction with the Clinical Supervisor) ensures that all his/her clinic mental health patients receive quality assessments and an accurate diagnosis including initial screening and appropriate referral for chemical dependency and/or AODA issues, facilitate admission to treatment facilities and provide follow-up interventions as necessary.

Required Qualifications

• Live out, on a daily basis, ARCW’s mission.
• Adhere to the Code of Ethics of one’s chosen profession.
• An accredited Masters degree in one of the following disciplines: Counseling, Social Work, or Marriage and Family Therapy.
• Wisconsin Licensure as an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor), or LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist).
• Knowledge of, and a skill base for behavioral health and wellness programming, especially mental health services.
• Experience in providing behavioral health and wellness services, especially mental health services.
• Understanding of a variety of best-practices and evidence-based practices in behavioral health and wellness.
• An understanding that as a therapist in the Behavioral Health and Wellness Clinic, you serve as one member of a team offering services statewide and that you may need to provide services (e.g. in another clinic location, at a satellite site) or participate in clinic functions on an interim or periodic basis (e.g. covering vacant positions, attending staff and/or clinical supervision meetings, participating in trainings) extending beyond your primary location of hire.
• Satisfactory Caregiver and Criminal Background Checks.
• Valid State Driver's License            
• Has an Insurable Driving Record                    
• Owns a reliable insured vehicle                                    
• An Influenza vaccine is required of all new employees at the time of employment, and is required thereafter on an annual basis.
• A tuberculin/TB skin test is required of all new employees at the time of employment, and may be required thereafter on an annual basis, depending on position.