Community Support Team- Substance Use Counselor

Nichols College; Dudley (MA); On-site; USD 48,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Nichols College seeks a Community Support Team - Substance Use Counselor to assist individuals in developing skills and independence within the community, with a team-based approach delivering 24/7 coverage and strong care coordination.

The role emphasizes education on mental illness and substance use, relapse prevention, and connecting clients to community resources, with extensive travel to outreach sites as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or related field required with CSAC, CADC, and/or LCAS-A
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in mental health counseling and other related fields such as substance use disorders
• Experience or familiarity with Medicaid billing documentation
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely (orally and in written formats)
• Ability to utilize necessary computer hardware and software
• Attend necessary meetings (team meetings/family meetings) as determined by the clinician.

Responsibilities

• Provide service coordination for individuals with mental health and substance use issues and is responsible for developing, with the other team members, the overall service plan.
• Provide education and training on mental illness, SUDS, relapse identification, prevention, and the promotion of recovery.
• Implement interventions that are evidence-based practices demonstrating effectiveness in working with individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
• Implement harm reduction practices and programs that address the adverse effects of drug use including overdose, HIV, hepatitis C, addiction, and incarceration.
• Complete assessments
• Assist in the development of natural support networks. Individual and group supportive counseling, monitoring of symptoms and medications, linking the individual supported to the appropriate services, agencies and supports in the community, monitoring their development of appropriate behaviors in his/her home and other community settings, teaching the individual supported skills necessary for independent community living and facilitating them in the practice and transfer of these skills to his/her environment, providing support to his/her family.
• Facilitate access to community resources, including locating recreational activities, housing, food, clothing, school programs, vocational opportunities or services, other providers needed for mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse services; assist individual receiving services to develop relationships within their community.
• Monitor utilization of services and ensure agency provides services consistent with authorization for each individual supported. Prepare reports for team leader in order to clearly communicate progress or lack of progress, and involvement in treatment to aid the team leader in the authorization process.
• Drive and travel extensively to community locations, various agencies, and other outreach destinations. Provide and/or arrange for transportation for people supported as required.
• Assume responsibility for writing, implementing, evaluating, and revising Person Centered Plan and overall treatment goals and service plans that are based on evaluations and recommendations from assessments by various professionals and input from the individual supported.
• Review treatment progress and monitor and provide continuous consultation with other staff and community agencies to ensure the consistent therapeutic management of the individual’s needs.
• Assists with crisis interventions.
• Assists the Team Leader with behavioral and substance use disorder treatment interventions.
• Assists with the development of relapse prevention and disease management strategies.
• Coordinates the initial and ongoing assessment activities.
• Develops the initial PCP and its ongoing revisions and ensures its implementation.
• Consults with identified medical (i.e., primary care and psychiatric) and non-medical providers, engages community and natural supports, and includes their input in the person-centered planning process.
• Provide crisis intervention/on-call/after hours services as needed.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or related field

Job description

Community Support Team- Substance Use Counselor

and the job listing Expires on September 19, 2026

Summary: The primary responsibilities of this role are to assist and support individuals who are served in the development of skills, behaviors, responsibilities, and supports needed to live, learn, work, and be integrated into the community with the greatest possible degree of self-determination and independence. The primary responsibilities of the Community Support Team services are to assist and support individuals who are served in the development of skills, behaviors, responsibilities, and supports needed to live, learn, work, and be integrated into the community with the most significant possible degree of self-determination and independence. The team approach involves structured, face-to-face therapeutic interventions that assist in re-establishing the beneficiary’s community roles related to the following life domains: emotional, behavioral, social, safety, housing, medical and health, educational, vocational, and legal. This team service includes a variety of interventions that are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The service is designed to provide: (1) symptom stability by reducing presenting psychiatric or substance use disorder symptoms; (2) restoration interventions for the development of interpersonal, community, coping, and independent living skills; (3) psychoeducation; (4) first responder intervention to de-escalate a crisis; and (5) service coordination and ensure linkage to community services and resources.

Program Responsibilities:

• Familiarity with community mental health resources.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Provide service coordination for individuals with mental health and substance abuse issues and is responsible for developing, with the other team members, the overall service plan.
• Provide education and training on mental illness, SUDS, relapse identification, prevention, and the promotion of recovery.
• Implement interventions that are evidence-based practices demonstrating effectiveness in working with individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
• Implement harm reduction practices and programs that address the adverse effects of drug use including overdose, HIV, hepatitis C, addiction, and incarceration.
• Complete assessments
• Assist in the development of natural support networks. Individual and group supportive counseling, monitoring of symptoms and medications, linking the individual supported to the appropriate services, agencies and supports in the community, monitoring their development of appropriate behaviors in his/her home and other community settings, teaching the individual supported skills necessary for independent community living and facilitating them in the practice and transfer of these skills to his/her environment, providing support to his/her family.
• Facilitate access to community resources, including locating recreational activities, housing, food, clothing, school programs, vocational opportunities or services, other providers needed for mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse services; assist individual receiving services to develop relationships within their community.
• Monitor utilization of services and ensure agency provides services consistent with authorization for each individual supported. Prepare reports for team leader in order to clearly communicate progress or lack of progress, and involvement in treatment to aid the team leader in the authorization process.
• Drive and travel extensively to community locations, various agencies, and other outreach destinations. Provide and/or arrange for transportation for people supported as required.
• Assume responsibility for writing, implementing, evaluating, and revising Person Centered Plan and overall treatment goals and service plans that are based on evaluations and recommendations from assessments by various professionals and input from the individual supported.
• Review treatment progress and monitor and provide continuous consultation with other staff and community agencies to ensure the consistent therapeutic management of the individual’s needs.
• Assists with crisis interventions.
• Assists the Team Leader with behavioral and substance use disorder treatment interventions.
• Assists with the development of relapse prevention and disease management strategies.
• Coordinates the initial and ongoing assessment activities.
• Develops the initial PCP and its ongoing revisions and ensures its implementation.
• Consults with identified medical (i.e., primary care and psychiatric) and non-medical providers, engages community and natural supports, and includes their input in the person-centered planning process.
• Provide crisis intervention/on-call/after hours services as needed.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or related field required with CSAC, CADC, and/or LCAS-A
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in mental health counseling and other related fields such as substance use disorders.
• Experience or familiarity with Medicaid billing documentation
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely (orally and in written formats)
• Ability to utilize necessary computer hardware and software
• Attend necessary meetings (team meetings/family meetings) as determined by the clinician.