Substance Use Disorder Family Specialist; SUD

Substance Use Disorder Family Specialist (SUD)

Accepting applications until January 9th, 2026. Wellspring Lutheran Services is a statewide nonprofit dedicated to serving seniors, families, and children throughout Michigan. We are currently seeking a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Family Specialist to join our Behavioral Health team serving families across metro‑Detroit, including Macomb and Oakland counties. In this role, you will support families and individuals affected by substance use, helping them access resources, build resilience, and work toward lasting recovery through compassionate, person‑centered care.

• Provide outreach‑counseling services to families affected by substance use disorder or at actual risk of having their children removed from their home due to child abuse and/or neglect. Provide skill‑based intervention and support for families when a parent is alcohol or drug affected, or has been found to have a co‑occurring disorder and assist to reduce risk factors and bring stability to the family.
• Assess current living conditions such as stable housing, income/employment, developmental history, substance use/abuse, family structure, support system, physical health, emotional and mental health status and the client’s view of the presenting concern and factor into the therapeutic process.
• Assist family ability to obtain concrete services i.e. housing, food, clothing, medical care, utilities, home maintenance/repair, transportation, etc. as these impact progress on primary substance risk reduction.
• Work with substance use disorder affected adult on increasing awareness of the impact that alcohol and/or substance abuse has in their parenting relationship with their children; and the role alcohol and/or substance abuse has in the abuse and or neglect of their children.
• Provide education such as: interrelationship of brain chemistry; the disease concept of dependence; the nature of substance use disorders; high‑risk factors for substance use disorders like the role of genetics and environment; the effects using drugs and/or alcohol have on cognitive functioning such as memory and problem solving ability; etc.
• Use evidence based practices, including motivational interviewing to engage substance using adult in knowledge of relapse; relapse prevention strategies; and developing a specific relapse prevention plan. Highlight stages of change to educate and help client understand the process/journey of recovery.
• Encourage/motivate toward the use of community recovery groups.
• Develop prevention activities and education for family members to understand the dynamics of substance use disorders and provide appropriate referrals, resources and education to the families.
• Establish community contacts to refer families/make collateral contacts to services including but not limited to:
  Early on, domestic violence, mental health, substance abuse counseling, longer‑term counseling; financial management; concrete services. Then teach families how to advocate for themselves with these resources.
• Maintain face‑to‑face contact with families according to the contract defined frequency/duration and the individual needs of the family.
• Prepare reports (treatment plans, services plans, court reports, closure summaries) within the appropriate time frames. Maintain safety planning and documentation throughout services according to the needs of the family.
• Ensure that the children in the household are in a safe and healthy environment by addressing the safety of all family members living in the home. Observe and respond to warning signs of abuse and neglect and make appropriate reports.
• Maintain case files and documentation of client contact/activities to support accurate and timely billing procedures.
• Assure clients have contact availability to reach program staff in an emergency.
• Transport clients in your own vehicle (as needed).

• Bachelor’s degree in a human services‑related field;
  Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience working with individuals and families impacted by substance use.
• Within three months of hire, must have an MCBAP‑approved development plan toward CADC or CAADC certification and…