Job Description

Work Schedule: Tuesday-Saturday 8:30-5:00PM

What does PHCA do?

At Phoenix House California, we are dedicated to helping young people, women and men overcome substance and alcohol use disorder to live extraordinary lives in recovery. Since 1979, we have been a leader in the field of substance use disorder treatment, providing addiction, behavioral health and family services to anyone who needs our help, often offering the only chance of recovery to the underserved and uninsured in our community. Annually, over 44,000 individuals — including family members, parents, teachers and students in California — receive our life-saving services: residential and outpatient treatment, continuing care, recovery support, school-based prevention and mental health services, and in-custody substance use disorder treatment and mental health services for male adolescents and adults.

What’s it like to work at PHCA?

At Phoenix House California, we take a holistic approach to drug addiction and mental health disorders that focuses on the power of being both proactive and reactive: prevention, early intervention, and recovery services. Understanding the health and safety risks of alcohol and drug misuse is the first step to reducing the risk of addiction. It starts with knowing the facts. We reach almost 32,000 students, parents, and teachers annually, through our school-based prevention and early intervention programs.

PHCA Benefits

• 15 Paid Holidays for eligible employees
• Pet, Life, Travel, Legal Coverage
• Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Tuition Reimbursement and Continued Education Assistance

Position Details

Reporting to the Clinical Manager, the Alcohol and Drug (AOD) Counselor is responsible for individual service coordination for patients enrolled in Phoenix House Adult/Adolescent Residential/Outpatient Services, including supporting a successful transition back into the community. In collaboration with the Clinical Manager, the AOD Counselor carries a patient caseload and supports the successful integration of medical care, substance abuse treatment, and other services within individual treatment plans.

A Day as an Outpatient AOD Counselor might look like the following:

• Oversees coordination of Initial Assessment, Service Authorization Requirements, Treatment Plan, Treatment Plan Review, and goals with other supportive service plans, including, general medical care, Group Counseling, Patient Education, Individual Counseling, Crisis Intervention, Family Counseling, Collateral Services, and Discharge Services.
• Provides individual counseling services.
• Facilitates evidence-based treatment groups for assigned cohorts.
• Provides crisis intervention as needed by clients, residents, and families.
• Identifies and responds to crises that may negatively impact treatment and, where possible, uses negative events to enhance treatment efforts.
• Complies with productivity standards of the agency and maintains an appropriate caseload to reach the budgeted daily expectation of billable hours.
• Submits timely documentation (progress notes, assessments, treatment plans, notes to chart) as outlined in policy and measured via productivity reports.
• Maintains appropriate records such as ongoing progress notes, reports to referring agencies, discharge summaries and clinical case records as required by external stakeholders.
• Completes and maintains all documentation of services delivered, which includes individual records, group notes, and general communication logs. Provide clinical consultation to referral resources, family members, and others to help support clients in their recovery.
• Attends and participates in weekly staff meetings, case conferences, community meetings, and program and family gatherings.

To be successful as an Outpatient AOD Counselor, you will want to have:

• The AOD Counselor 1 shall possess a
  • High school diploma or its equivalent; and be registered as an Alcohol and Drug (AOD) Counselor recognized by The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), or
• The AOD Counselor 2 shall possess a
  • Minimum of a high school diploma or its equivalent; and be Certified as an Alcohol and Drug (AOD) Counselor recognized by The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).
• Minimum of one-year prior experience in a related field.