Substance Use Specialist

Job Title: Substance Use Specialist

Job Summary

CASES is currently seeking an experienced Substance Use Specialist to join its Intensive Services Unit within Pretrial Services. The Substance Use Specialist will be an active partner in providing direct services primarily in the community to participants who have co-occurring substance use disorders and have criminal legal system involvement. The Substance Use Specialist provides psychoeducation and support for clients’ substance use treatment needs, including but not limited to coordination of detox or rehab referrals, assessment of clients’ current substance use and stages of change, advocacy with service providers to ensure clients receive clinically appropriate substance use treatment.

The Intensive Services Unit initiative will implement innovative approaches to working with individuals who have been placed in the Supervised Release Program and experience more extensive needs and challenges that may impact daily functioning and program engagement. The ideal candidate for this position will work well as part of a coordinated clinical team actively assisting all team members. The group of program participants manage challenges in mental health, substance use, employment, education, and medical health. The team promotes proactive, sustained engagement in the community as a catalyst to individual transformation by bridging participants to community partners and resources eager to support our participants in realizing their greatest potential.

Salary: The salary for the Substance Use Specialist position is $62,500 per year.

Shift Hours: This position is full-time Monday - Friday.

Location Address: 4 West 125th Street New York, NY 10027.

Working environment: In-office

What you will be doing

Provide community-based direct services to a limited, specialized caseload of pretrial participants managing challenges in the areas of Substance Use and Behavioral Health. After arraignment conduct Intake Assessment to identify immediate critical needs that must be addressed, to further sustain program involvement and enrollment. Participate in regularly occurring team meetings and case conferences to ensure seamless coordination among staff, wide dissemination of participant information and rapid responses to urgent substance use. Support and encourage efforts to incorporate a Harm Reduction framework to interactions with participants that avoids stigmatization, shaming and negative perceptions related to substance use. Serve as the point person for Narcan kit distribution and Substance Use resources and referrals. Conduct review of legal and court screening documentation to facilitate admission and ongoing needs assessment of criminal history, psychosocial, developmental, and behavioral health needs, supervision risks to identify engagement approach, focus for behavioral change, and needed supports to reduce re-arrest, and promote success in the community following program completion. Facilitate effective collaboration with staff delivering court services to ensure the efficient enrollment of new participants into the program while gathering the necessary basic information for ongoing service provision. Primarily link participants to critical resources that support their recovery and mitigate the potentially harmful impacts of the ongoing use of substances. Utilize problem solving and motivational interviewing to help motivate and engage participants in the change process, ensuring the supervision and case management approach is culturally competent, gender-responsive, trauma-informed, and adheres to evidence-based risk-need-responsivity principles. Provide culturally competent and anti-racist services 1) in accordance with CASES’ policies and the delivery of quality services to address the needs of youth and young adults, adults, and individuals with behavioral health needs and 2) that are responsive to the race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, and criminal legal history of program participants. Ensure timely , complete, and accurate documentation in the case record database including assessments, supervision schedules and progress notes in accordance with confidentiality regulations. Participate in clinical supervision, case review, staff meetings, and in-service training to develop clinical, motivational interviewing, trauma-informed, supervision, case management, and self-care competency. Strive to meet monthly supervision, case coordination, and outcomes goals. Any other duties required by the Team Leader, Intensive Services Unit to support the program's overall functioning.

What we are looking for

Bachelor’s degree in Social Work , Human Services, Psychology, or relevant field. One to two years of experience in providing substance use services to individuals, families, or groups managing challenges in the areas of Behavioral Health and the Criminal Legal System. Strong Interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence. Ability to work effectively within a diverse team environment. Individuals with lived experience are encouraged to apply.

Preferred Skills

Active CASAC or CRPA Certificate in New York State; preferred. Experience providing direct services in a field-based setting strongly preferred.

Workplace Flexibility

CASES offers a flexible work arrangement whenever possible for certain roles. We recognize that each CASES staff member is critical. We are a team strengthened by our diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and talents and united by a common purpose. Full-time in-person position. Limited Remote work available with supervisory approval.

Benefits

Visit www.cases.org/careers/ to learn about benefits offered by the CASES, such as health insurance, retirement plan, paid time- off.

Although we would love to learn about the skills of every candidate, only selected candidates that are selected will receive a response. We encourage you to apply for any position(s) you feel you are qualified for. 

CASES is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment with CASES is based solely on qualifications and competence for a particular position without regard to race, color, ethnic or national origin, age, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or marital, military, or citizenship status. We also actively recruit individuals with prior involvement in the criminal legal syste m.