Job Description for Substance Abuse Specialist
The substance abuse specialist has at least a Bachelor’s degree and meets local standards for certification as a substance abuse or co-occurring specialist:
· Certification by the State of Delaware as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) or Certified Co-occurring Disorder Professional (CCDP); or
· At least three (3) years of supervised work experience in the substance abuse treatment field and Forty (40) hours of training specific to substance abuse assessment and treatment.
Provides integrated treatment that results in a person directed recovery plan that incorporates goals determined by the individual. Uses a stage-wise treatment model that is non-confrontational and
(1) considers interactions between mental illness and substance abuse;
(2) does not have absolute expectations of abstinence and supports harm reduction;
(3) understands and applies stages of change readiness in treatment;
(4) is skilled in motivational interviewing; and
(5) follows cognitive-behavioral principles.
Follows a harm reduction model. This may include individual and/or group interventions in:
· Developing motivation for decreasing use;
· Developing skills to minimize use;
· Recognition of negative on sequences of use;
· and Adoption of an abstinence goal for treatment. Engagement (e.g., empathy, reflective listening).
· Ongoing assessment (e.g., stage of readiness to change, individual-determined problem identification).
· Motivational enhancement (e.g., developing discrepancies, psycho-education).
At least 80% of consumer contacts involve specialist-related activities Qualifying consumer contacts include those where engagement practices are delivered while providing other case management services, as well as more obvious specialty-related interventions or assessments. A high level of practice will be evident across multiple data sources—e.g., chart review (majority of notes written by this specialist indicates some DD service), observation of daily team meeting (i.e., reported contacts involving Dual Disorders (DD) services, and scheduled contacts to address DD needs), and a relatively large breadth of dual disorders treatment being provided. It is expected that the ACT Substance Abuse Specialist will assume the majority of responsibility for delivering DD treatment
The substance abuse specialist provides integrated dual disorders treatment to ACT consumers who have a substance use problem. Core services include the following:
(1) Conducting comprehensive substance use assessments that consider the relationship between substance use and mental health;
(2) Assessing and tracking consumers’ stages of change readiness and stages of treatment;
(3) Using outreach and motivational interviewing techniques;
(4) Using cognitive behavioral approaches and relapse prevention; and
(5) Applying treatment approaches consistent with consumers’ stage of change readiness.
Substance abuse assessments are documented in consumer charts, and these assessments gather information pertinent to the interplay of substance use and mental health (e.g., negative and positive effects of substance use activity on mental health symptoms; timeline of critical life events and stressors with substance use activity). All consumers should have received a substance abuse assessment at intake, while those identified as having dual disorders are routinely followed up with additional assessments.
ACT individuals with a positive screen for co-occurring substance use disorder shall receive an integrated mental health/substance use assessment during the first thirty (30) days of treatment. The assessment will include:
· Substance use history;
· Trauma history;
· Parental and familial substance use summary;
· Effects/impact of substance use;
· Functional assessment: role played by substances in the individual’s life;
· Factors that have contributed to past successes and relapses;
· Individual strengths;
· Social support network (including both individuals who use substances and people who support recovery);
· Individual’s self-identified goals and aspirations;
The consumers’ stages of change readiness and related stage of treatment are routinely and accurately assessed and documented in the chart. Ideally, this info is used to closely track progress and set-backs to identify coinciding events, mood states, etc.
There is clear evidence that outreach strategies are employed to engage active users who are in earlier stages of change readiness. The specialist is adept at using MI techniques to work with consumers who may be contemplating change.
There is clear evidence that the specialist understands and employs cognitive behavioral principles when providing substance abuse counseling and teaching relapse prevention. Examples include attention to triggers for use, emotional reactions to triggers, learning effective coping skills, especially for how to wait out cravings.
Data sources indicate consistency between consumers’ stage of change readiness and treatment. For example, no examples were noted where a consumer in an earlier stage of change readiness was being presented with a more advanced treatment approach, such as pushing him/her to attend a substance abuse counseling class or attend AA meetings. Likewise, consumers in later stages of change readiness (e.g., have voiced desire to quit and are working on it) are receiving more services than outreach and motivational interviewing.
The substance abuse specialist is a key team member in the service planning for consumers with dual disorders. The substance abuse specialist performs the following functions WITHIN THE TEAM:
(1) Modeling skills and consultation;
(2) Cross-training to other staff on the team to help them develop dual disorders assessment and treatment skills;
(3) Attending all daily team meetings; and
(4) Attending all treatment planning meetings for consumers with dual disorders.
Modeling and Consultation: Modeling includes demonstration of behaviors and attitudes consistent with the integrated dual disorders treatment model in meetings or in the field. Consultation includes informal and ad hoc assistance with specific clinical cases (i.e., case-based consultation) and/or education specific to the specialist’s content area provided at least monthly within the past 6 months.
Cross-training: Includes formal training (e.g., didactic, skill-based teaching) to other team members at least 20 minutes in duration provided at least one time in the past 6 months.
Daily Team Meetings: Regularly attends all daily team meetings (except when pre-planned activities conflict with meeting),
Treatment Planning Meetings: Regularly attends vast majority of treatment planning meetings for consumers with dual disorders.