Youth Substance Use Screening Counselor

Reports To: Youth Clinical Services Manager

Classification: Full-Time | Non-Exempt

Salary & Benefits: $52,000 to $58,000 with CASAC-T; $56,000 to $62,000 with CASAC. The Center offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, 401K with an employer contribution, voluntary life and LTD insurance, paid parental, family care and gender affirming healthcare leave. We also offer a generous paid time off policy.

Schedule: Generally Monday through Friday. Work days and hours may shift depending on scheduling needs, some weekend and evening hours may be required, and must be flexible; typical schedule will be 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Summary: The Youth Substance Use Counselor is responsible for the development, implementation and delivery of the spectrum of substance use screenings and brief interventions in the community while facilitating when appropriate a referral to substance use services. This role will seek to increase access to services, decrease health disparities, and decrease substance use, suicide risk, and associated risk behaviors through Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) with a focus on youth and young adults utilizing a race and gender equity lens.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Work with the Youth Clinical Services Manager in meeting program service and deliverable goals including OASAS and SAMHSA funding requirements.
• Develop and provide direct individual substance use screenings and brief interventions in community locations and in collaboration with community partners.
• Coordinate and implement follow-up encounters in-person or via telepractice methods and facilitate referrals to the appropriate services as indicated by screening outcomes.
• Coordinate the creation and implementation of SBIRT Advisory Committee with partner agencies including ongoing monthly meetings and communication regarding progress of implementation and opportunities for collaboration.
• Foster and maintain relationships with community partners and stakeholders focusing on substance use, mental health and healthcare providers to expand network of referrals and opportunities to screen community members.
• Attend health information events to educate community members and key stakeholders about reducing stigma, the intersection of substance use and suicide, risky substance use, suicide risk identification, and how SBIRT services benefit the identified underserved population and community as a whole.
• Document community member information collected and screenings completed in Salesforce database along with SAMHSA and OASAS reporting systems as indicated.
• Provide care management that facilitates, coordinates, and documents participant-centered care for participants across Center teams and departments to better address multiple and co-occurring concerns.
• Other duties as assigned.

Position Requirements:

• LMSW/LMHC/MHC-LP/LCSW or CASAC/CASAC-T; SIFI field certification to supervise students is a plus.
• One (1) to three (3) years minimum clinical experience in the provision of behavioral and/or substance use prevention and/or treatment services, including conducting biopsychosocial intake assessments. Focus on youth and young adult populations is a plus.
• Bilingual or multilingual, a plus. Language preferences: Spanish, Bengali, Russian, and/or French-Creole.
• Knowledge of behavioral health resources in the greater New York City area and treatment regulations and programs; knowledge of electronic medical recordkeeping a plus.
• Knowledge and understanding of the issues, needs and interests of LGBT youth, adults, families and community, including knowledge of the spectrum of gender identity and transgender issues.
• Thoughtful and articulate analysis on the structural and institutional racism and bias and the spectrum of gender identity and bias, in consideration of the impacts and outcomes in the decision-making process throughout the department or program and on underserved and historically oppressed communities.
• Good leadership, administrative, organization, and written/verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with a wide range of workstyles and cultural backgrounds.
• Knowledge, understanding and experience working with LGBTQ+, TGNC, POC, and Immigrant populations, including knowledge of the spectrum of gender identity, transgender issues, immigration, and POC issues.
• Understanding of, and commitment to, undoing structural and institutional racism and bias and the spectrum of gender identity and bias. Consideration of the impacts and outcomes in decision-making processes and on underserved and historically oppressed communities.
• A strong commitment to social justice and the mission of The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center.

The Center’s Commitment to Equity & Inclusivity:

The Center was born of community activism in response to the AIDS epidemic, ensuring a place for LGBTQ people to access information, care, and support that they were not receiving elsewhere. We opened in 1983 to help people who had doors constantly closed in their faces, ostracized by family, friends, and shunned by the general society. Since that time, we have continually provided a wide array of services and programs to serve our community, with an intentional focus on providing support to those who are most vulnerable. We have always taken great care to be a space that responds to community need; engaging in diversity, equity and inclusion work is another outgrowth of those ongoing efforts. We recognize that in order to help LGBTQ individuals and our diverse community achieve parity in health, justice, opportunity and success outcomes, our organization must hold a strong foundation and competency in, as well as invest organizational focus on, equity and inclusion frameworks, practices and policies. This is also true in our hiring and retention of staff.

The Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer.