Substance Abuse Counselor​/Emergency Appointment Homelessness

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT

OPEN COMPETITIVE - EMERGENCY

Thursday, January 16, 2025 at 8:30 a.m., Pacific Time (PT)

This examination will remain open until the needs of the service are met and is subject to closure without prior notice.

The LA County Board of Supervisors recently declared a local state of emergency for homelessness, and the County is working to revise and expand our response to help all who are affected. We are looking for qualified and passionate individuals to help us in the mission of addressing issues like housing, mental health, and substance use. If you are looking for a new career that will directly benefit the population of LA County, this may be the opportunity for you.

The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health is seeking qualified candidates to fill emergency Substance Abuse Counselor vacancies related to the homelessness crisis.

Under the emergency order, applicants who meet the requirements may be hired for an initial period of up to 90 days, with an opportunity for permanent County employment.

Before the end of your initial work period, you will be assessed on your work performance. This assessment will be weighted 100%.

Those who successfully pass the assessment will be considered for permanent appointment to Substance Abuse Counselor.

Positions allocable to this journey-level class typically receive general supervision from a higher-level supervisor such as a senior-level substance use disorder or mental health counselor, clinician, psychiatrist, or psychologist and participate in interdisciplinary programs. Incumbents provide a variety of substance use disorder and/or mental health prevention, brief intervention, treatment and recovery services, such as patient/client screenings/assessments, development of recovery and treatment plans, case management, and individual and group counseling/education.

Positions allocated to this level are distinguished from the Substance Abuse Counselor Aid by their responsibility for more complex cases. Incumbents must have demonstrated knowledge of basic counseling and substance use service principles, practices and techniques. Incumbents are typically assigned to hospitals, rehabilitation centers, prevention and treatment programs, assessment and referral centers, and/or detention/correctional facilities.

• Conducts interviews of clients/patients and/or their family members to obtain family, social, medical, work, and substance use, physical health, and mental health histories.
• Conducts services such as screening, assessment, intake, counseling, education, recovery support, case management, and maintains documentation for delivered services.
• Participates with the treatment team in developing, implementing, and evaluating treatment or therapy approaches for patients/clients, family members, and significant others in all phases of comprehensive substance use disorder and/or mental health treatment programs.
• Counsels patients/clients to reduce or cope with their substance use by assisting them in recognizing causal factors of substance use and/or mental health disorder and in developing appropriate coping behaviors.
• Counsels patients/clients regarding community resources or treatment services available to help reduce or cope with substance use.
• Assists patients/clients with linkage to appropriate community resources such as health benefits, housing, employment and legal services, as well as other substance use, mental health, and/or physical health services to help reduce or cope with substance use and address other needs critical to recovery.
• Assists senior‑level counselors in complex areas of social and psychological adjustment counseling.
• Maintains a close system of follow‑up for previously discharged persons by means of personal visits, telephone calls, and other means of communication; completes records on follow‑up activities.
• Participates in educational activities in formal academic settings and in treatment or rehabilitation centers to improve knowledge of substance use disorder and mental health related areas.
• Develops and promotes interest in the substance use disorder and/or mental health fields…