Jobs at VOA Alaska (Now Hiring) — 2 open

Position Title:  Behavioral Health Counselor

Reports To: Clinicical Supervisor – Youth Outpatient

Classification: Non-Exempt; Hourly; Full-Time

Overview 

The Behavioral Health Counselor is responsible for counseling and client care functions at Volunteers of America Alaska Youth Outpatient program. The substance use disorder counselor is a fully functional member of the treatment team, develops and implements quality substance use treatment for agency clients, and implements goal directed clinical interventions.

VOA Alaska is a youth-serving organization providing prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery supports to youth and families struggling with mental illness and addiction. We are honored to walk with families during these times and provide support and hope through recovery. Our core values are connection, responsibility, courage, innovation, hope, and joy. We are looking for individuals who espouse these core values and align with this mission of services to the community.

Essential Functions, Duties & Responsibilities

Clinical

• Responsible for the substance use treatment of assigned clients as detailed below. 

• Develops and implements treatment plans, treatment plan reviews and produces client reports in a timely manner and in accordance to Medicaid regulations and agency policy and procedures. 
• Implements treatment services and maintains client records in accordance to American Society of Addiction Medicine Patient Placement Criteria 2 (ASAM PPC3), CARF, Medicaid regulations, the Division of Behavioral Health requirements and agency policy. 
• Provides crisis intervention services as needed for youth assigned to caseload.
• Presents clients monthly at weekly staff meeting to illicit feedback from interdisciplinary treatment team and ensure level of care placement is medically necessary according to ASAM standards. Responsible for follow through on treatment team developed interventions. 
• Models interventions and provides clinical guidance to other staff.
• Assists in coordinating the transfer/discharge to continuing care services.
• Communicates client status to client’s families and other agencies as indicated and in accordance with confidentiality regulations and agency policy.
• Conduct monthly clinical staffing summary of client’s progress in accordance to individual program policy.
• Creates and completes client documentation in accordance to agency policies and procedures, Medicaid regulations, CARF standards, Division of Behavioral Health standards, and Division of Public Health regulations.
• Responsible for completion of all progress notes in accordance to the agency’s policies and procedures. 
• Conducts weekly urine analysis for clients who are in treatment. 

Milieu

Provides a safe and therapeutic environment for clients, staff, and visitors. Is supportive of and skilled in utilizing the community as method to enact change. Collaborates closely with other therapeutic staff to ensure coordination of care and assigned interventions are communicated, implemented and monitored throughout the course of a client’s treatment. 

Other Duties

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Working Conditions

The work environment characteristics and physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Acknowledgement

Every effort has been made to identify the essential functions of this position. However, this job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties you may be required to perform. The omission of specific descriptions of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or can be considered essential to this position.