Drug and Addiction Counselor

Position Title: Certified Substance Use Counselor 

Agency: Homeless Children's Network 

SCHEDULE: Full Time- Starts Immediately

SALARY: $70,000

Benefit: Health, Dental, and Vision insurance; Commuter stipend

HOMELESS CHILDREN’S NETWORK MISSION STATEMENT

Homeless Children’s Network’s (HCN) mission is to decrease the trauma of homelessness and domestic violence for children, youth, and families; to empower families; and to increase the effectiveness of collaborative efforts among service providers to end homelessness and poverty.  Since 1992, HCN has empowered San Francisco’s underserved and historically marginalized communities citywide toward a brighter future with love, wholeness, and healing.

About Homeless Children’s Network (HCN)

Since 1992, HCN has been San Francisco’s leading nonprofit agency for comprehensive early intervention and mental health support for underserved and historically marginalized children, youth, and families experiencing homelessness, housing instability, or living in intergenerational poverty. Our mobile therapeutic model is both accessible and scalable, enabling clinicians to meet clients directly in the community. As the hub of a Collaborative of 60+ service agencies and community-based organizations, we serve over 2,500 clients each year, reaching those most reluctant to trust conventional mental health systems. Central to our work is our Afri-centric mental health and wellness model. This community-defined approach addresses health inequities and the persistent cycle of racism and trauma over generations. This model not only uplifts the Black/African American communities but also strengthens the behavioral health outcomes of all San Franciscans, fostering resilience, healing, and lasting change.

KUPONA SUD OUTPATIENT PROGRAM OVERVIEW: 

Kupona Program is a culturally responsive and family-centered substance use treatment program for youth in San Francisco. Utilizing Evidence-based and locally-innovative interventions, this program will provide co-occurring or SUD standalone services for youth who are at risk or struggling with drug, alcohol, and other substances. Kupona offers a continuum of services depending on the level of care needed:

Early Intervention for youth who are at risk of developing a Substance Use Disorder (SUD),

Outpatient Level 1 for youth who are actively using substances and meet criteria for SUD diagnosis, but who present with NO acute intoxication and/or withdrawal potential.

Intensive Outpatient for youth who are actively using substances, meet criteria for SUD diagnosis, and who present with acute intoxication and/or withdrawal potential.

This program serves all ethnicities and populations within San Francisco with focused expertise to meet the needs of youth under the age of 18 years old who are Medi-Cal beneficiaries.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Substance Use Counselor, also known as Alcohol & Other Drugs (AOD) Counselor, will be working alongside and in partnership with the Program’s Licensed Healing Arts Practitioners (LPHA) and Case Managers. The Substance Use Counselor is the primary direct service provider in the program.  Their direct service tasks include individual and group counseling, contributing to assessment and treatment planning, screening referrals, case management and care coordination, patient education, and collateral services. Additionally, they may support with outreach and engagement activities 

The duties of the AOD Counselor will be primarily overseen by the LPHA.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Intervention and Counseling

Offer one-on-one counseling or group counseling sessions for clients dealing with substance use issues.

Offer collateral support to family and significant persons, as directed by LPHA.

Provide emotional support, coping strategies, and behavioral management techniques.

Support clients in addressing personal or social problems that may impact their substance use.

Assessment and Treatment Planning 

Contributes to clinical assessment by gathering information as directed by the LPHA, who will be leading the intake and assessment process. 

May contribute to screening and client intakes as appropriate. 

Contributes to the development of strength-based Treatment Plans of Care for each client and consistently monitor progress.

Will continuously re-assess and monitor client’s well-being and functioning and collaborate with LPHA in updating assessment and treatment plan as needed. 

Client Education:

Educate clients and their families about substance use disorders, mental health disorders, treatment options, and coping strategies.

Promote wellness and help clients develop long-term strategies for managing their substance use and mental health.

Provide client education in individual or group settings on a topic collaboratively designed with LPHA under the direction of the Clinical Director. 

Case Management and Care Coordination:

As directed by LPHA, coordinate with other providers to offer holistic care.

As directed by LPHA, coordinate with other systems, including school, probation, child welfare and primary care. 

Provide case management and care coordination support to client and family in collaboration with the case manager. 

Provide resources and referrals to support services, including community mental health programs, shelters, and support groups.

As directed, follow-up on referrals made by LPHA and Medical Director

Documentation and Record Keeping

Maintain accurate and up-to-date client records, including treatment plans, progress notes, and session details.

Submit documentation for LPHA to review and approve in a timely manner per DHCS and agency standards. 

Ensure documentation complies with all relevant legal and ethical guidelines, including confidentiality and privacy standards (e.g., HIPAA).

Ensure documentation confidentiality per clinical procedures. 

Agency meetings and other miscellaneous duties

Attend weekly supervision meetings with assigned supervisor.

Attend weekly interdisciplinary clinical meetings with clinical staff.

Attend care management meetings with JABALI partner agencies.

Participate in bi-weekly JABALI Service Network meetings.

Provide coordination support to achieve the mission and objectives of the Jabali Outpatient Program.

Perform other duties as assigned by the Program Director.

Advocacy and Community Outreach

Advocate for substance use and mental health awareness and reduce stigma in the community.

Develop and implement an outreach plan for engaging youth in programming. Network with other entities, such as other providers, SFUSD, probation/parole officers, child welfare social workers, community programs, etc., to raise awareness of the JABALI treatment services.

Facilitate referrals through effective networking.

In addition to external networking, will provide information to internal programs that would like to refer clients to SUD treatment services. In collaboration with LPHA, will consult on potential internal referrals maintaining client’s confidentiality and privacy.   

Professional Development:

Engage in continuing education, professional training, and supervision to stay current with best practices and new substance use and mental health treatments.

Participate in workshops, seminars, and conferences related to substance use and mental health care.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES 

Knowledgeable about youth development and empowerment principles, prevention strategies, best practices in serving high-risk youth, behavior modification, harm reduction, etc.

Ability to meet deadlines and juggle multiple competing deadlines/tasks in a fast-paced environment.

Able to maintain confidential, accurate, and complete records, including documentation of daily encounters, progress notes, weekly and monthly reports, etc.

Excellent organizational, communication, written, and verbal skills.

Ability to work as a member of a team.

High level of empathy and compassion, with a non-judgmental approach to clients.

Cultural competence and sensitivity when working with diverse populations.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

A minimum of 2.5 years working with at-risk youth and their families.

Must be 1) certified or registered by an organization that is recognized by the Department of Health Care Services and accredited with the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (CAADE, CADTP, or CCAPP), and 2) meets all California State education, training, and work experience requirements set forth in the Counselor Certification Regulations, Cal. Code Regs., tit. 9, Div. 4, chapter 8. 

Prior experience working with individuals dealing with substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders, ideally in a clinical, outpatient, or hospital setting.

Versed in best practices and interventions such as Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Stages of Change, etc.

Knowledgeable about adolescent development; Experience in clinical treatment, healing arts, and intervention techniques/approaches to youth development

Knowledge of youth services in San Francisco from which clients can benefit.

Experience working and engaging with youth and their families, youth in child welfare system, youth within the juvenile justice system, youth with disabilities, youth with co-occurring disorders, and/or gang-affiliated, etc

HCN’s Community Culture

Of all the above important qualifications, bring the heartfelt quality of compassion, with exquisite cultural responsiveness as a primary guiding quality, not only of your professional life, but of what you hold dear.

Please bring a strong analysis of how race, ethnicity, culture, language, region, poverty, sexual and gender identity, age, education, opportunities and resources generationally made available or not, and systemic oppressions impact a person’s mental health.

Please have stories of your own life and how you have been a mover and shaker to transform these systems.

Please accept that HCN is a vibrant community that has a legacy that is of interest to you, and is also prompted to grow steadily, and with the respect of what has been done well central in the conversation.