CASAC (Counselor-Alcoholism and Substance Abuse)

PRIMARY FUNCTION/PURPOSE:  

The CASAC is responsible for conducting effective clinical assessments of clients to inform development of client-centered service plans that will assist clients with housing security, health care access and mental health/behavioral transformation.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Complete comprehensive Psychosocial history. 
• Evaluate clients’ physical and social environment, maintaining documentation on assessing needs, concerns, family dynamics and background to inform the development of comprehensive and practical care plans that comply with all state and federal requirements with details on the physical, mental and psychosocial health of the client and family; their activities and program participation; their psychological disposition and adjustment; Family contact; special challenges; and prognosis.
• Adopt commonly used behavioral health screens to deliver evidenced based comprehensive assessments utilizing the most recent assessment tools that include:  the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9); and the Patient Health Questionnaire 2 (PHQ-2) – for depression; the Trauma Symptom Inventory – for screening trauma and anxiety; the PTSD-8 and Primary Care PTSD Screen (PC-PTSD – for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD- adult or adolescent); The Brief Symptom Checklist-18 and My Mood Monitor (M-3) – for both anxiety and depression.; GAD 7; the Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST 10); the Cut Down Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-Opener (CAGE); the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT C); the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST); Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Family or Friends, Trouble(CRAFFT), and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Drug Use Screening Tool.
• Demonstrate expertise in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) ensuring that mental health crises being experienced by adults or youth (adolescents) are appropriately handled with a heightened awareness of: the signs of addiction and mental illness; the impact of mental health and substance use disorders; and develop step-by-step action plans to assess risk factors and warning signs of health and mental health challenges;
• Provide prompt crisis intervention services to clients and families, responding with the necessary assistance, and ability to identify additional professional, peer and local health and mental health resources in the community. 
• Practice a supportive housing model for BPHN housing programs and services in order to Turn the Tide on homelessness and connect clients to medical and behavioral health care, and comprehensive/supportive services during their shelter stay, and during their acquisition of transitional or permanent housing.
• Schedule appointments as needed to motivate all clients to make healthy adjustments by their participation in activities and social events. 
• Provide informal counseling to assess and address any problems which might be interfering with the clients’ socialization and participation in activities.
• Be available to help any clients who feel a need to share personal problems, having daily contact with clients, providing them with opportunities to verbalize their challenges and reassure them of BPHN’s interest in their welfare.
• Ensure that residents or responsible parties are assisted with processing forms or applications in the effort to obtain outside services including Social Security, Medicaid, SSI or any other service to which the client may be entitled. 
• Document all service delivery in CARES or other database as required by NYC DHS/HRA, NYCDOHMH, NYSDOH, or other funders
• Ensure that all grievances are reported to the BPHN administration. 

 Qualifications

Qualifications/ Professional Experience

Education: Bachelor’s in Social Work or other Social Service field

Experience: 3 years of direct care or clinical experience with a with a CASAC required.

Related Skills or Knowledge: Working with marginalized populations who are affected by substance abuse disorder, homelessness, PLWHA, and food insecurity.

PROBLEM-SOLVING: Maintain up to date knowledge and skills on information management systems, program evaluation best practices, and analytics.

KNOWLEDGE: Job duties require a general familiarity with work similar to that provided by Bronx Parent Housing Network programs, services and operations.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: Makes routine low-cost expenditures, as designated by supervisor

SUPERVISION: Occasionally instructs or assists other employees. Sometimes delegates work assignments to others as directed by supervisor.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

The work environment described here is representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, sit, stoop, use hands or fingers, or feel objects, tools or controls, reach with hands and arms, climb stairs, balance, kneel, talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10-15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision and distance vision. Must be able to travel locally using public transportation.

AGENCY EXPECTATIONS OF ALL EMPLOYEES

Adheres to Bronx Parents Policies and Procedures. Acts as a role model within and outside the agency. Performs duties as workload necessitates. Attendance and Dependability: the employee can be depended on to report to work at the scheduled time and is seldom absent from work. Employee can be depended upon to complete work in a timely, accurate, and thorough manner and is conscientious about assignments. Communication and Contact: the employee communicates both verbally and in writing with superiors, colleagues, and individuals inside and outside BPHN. Relationships with others: the employee works and communicates effectively and relates well with others including superiors, colleagues, and individuals inside and outside BPHN. The employee exhibits a professional manner in dealing with others and works to maintain constructive working relationships. Employee adheres to mission statement and guiding principles.