Credentialed Counselor; LSW​/LAC​/LCSW​/LPC

Career Opportunities with Catholic Charities, Diocese of Paterson

A great place to work.

Are you passionate about making a difference in others' lives? Then come join the Straight and Narrow team!

Headquartered in Paterson, NJ, Straight and Narrow is the largest program of its kind. We provide innovative and compassionate services to individuals struggling with substance use and co-occurring disorders. We are looking for dedicated, caring and compassionate people to work in our Residential/Outpatient Treatment Facilities and Community Programs.

Location: Paterson, NJ

Job Summary: The Counselor functions as an integral part of the treatment team and provides mental health assessments, individual, group, family and didactic sessions as well as case management services to the clients on his/her caseload ensuring that the treatment requirements of all regulating bodies are fulfilled. This position is specifically designed to provide substance abuse clients more complete treatment when a co-occurring mental health issue is present.

Position Specific Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assessing the counseling needs of the clients;
• Assessing clients using the ASI or using other standardized assessment tool and diagnosing clients for substance disorders using the DSM;
• Determining the appropriate level of care based on ASAM PPC;
• Obtaining previous records that are relevant to the current treatment episode;
• Collaborating with the client in order to develop a written treatment plan that is client-centered and recovery oriented and includes goals and measurable objectives.
• The director of substance abuse counseling shall develop, monitor and provide clients and the treatment team with written schedules that will be used to update each client treatment plan(s) in order to ensure that each client's treatment needs are addressed;
• Providing the substance abuse counseling services specified in the client treatment plan;
• Reviewing clients throughout the treatment episode according to ASAM PPC, to determine the need for continued services or discharge/transfer;
• Reviewing and, where necessary, revising the substance abuse counseling portion of the client treatment plan to address emerging problems;
• Developing the client discharge/transfer plans to ensure movement to the appropriate levels of care;
• Contacting referral sources, providing case consultation, and coordination with referral sources (for example: mental health treatment providers, criminal justice agencies, schools, employers, the Department of Children and Families);
• Participating as a member of a multidisciplinary team for assigned clients;
• Providing active case consultation; and
• Documenting all counseling and education services, assessments, reassessments, referrals and follow-up in the client's clinical record, providing appropriate signatures and dating of such entries, including those made in electronic records.
• Provide individual, group and family counseling; didactics; treatment planning and case management as required per licensing standards (residential or ambulatory according to program) for a small caseload of clients
• Assist in the formulation of measurable individualized Treatment Plans and Treatment Plan Reviews for each client on caseload
• Maintain clinical portion of clients’ charts as per the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) and CARF guidelines, ensuring that all documentation is up to-date as per Straight & Narrow’s Policy on Timeframe for Documentation in Clients’ Charts
• Attend regularly scheduled multidisciplinary team meetings (MDT) and present information for Treatment Plan or Treatment Plan Review for clients’ on caseload
• Attend individual and group supervision with Clinical Supervisor as scheduled
• Provide clients on caseload with referrals to other agencies (i.e., health, psychiatric, vocational rehabilitation and public assistance) for concurrent and/or continued care as part of case management as necessary
• Provide crisis intervention to clients as necessary
• Submit documentation to Supervisor daily for any/all sessions held with clients on that day. Attend clinical consultation team…