Assessment Counselor

Nonprofit Connect; Kansas City (MO); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid schedule

Flexible scheduling

Job summary

First Call is seeking an Assessment Counselor to perform biopsychosocial assessments and determine appropriate levels of care for individuals seeking substance use services. The role supports wrap-around services spanning housing, employment, health, and mental health needs, ensuring patient-centered care.

The counselor uses evidence-based tools and provides referrals, while coordinating with community partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social services or related field required.
• Substance use credentials/licenses preferred (LAC, MAADC-II, CRADC, LCAC, LMSW, LBSW).
• Proficiency with MS Office and electronic health records (EHRs) required.

Responsibilities

• Assess client needs related to substance use, mental health, housing, and employment.
• Provide referrals to First Call programming and community resources.
• Coordinate initial wrap-around services and document all contacts timely.
• Maintain professional knowledge and ensure confidentiality and ethical standards.
• Occasional in-town and out-of-town travel may be required.

Skills

Biopsychosocial assessments

Documentation

MS Office / EHRs

Communication

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

Bachelor’s degree in social work, counseling, psychology, human services, behavioral health

relevant substance use disorder credentials or licenses such as LAC, MAADC-II, CRADC, LCAC, LMSW, LBSW

Tools

EHRs

Microsoft Office 365

Job description

First Call Job Description

Title: Assessment Counselor

Department: Recovery Services

Report to: Director of Recovery Services

Why First Call?

First Call's values of person-centered service, community, collaboration, and kindness are foundational for the agency's focus on accessibility and commitment to data-driven practice as we work toward our mission to reduce the impact of alcohol, drugs and addiction by providing quality resources for individuals, families, and the community.

Position Summary

This is a clinical position responsible for providing biopsychosocial assessments for individuals seeking recommendations and referral to appropriate level of care for substance use services. Utilizing evidence-based tools (ASI, SASSI, SOCRATES, MMS, etc.), this position provides recommendations for level of care and helps coordinate initial wrap-around services to ensure individuals receive person-centered, holistic support for substance use, mental health, employment, and various other needs that serve as barriers to recovery and sustained motivation for change. This position does not maintain an ongoing client caseload. This position provides assessments at First Call offices, in the community, and virtually, adhering to documentation requirements per agency guidelines.

Major Functions

• Assess client needs and identify a client’s needs related substance use, mental health, housing employment, family/social functioning strengths and barriers to recovery
• Provide referrals to First Call programming where appropriate, including family services and recovery support as well as community resources
• Connect clients with appropriate community resources, including housing, employment and job training, public benefits, healthcare, mental health services, transportation, food assistance, support groups, and other recovery-related resources
• Prepare reports necessary to communicate client status and document all client and community partner contact within required timeframes
• Maintain professional and clinical knowledge of the field as well as professional certifications and licenses by attending required trainings
• Protect and advocate for client rights by maintaining confidentiality, following applicable privacy and ethical standards, completing required cultural competency training, and providing services in a respectful, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and person-centered manner
• Some in-town and out-of-town travel may be required to complete position responsibilities
• Other duties as deemed appropriate for the fulfillment of the mission of First Call, including but not limited to backup crisis call coverage or front desk coverage

Knowledge And Critical Skills/Expertise

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in social work, counseling, psychology, human services, behavioral health, or another related social services field. Relevant substance use disorder credentials or licenses are preferred, including LAC, MAADC-II, CRADC, LCAC, LMSW, LBSW, or other applicable Kansas or Missouri credentials.
• Ability to understand and navigate differences between Kansas and Missouri systems, eligibility requirements, benefits, treatment services, housing resources, and other community-based programs to appropriately connect clients with services based on their location and individual needs.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office/Microsoft 365, electronic health records (EHRs), laptop and mobile technology, email, text messaging, virtual communication platforms, and other technology used to provide services, communicate with clients and community partners, and maintain accurate records.
• Ability to effectively plan, organize, prioritize, and complete multiple responsibilities and projects while maintaining timely documentation, client follow-up, referrals, and other required duties.
• Well-developed written and oral communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with clients, families, coworkers, referral sources, courts, healthcare providers, treatment providers, housing providers, and other community partners.
• Preference may be given to candidates who are bilingual in English and Spanish or who possess other language skills that support the needs of the communities served.

Working Conditions

• The First Call main office is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Thursday, with remote work and a closed building on Fridays. Employees are given up to 1 hour for lunch and/or breaks each day. This position may require evening hours (for example 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm) for evening assessments, in this case, the staff member would be asked to flex their schedules on those days (i.e. staff member starts the day at 12:00 pm). First Call values flexibility; as such, employee schedules and locations for work throughout the week will be determined by the needs of their position and set in consultation with their direct supervisor.
• Must have access to reliable personal transportation and reliable internet for at-home workdays.

Salary Range

Salary range for this position is $50,000 - $55,000, DOE.

Equal Employment Opportunity

First Call provides equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Benefits

At First Call, we recognize that a comprehensive, whole-person employee benefits plan for our staff is key to providing our clients with the quality care and treatment they need. Our staff benefits and perks plan is designed to provide tools to help promote health, wellbeing, balance, and safety in each area of life. We offer a hybrid (in office & work from home) schedule as well as flexibility in scheduling for better work/life balance.

Our benefits plan focuses on six key areas - Equal Opportunity Employment, generous paid time off, 13 paid holidays, an agency funded whole-person health and life package (including a 100% coverage of employee healthcare premiums), personal and team development opportunities, and board & leadership defined staff safety and wellbeing policies.