CREDENTIALED COUNSELOR in at Catholic Charities-Straight & Narrow Inc (SN)

Department: Clinical Programs

Job Title: Credentialed Counselor (CADC/LCADC)

FSLA Status: 0Non-Exempt

Reports to: Program Director, Clinical Supervisor, and Coordinator of Treatment

Location: All Straight and Narrow Programs

You may be deployed to any Straight and Narrow program location based on agency needs.

Must maintain reliable personal transportation to travel independently to assigned program locations as required.

Job Summary:

The CADC/LCADC Credentialed Counselor functions an integral part of the treatment team and provides 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.

1. 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 caseload of clients.
2. 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 CC - Straight & Narrow’s Policy on Timeframe for Documentation in Clients’ Charts.
3. Attend regularly scheduled multidisciplinary team meetings (MDT) and present information for Treatment Plan or Treatment Plan Review for clients’ on caseload.
4. Attend individual and group supervision with Clinical Supervisor as scheduled.
5. 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.
6. Provide crisis intervention to clients as necessary.
7. Submit documentation to Supervisor daily for any/all sessions held with clients on that day.
8. Attend and actively participate in all CQI subcommittee meetings and/or Grievance Committee meetings on which membership is held.
9. Prepare monthly reports to overseeing agencies/referral sources (i.e., DCP&P Drug Court, probation officers, parole officers).
10. Present supervisor with documentation of continuing education coursework for maintenance of CADC/LCADC certification, annually.
11. Encourage and support clients’ participation in AA/NA/GA activities.
12. Follow all Electronic Health Records (EHR) policies.
13. Maintain professionalism, ethical conduct and appropriate boundaries at all times while delivering direct services to clients or representing the agency in accordance with agency standards and substance abuse best practices.
14. Other duties as assigned.
15. Maintain ethical conduct and appropriate boundaries at all times while delivering direct services to clients or representing the agency in accordance with agency standards and substance abuse best practices.
16. Engages clients with professionalism and courtesy, both with verbal and non-verbal communication, works to de escalate challenging interactions. Reports and documents behaviors as required to ensure a safe and respectful environment.

Medicaid Credentialing & Documentation Compliance

• Maintain and satisfy all Medicaid-required qualifications and credentialing standards necessary to provide billable direct care services within the program.
• Deliver services in accordance with Medicaid, NJ FamilyCare, and applicable Managed Care Organization (MCO) requirements, funding sources, state contracts, state Fee For Service Initiatives (FFS), county contracts, etc. ensuring all activities are eligible for reimbursement.
• Accurately document all services provided to clients in a manner that fully supports Medicaid billing, medical necessity, and audit review.
• Complete documentation that is timely, complete, and compliant with all federal, state, and payer requirements, ensuring that services are verifiable and substantiated for reimbursement.
• Understand and adhere to the requirement that services not properly documented or performed by appropriately credentialed staff may not be billable under Medicaid funding.

General Responsibilities and Duties:

1. The workweek will be based on your assigned schedule. 30 minutes unpaid lunch and/or two 15-minute breaks.
2. Punch in/out utilizing the system in place (Paylocity, the employee hand recognition time clock, etc.) All punches must be completed while onsite unless otherwise assigned based on your position or approval from a supervisor.

Approve your timecard by the end of the Pay period. All missed punch corrections must be requested by the employee daily via Paylocity and/or before the end of the pay period. Timecard errors not submitted before the end of the pay period will not be adjusted until the next pay period. Employees are required to follow up with their supervisor regarding any timecard errors in a timely manner. Any work time outside of your standard work schedule must be pre-approved by the supervisor, Senior Director of Residential Life or designee. Staff should only be onsite and in an assigned work area during scheduled work hours. All additional time worked or overtime must be preapproved by your supervisor.

1. Complete your supervisee’s timecard according to Payroll policy.
2. Notify supervisor, prior to shift if unable to work due to sickness or personal emergency. If possible, please inform your supervisor 6 hours in advance.
3. Submit Via Paylocity, all of your time off request in advance, and in accordance with the Paid Time Off Policy (PTO). If you call out sick/emergency, submit the PTO ASAP or the day you return to work. Call outs must be done according to procedure, via phone call to your supervisor; texting is not allowed. If your supervisor does not answer, leave a detailed message.
4. If you must leave your assigned shift or post for a break or due to an emergency, you are required to notify the supervisor on shift as soon as possible, as you remain responsible for ensuring appropriate client coverage and maintaining organizational staffing ratios.
5. Know and enforce CC-Straight & Narrow’s Policies and Procedures.
6. Ensure Policy and Procedure for SN-Critical Incident Reporting and Reportable Events are followed when indicated.
7. Complete all CC-Straight & Narrow’s annually required trainings in accordance with your position and prior to expiration.
8. Attend in-service training and other training, staff meetings and supervision as scheduled.
9. Take responsibility for keeping Personnel file updated regarding filing any new degrees or certificates, getting immunizations/medical test as required and keeping any licenses and/or certificates current, CPR/First Aid, ServSafe, etc.
10. Attend all CQI subcommittees meetings of which you are a member and actively participate.
11. Participate in internal/external investigations, and inquiries when applicable
12. Travel to different program locations, meetings, training, etc. as assigned
13. Review all communication sent via email and Paylocity daily at minimum and when possible multiple times a day
14. Review Employee Handbook thoroughly and acknowledge receipt annually
15. Assist other programs based on agency needs and reassignment
16. Perform other tasks as necessary or as assigned by supervisory, or a member of CC-Straight & Narrow’s administration

Americans with Disabilities Act Requirements:

• EEO: The Agency is committed to complying with applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and the disability laws of New Jersey. It is the Agency’s policy not to discriminate against any qualified employee or applicant regarding the terms or conditions of employment because of such an individual’s disability, so long as the employee can perform the essential functions of the position. The Agency will provide reasonable accommodations to any qualified individual with a disability, as defined under applicable law, who has made the Agency aware of the disability, provided that such an accommodation does not constitute an undue hardship or jeopardize workplace safety.

Environment Demands and Exposures to Hazards: Normal work routine involves potential exposure to blood, tissues, body fluid, air/surface borne infections and chemicals. Must be familiar with Straight & Narrow’s “Infection Control Policy & Procedure”. Must also attend agency’s annual training which provides information on “Infection Control Procedures”.

Essential Physical/Mental Demands:

1. Physical Demands:
2. Must be ambulatory
3. Must have visual/hearing acuity
4. Mental Demands:
5. Must have verbal ability
6. Must be able to comprehend instructions
7. Must be able to write legibly
8. Must be able to comprehend/interpret charts, diagrams, possess inductive and deductive reasoning
9. Manual Dexterity Required:
10. Must possess dexterity, stand, sit, walk, lift and carry twenty pounds for short distances

American with Disabilities Act Statement:

External and internal applicants as well as position incumbents who become disabled, must be able to perform the essential job specific function (listed within each job specific responsibility) either unaided or with the assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by the organization on a case-by-case basis.

Disclosure:

Although Straight & Narrow has attempted to accurately and thoroughly describe this position, Straight & Narrow reserves the right to change the same, including to change, add to or subtract from the duties outlined, within the sole discretion of Straight & Narrow, at any time, with or without advance notice. This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties, including essential duties, to be performed by the employee occupying this position. This job description is not an employment contract, implied or otherwise. The employment relationship remains “at-will”. The aforementioned job requirements are subject to change to reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities.

Acknowledgment:

This is to acknowledge that I have reviewed this job description with my supervisor; it has been discussed with me; I understand the performance expected of me; and I also understand that it is my responsibility to comply with this job description as well as any revisions made to it. In addition, my supervisor has provided me with a signed copy of this job description for my own records

Qualifications:

1. Must have a HS/AA/BA/BS or MA/MSW degree with a CADC or LCADC.
2. 1-3 years’ experience in the addictions and/or mental health field.
3. Good interpersonal, verbal, and written skills.
4. Is familiar with NJSAMS, ASAM and LOCI.
5. Experience facilitating groups and individuals; and familiar with Drug Court Policies.
6. Excellent working knowledge of computers.
7. Experience in the fee per service environment is a plus.

10:161A-1.9 Qualifications and responsibilities of the substance abuse counseling staff

(a) Every facility shall ensure that the ratios of substance abuse counseling staff are maintained so that 50 percent of the staff are LCADC or CADC or other licensed clinical professionals doing work of an alcohol and drug counseling nature within their scope of practice by July 15, 2016 and at all times thereafter. The remaining 50 percent of substance abuse counseling staff shall be designated as alcohol and drug counseling-interns or credentialed-interns (formerly referred to as "substance abuse counselors in training") who are actively working toward their LCADC or CADC status, or toward another New Jersey clinical license that includes work of an alcohol and drug counseling nature within its scope of practice. Counselor-interns may be actively working toward their LCADC or CADC status for no more than three years. The director of substance abuse counseling must maintain an active client caseload if the director of substance abuse counseling is to be counted in the above ratios.

1. Each substance abuse counselor shall be either an LCADC or CADC or another licensed health professional doing work of an alcohol and drug counseling nature within their scope of practice.
2. A CADC must work under the supervision of an LCADC or another New Jersey licensed clinical professional designated as a qualified clinical supervisor per N.J.A.C. 13:34C-6.2.
3. A CADC cannot diagnose substance abuse.
4. Substance abuse counseling staff without an LCADC or CADC status or who do not possess another New Jersey clinical professional license that includes work of an alcohol or drug counseling nature within their scope of practice shall function as alcohol and drug counselor-interns or credential-interns and shall:
5. Be enrolled in a course of study leading to a CADC or LCADC, or another New Jersey clinical professional license that includes work of an alcohol and drug counseling nature within its scope of practice, without regard to changes in employment, with progress towards certification or licensing on file, reviewed by the facility at least semi-annually and documented; and
6. Be trained, evaluated and receive continuing formal clinical supervision by the director of substance abuse counseling or designee, pursuant to the clinical supervision rules of the State health professional licensing board for the course of study in which they are enrolled:

(1) The State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners' for licensed marriage and family therapists;

(2) The State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners' Professional Counselor Examiners Committee for licensed professional counselors and licensed associate counselors;

(3) The State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee for LCADCs and CADCs;

(4) The State Board of Psychological Examiners for licensed psychologists; and

(5) The State Board of Social Work Examiners for licensed clinical social workers and licensed social workers.

(b) Counseling staff employed in a residential substance use disorders treatment facility subsequent to July 15, 2013 shall have three years from the date of employment to become certified as an LCADC or CADC, or another clinical licensed professional that includes the work of an alcohol and drug counseling nature within its scope of practice.

(c) Only staff possessing the appropriate clinical background and educational qualifications from the appropriate clinical discipline may provide the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of clients with co-occurring disorders.

(d) Each substance abuse counselor shall be responsible for the following:

1. Assessing the counseling needs of the clients;
2. Assessing clients using the ASI or using other standardized assessment tool and for adolescents using the CASI or using other evidence-based validated assessment tool and diagnosing clients for substance disorders using the DSM-IV-TR;
3. Determining the appropriate level of care based on ASAM PPC-2R;
4. Obtaining previous records that are relevant to the current treatment episode;
5. 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.
6. 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;
7. Providing the substance abuse counseling services specified in the client treatment plan;
8. Reviewing clients throughout the treatment episode according to ASAM PPC-2R, to determine the need for continued services or discharge/transfer;
9. Reviewing and, where necessary, revising the substance abuse counseling portion of the client treatment plan to address emerging problems;
10. Developing the client discharge/transfer plans to ensure movement to the appropriate levels of care;
11. Contacting referral sources, providing case consultation and coordination with referral sources (for example: mental health treatment providers, criminal justice agencies, schools, employers, the Division of Youth and Family Services);
12. Participating as a member of a multidisciplinary team for assigned clients;
13. Providing active case consultation; and
14. 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.