Recovery Counselor - Substance Abuse Specialist (Rogers Park) - Trilogy Inc

For more than 50 years, Trilogy has provided people across Chicago and beyond with support to recover from mental illness and move toward stability. We provide our clients with an array of essential services and ongoing support so that they can live independently and thrive in our community. Trilogy’s mission is to enable people in mental health recovery to build meaningful and independent lives through comprehensive and integrated care. We envision a society where everyone impacted by mental illness is valued, embraced, and supported holistically, systematically, and culturally; where the stigma of mental illness is eliminated; and where quality of care is not determined by socioeconomic status.

The Recovery Counselor will assess the client’s personal, medical, emotional, social, and environmental situation to plan for treatment course through home, community, and office visits. He/she/they will provide individually-based motivational treatment and support to clients to assist them in their recovery from mental illness. The Recovery Counselor will be an advocate for clients, and link them to community services as needed. He/she/they will provide client-centered, strengths-based, and trauma-informed services to clients with severe mental illnesses and co-occurring substance abuse/addiction disorders utilizing a harm reduction approach. 

The Recovery Counselor will provide at least 75% of all community support services in the community. He/she/they will complete case management tasks with clients within a shared caseload. The Recovery Counselor will be responsible for documenting all services provided to clients according to agency policy and state requirements. The Recovery Counselor will also provide crisis/on-call coverage as directed. 

Responsibilities

• Assess client’s personal, medical, emotional, social, and environmental situation through home, community, and office visits. 
• Coordinate the establishment of an individual recovery plan with the client, client’s support system, and other care providers.
• Facilitate education around substance use, misuse, and risks associated with dual diagnosis of mental health and substance issues to clients and team members.
• Provide one on one services to clients that focus on substance use goals.
• Acquire a SAS credential within 12 months of hire
• Recognize and act on opportunities to move clients to appropriate levels of care; provide referrals to additional services. Assist in linking people to substance use treatments in the community as needed.
• Assist clients in identifying signs and symptoms of de-compensation. Work collaboratively with clients to identify coping skills to assist in managing symptoms and stressors experienced.
• Assist clients in learning and improving independent living skills; i.e. personal hygiene, housekeeping skills, nutrition, and shopping for food and personal items
• Educate and assist clients with applying for entitlements; i.e. Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and LINK
• Accompany clients to important appointments in the community and provide support with issues related to substance use, housing, budgeting, social support, and medication.
• Advocate on client’s behalf and empower clients to advocate on behalf of themselves when appropriate
• Communicate effectively within the team model for a multi-disciplinary approach to client care.
• Perform other related duties and/or projects as assigned

Qualifications

• Must have one of the following requirements:
  • Bachelor’s degree
  • High School Diploma or GED and two years of supervised clinical experience in a mental health setting.
• Minimum one year of experience working with clients with substance abuse issues required.
• Valid Illinois driver’s license with daily access to a well-maintained vehicle with $100,000/$300,000 liability insurance
• Certified Alcohol and other Drug Abuse Counselor (CADC), Certified Reciprocal Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselor (CRADC), Certified Supervisor Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselor (CSADC), Certified Associate Addictions Professional (CAAP), or Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Assessment and Referral Specialist (CARS) through the Illinois Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Professional Certification Association (IAODPCA) required or must obtain certification within 6 months of hire
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as directed.
• Experience working with people with mental health diagnoses preferred
• Experience in community-based services preferred

See job description