SUBSTANCE ABUSE SPECIALIST IV - CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES - OAHU

State of Hawaiʻi; Hawaii; On-site; USD 66,000 - 81,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Hawai‘i is seeking a Substance Abuse Specialist IV to join the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The role involves independent, intensive counseling, education and treatment planning for offenders transitioning back to the community.

The position requires a CSAC certificate, a bachelor’s degree, and two-and-a-half years of specialized experience in substance abuse assessment and counseling. A valid driver's license is required; in-person treatment is provided on-site.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university.
• Two and one-half (2-1/2) years of progressively responsible professional work experience involving assessing individuals and developing individualized treatment plans for alcohol and/or drug use intervention; and providing substance abuse counseling and education.
• CSAC certificate required to perform duties; knowledge of substance abuse treatment principles and case management.
• Driver's license required; substitutions allowed as described in the minimum qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Provide intensive substance abuse counseling, education and rehabilitative services for complex cases.
• Conduct educational, treatment and therapeutic classes; develop and modify program policies and procedures.
• Counsel inmates before reentry, applying prior counseling to real-world situations and addressing criminality and substance use topics.

Skills

Substance abuse counseling

Assessment

Counseling

Education

Bachelor’s degree

CSAC certificate

Job description

26-0367

The current vacancy positions are permanent, full-time positions with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Recruitment Information

Recruitment Number: 26-0367

The current vacancy positions are permanent, full-time positions with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Salary: $5,527 to $6,728 per month (SR-22, Step D to I)

Hiring rates will be based on availability of funds, the applicant's qualifications, and other relevant factors.

Duties Summary

The Substance Abuse Specialist may serve as a member of a multi-disciplinary team comprised of certified or licensed practitioners, social workers, and/or other public or private rehabilitative employees, groups or agencies collaborating on multi-disciplinary assessment, development and implementation, and evaluation of individualized treatment plans aimed at helping users overcome their alcohol and/or substance use; independently conducts a variety of educational, treatment and therapeutic related classes; and participates in the development, evaluation, and modification of program policies and procedures, treatment approaches, and development and modification of substance abuse treatment education and related therapeutic classes and curriculum.

These Substance Abuse Specialist IV positions represent the senior-level substance abuse specialist responsible for independently providing the most intensive and continuous professional substance abuse counseling, education and rehabilitative services for the most complex cases; and perform other related duties as assigned.

The current vacancy positions provide direct substance abuse counseling, educational sessions, and other services to offenders who have completed substance abuse treatment services while incarcerated and are learning to reintegrate into the community. Counseling sessions involve evaluating inmates’ needs for support services before reentry into the community, assisting the offenders with applying what was learned from previous substance abuse counseling to real-world situations, and addressing criminality and substance abuse topics.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

To qualify, applicants must meet ALL of the following requirements:

Legal Authorization To Work

The State of Hawaii requires all persons seeking employment with the government of the State shall be citizens, nationals, or permanent resident aliens of the United States, or eligible under federal law for unrestricted employment in the United States.

Please review the Prerequisite Knowledge and Abilities Required outlined in the Minimum Qualification Requirements link below, and which includes, in part, "...fundamental concepts of pharmacological properties and effects of psychoactive substances on users; fundamental concepts of behavioral, psychological, social and health effects of psychoactive substances on users; alcohol and drug use continuum in individuals; varying causes of addiction; the relationship between substance use and infectious diseases,...the effects of chronic substance use on individuals and the collateral effect on their families, significant others and communities;...".

Basic Education/Experience: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university.

Specialized Experience: Two and one-half (2-1/2) years of progressively responsible professional work experience which involved assessing individuals and developing individualized treatment plans for alcohol and/or drug use intervention; and providing substance abuse counseling and education to individuals and/or groups in an alcohol and/or drug treatment program. Such experience MUST have demonstrated knowledge of the goals, objectives, principles, methods, standards, and techniques of substance abuse treatment.

S elective Certification Requirement [Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC) certificate]: In order to effectively perform the duties and responsibilities of the current vacancy positions, the Substance Abuse Specialist IV must have the ability to assess and treat inmates with substance abuse problems through counseling and facilitating educational sessions. The incumbent must also have knowledge of the fundamental concepts of the behavioral, psychological, social and health effects of psychoactive substances on alcohol and/or drug users. Finally, the incumbent must have knowledge of the principles, methods, and standards of substance abuse treatment, counseling, and case management in order to perform the specialized counseling and reentry-oriented duties required of these positions.

A valid CSAC certificate is required of these current positions in order to legally carry out their substance abuse counseling duties. HRS 321-193(10) mandates that counseling be conducted by substance abuse programs and counselors certified by the Department of Health. Possession of the CSAC certificate will ensure that the incumbent is qualified to lawfully provide assessment, treatment planning and implementation, and counseling services to inmates.

Driver's License : A valid driver's license is required at the time of appointment.

Substitutions Allowed: Relevant substitutions as described in the Minimum Qualification Requirements, will apply.

Other Requirements: Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Requirement:

• Has engaged in sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility or other institution.
• Has been convicted of engaging or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force, or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse.
• Has been civilly or administratively adjudicated to have engaged in the activity described in #2 above.
• Has been the subject of substantiated allegations of sexual abuse or sexual harassment or resigned during a pending investigation of alleged sexual abuse or sexual harassment.

The information provided above represents a summary of the Minimum Qualification Requirements. To view the Requirements in their entirety , please

Other Information

The State of Hawai'i complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodations in completing an application, any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the selection process, please call 808-587-1111 for assistance.

PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS (PSLF) PROGRAM

The PSLF Program is a federal program that is intended to encourage individuals to work in public service by forgiving the balance of their federal student loans. To qualify, the individual must have made 120 qualifying payments while employed by a qualifying employer. For more information, please click: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service

ELECTRONIC NOTIFICATION TO APPLICANTS

The Department of Human Resources Development (HRD) will use electronic mail (email) to notify applicants of important information relating to the status and processing of their applications as part of our ongoing efforts to increase operational efficiency, promote the conservation of green resources, and minimize delays and costs.

Please ensure that the email address and contact information you provide is current, secure, and readily accessible to you. We will not be responsible in any way if you do not receive our emails or fail to check your email-box in a timely manner. In addition, please be aware that you may no longer receive notification about applications submitted if you choose to disable the Job Application Emails feature in your Account Settings.

TESTING INFORMATION

The examination for this recruitment will be conducted on an unassembled basis where the examination score is based on an evaluation and rating of your education and experience. It is therefore important that your employment application provide a clear and detailed description of the duties and responsibilities of each position you held.

In-person interviews and/or further testing in Hawaii may be required at the discretion of the hiring agency. If in-person interviews and/or further testing is a requirement, applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are referred to the vacancy must be available to participate in-person and at their own expense in this required phase of the selection process.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible. In addition to employment availability and score, the referral of qualified applicants may be based upon other factors including date of receipt of the application.

for Important Information about Equal Employment Opportunity, the Merit Civil Service System, Citizenship and other requirements, Reasonable Accommodation, Veterans Preference, Examination Requirements, and the State Recruiting Office's Levels of Review.