SUD Counselor - COAT

Days Off: Saturday, Sunday

Shift: Day (9:00AM-5:00PM)

Insurance Benefits: Dental, Life, Long-term Disability, Medical (no premiums/payroll deductions for employee coverage)

Other Benefits: Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), ORCA card subsidy, Paid Time Off (34 days per year), Retirement Plan

Union Representation: This position is a part of a union and is represented by SEIU Healthcare 1199NW.

Recognized nationally as an innovator and leader in developing solutions to homelessness, DESC is a social services organization, supportive housing operator, and licensed behavioral health treatment provider focused onmeeting the needs of people experiencing long-term homelessness andliving with complex behavioral health and other medical conditions.

Approximately 3,000 people are actively receiving services from DESC at any given point in time. Our vision is a community where all people areshown compassion, treated with dignity, and everyone has a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.

DESC operates five shelter/emergency housing programs, 19 permanent supportive housing facilities with over 1,750 units, several hundred additional scattered site apartments, and a range of behavioral health services including outpatient mental health and substance use disorder treatment, residential crisis stabilization, street outreach, mobile crisis response, and treatment for opioid use disorder.

The Community Outreach and Advocacy Team (COAT) provides holistic behavioral health treatment to highly vulnerable individuals navigating the legal system, that would otherwise fall through the cracks due to being ineligible for other traditional services. With an integrated team approach (including Mental Health Therapist, SUDP, psychiatric prescriber, psychiatric Registered Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Case Manager and Certified Peer Counselor roles), COAT provides the wraparound support needed for clients to lead safe and healthy lives in the community.

The COAT Substance Use Disorder Counselor is a member of a multi-disciplinary team responsible for providing robust outreach, engagement and intensive case management services to adults with serious mental health and co-occurring substance use disorders, who are being diverted from criminal prosecution, in order to prevent re-incarceration. The program utilizes a modified Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) approach, with caseloads of 1:20.

This position provides specialized services to clients who are impacted by alcohol or Substance use. Services will be provided across Seattle and nearby King County areas, including on the streets, in shelters, jails, hospitals, supportive housing sites and in other service centers as indicated. This position requires frequent coordination and collaboration with other DESC programs and outside agencies.

• Perform alcohol and drug screenings, and assessments with selected clients.
• Provide individual and group SUD treatment in office and in community settings using a stage-based treatment model that is non-confrontational, considers interactions of mental illness and substance use, and has participant-determined goals. With the client’s participation, develop support and treatment plans; facilitate linkages to collaborative resources when appropriate.
• Plan, organize and facilitate treatment and support groups for clients, as appropriate.
• Act as the COAT team's subject matter expert for substance use disorders. Provide consultation to other team members regarding SUD issues, treatment, and education, including Harm Reduction best practices. Provide staff training on substance use issues, as appropriate.
• Advocate for client access to community resources and services, ensuring that client needs are met and rights maintained; consult and collaborate with community providers to ensure continuity of care.
• Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with DESC staff, and other service and resource organizations to ensure full continuity of care for clients.
• Participate in psychiatric consultation, supervision, program and SUD team meetings and in-service trainings; participate in clinical reviews and case conferences.
• Comply with the agency's clinical accountability policies and procedures; maintain current and complete clinical records; participate in quality assurance reviews when assigned.
• Comply with data gathering/submission requirements, and with…