AOD Certified Substance Use Disorder Counselor

Description

The Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Certified Substance Use Disorder Counselor provides comprehensive substance use disorder (SUD) counseling, education, case coordination, recovery support, and related services to individuals experiencing substance use and co-occurring behavioral health conditions.

The AOD Counselor works as part of an interdisciplinary behavioral health team to assess client needs, participate in the development and implementation of individualized treatment and recovery plans, provide individual and group counseling, support engagement and retention in treatment, coordinate services, and document care in accordance with agency, payer, contractual, and regulatory requirements.

The position requires a current AOD/SUD counselor certification recognized by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), or other qualifying credential as specifically permitted by the program and applicable regulations.

• Conduct screenings, intake activities, substance use assessments, and other evaluations within the counselor's authorized scope of practice.
• Identify substance use patterns, recovery needs, barriers to treatment, strengths, risk factors, and appropriate service needs.
• Participate in the development, implementation, review, and modification of individualized treatment and recovery plans.
• Apply knowledge of substance use disorders, stages of change, relapse and recurrence, recovery principles, and evidence-informed treatment approaches.
• Recognize signs and symptoms of co-occurring mental health conditions and coordinate with licensed clinical professionals when needs exceed the counselor's scope of practice.
• Identify changes in client condition that may require additional clinical, medical, psychiatric, or crisis assessment.

• Provide individual and group substance use disorder counseling within the counselor's education, certification, competency, and authorized scope.
• Facilitate psycho educational and recovery-focused groups addressing topics such as substance use, relapse prevention, coping skills, triggers, recovery planning, decision-making, healthy relationships, and development of natural supports.
• Utilize motivational interviewing and other evidence-informed engagement strategies as appropriate to the program and population served.
• Support clients in establishing realistic and measurable treatment and recovery goals.
• Assist clients in identifying high-risk situations and developing strategies to support sustained recovery.
• Engage family members, caregivers, and other natural supports when clinically appropriate and authorized by the client.

• Coordinate services with members of the interdisciplinary treatment team and external providers.
• Assist clients in accessing behavioral health, medical, housing, educational, vocational, social service, recovery, and community resources.
• Participate in case conferences, treatment team meetings, care coordination meetings, and other multidisciplinary activities.
• Facilitate referrals to appropriate levels of care and community resources.
• Support continuity of care during transitions between programs, providers, and levels of treatment.
• Maintain effective working relationships with community partners and referral sources.

• Complete timely, accurate, objective, and clinically appropriate documentation of services.
• Document assessments, treatment/recovery plans, counseling activities, progress notes, care coordination, referrals, discharge planning, and other required services.
• Maintain client records in the agency's electronic health record (EHR) system.
• Ensure documentation supports the service provided and complies with applicable agency, contractual, payer, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain confidentiality of client information in accordance with HIPAA, 42 CFR Part 2, California confidentiality requirements, and agency policy.
• Maintain professional boundaries and comply with applicable ethical standards governing AOD/SUD counselors.
• Participate in documentation reviews, utilization review, quality improvement, compliance activities, and corrective action processes as required.

• Recognize behavioral, substance-related, environmental, and other indicators that may require immediate intervention or escalation.
• Follow agency procedures regarding suicidal ideation, self-harm, homicidal ideation, overdose risk,…