Drug and Alcohol Counselor

DRUG AND ALCOHOL COUNSELOR

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS:  The work involves responsibility for providing drug counseling services in a school-based setting for individuals, groups or families.  The incumbent provides client assessment, evaluation and recommendations of the need for drug abuse treatment and/or referral services to meet the client’s problems.  Drug and Alcohol Counselors typically do not exercise supervision over subordinate employees.  Does related work, as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:
Conducts intake interviews in order to obtain needed background material and to assess the client’s problem(s), the client’s perception of self in relation to the problem(s), the client’s ability and motivation to cope with the benefit of a treatment program;
Provides individual, group and family personal adjustment counseling to a caseload of students in grades 7-12;
Formulates individualized treatment plans to ensure full participation of the client in the treatment process;
Provides assistance to student/family in the successful application of recommended interventions either school or community-based;
Conducts focus groups for topics such as:  How Alcohol/Drugs Affect Family, Teen Self-Help Groups, and Understanding Chemical Dependency;
Improves agency collaboration for successful referral/re-integration;
Assists with Dragon Outreach program/mentoring;
Assists Prevention Worker in parent/community workshops;
Maintains accurate client case records and prepares a variety of reports to fulfill requirements in such areas as utilization review and quality assurance.

FUL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:  Good knowledge of the principles, practices and terminology associated with counseling individuals, families and groups with drug related problems; good knowledge of factors contributing to drug abuse; good knowledge of public and private agencies which provide drug abuse services and other community human service agencies and how to use them effectively; good knowledge of drugs, the problems of those addicted to or dependent on drugs, and the symptoms and physical signs of drug abuse; working knowledge of the skills crisis intervention, assessment, interviewing and evaluation; ability to recognize and differentiate the symptoms of drug abuse and mental illness; ability to related sympathetically to a potentially difficult student population; ability to express oneself clearly and concisely both orally and in writing; ability to secure the confidence and cooperation of students, professional colleagues, students’ families and social agencies; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships; physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:  Graduation from high school or possession of an equivalency diploma recognized by the NYS Department of Education, AND EITHER:

1. Graduation from a NYS registered or regionally accredited college or university with a Master’s Degree in Counseling, AND, one year of experience dealing with educating and direct counseling of individuals with alcohol and/or drug addictions. OR:
2. Graduation from a NYS registered or regionally accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in Counseling, AND, and two (2) years of experience dealing with educating and direct counseling of individuals with alcohol and/or drug addictions.