Location and Job Title:

CASAC/CASAC - T - Motivational Enhancement Counselor
Educational Alliance
197 E Broadway
New York, NY 10002

Principal Responsibilities:

Center for Recovery and Wellness is part of Educational Alliance (EA), which brings together diverse communities in Lower Manhattan, offering individuals and families high-quality, multigenerational programs and services that enhance their well-being and socioeconomic opportunities. One of New York City's original settlement houses, EA was founded in 1889 to offer educational, social, and cultural services to Jewish immigrants arriving to the Lower East Side. Today, EA partners with diverse communities throughout Lower Manhattan. Across our network of community centers, we empower people of all backgrounds to flourish, recognizing the intrinsic value within each individual and the importance of building community.

Reporting to the Residential Manager and delivering milieu services in the trauma-informed modified therapeutic community, the Motivational Enhancement Counselors will monitor the residential systems and deliver behavioral interventions to the residents for the 100 bed, OASAS licensed residential treatment facility. They will work in an integrated fashion with other clinical program staff to provide effective individualized services and interventions that meet the treatment plan goals and objectives for residents. They will provide a safe haven in which our resident patients may confront their behavior, learn how to utilize their strengths to deal with the many problems related to chemical dependency, and develop the skills necessary to allow them to function as valuable members of the community without the use of drugs or alcohol.

Responsibilities:

Direct Services with Credential

• Individual and group behavioral interventions in line with the modified trauma-informed modified therapeutic community.
• Monitor and coordinate residents' attendance at medical, dental, and psychiatric appointments.
• Monitors resident's participation in all residential services with appropriate communication and interventions applied for noncompliance with the program schedule.
• Participate in and lead crisis intervention for behavioral episodes or relapse episodes on-site, following facility procedures and documenting accordingly.
• Conduct regular and scheduled safety runs, safety searches, and reporting back observations, intervening with residents appropriately, and making recommendations for a follow-up to the team.
• Conducts department meetings and committee meetings with residents in line with the modified Therapeutic Community model.
• Follows procedures for investigating safety issues, and managing onsite incidents with appropriate written incident reporting and verbal communication.

Counseling

• Conduct group counseling sessions with residents.
• Acts as a liaison to a clinical counselor and conducts caseload check-in rounds on shift with assigned caseload
• Utilize strengths-based counseling and MI spirit as well as employ strengths-based behavioral modification strategies.

Treatment

• Act as the SUD "behavioral expert" for participation in treatment planning led by the clinical counselor with the support multidisciplinary team
• Document behavioral interventions in the clinical record as per 820 and CARF standards
• Communicate any outcomes of individual or group interventions to the clinical team members involved in the resident's treatment plan.

Administrative

• Supervise and assist residents with in-house job functions, cooking, clean-up chores, and other daily living activities.
• Regular review of resident signs out book and cross-referencing with resident's headcount
• Provide recreational activities, including trips.
• Maintain patient records.
• Dispense metro cards and lunch money to residents as needed.
• Collect HRA finger images and other required reporting elements.
• Participate in house meetings.
• Communicate pertinent information in Staff on duty log, Shift Exchange Meetings and Shift plans
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor

Minimum Qualifications:

• A High School diploma or equivalent is required with valid CASAC. 2 years of experience in SUD treatment setting and a Master's degree in behavioral science; social work, psychology, sociology may be substituted for CASAC if the applicant applies for CASAC-T within 90 days of hire.
• One (1) year of related work experience in a Residential Therapeutic Community setting is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of strengths-based counseling, cognitive-behavioral treatment, and behavior modification in practice
• Weekend availability is required.
• A degree in a related field (social work/psychology) is a definite plus.
• Current adult CPR and First Aid certifications a plus
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with a broad variety of people, including other team members and management.
• Ability to maintain appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality.
• Competency with computer-based programs such as Microsoft Word, Outlook email, Relias, and Electronic Health records

Salary:

$23.08 To $29.24 hourly

Agency Information:

A nonprofit beacon of hope for over 130 years, as a historically Jewish organization Educational Alliance believes in the power of communities to lift up people of all ages and turn strangers into neighbors. We offer high-quality, affordable education programs, health services, and diverse cultural enrichment right where New Yorkers live and raise their families. We make the city a brighter, friendlier and more supportive place. Our community centers offer multi-generational programs that push boundaries and break barriers, sharing critical tools to foster relationships and advance the well-being of people in New York City.

Our pioneering educational programs--like 2Generation Head Start, and courses ranging from art to fitness, career readiness to citizenship--are carefully curated and developed with our city's residents in mind. We offer dozens of options and we never stop innovating to help people of all ages grow, connect, and engage.

Guided by Jewish values, Educational Alliance celebrates the differences and individuality every person brings when they walk through our doors because we know that there is more that connects us than keeps us divided. Today, our reach extends beyond the city as our innovative programs serve as models for other organizations to adopt and implement in their communities. We invite you to join us as we partner with our neighbors, strengthen our city, and pave the way for more generations of New Yorkers to live enriched and fulfilling lives - because you belong here.