Clinical Counsellor

Options Community Services is a non-profit registered charity providing social services primarily in Surrey, Delta, White

Rock and Langley. We believe in helping people help themselves. We believe in collaborating with individuals, businesses, community groups and government to create focused, effective and responsive resources for the community.

Home Based Addictions Support and Detox program aims to reduce the burden of severe substance abuse, in particular a reduction in mortality due to overdose events in patient’s own homes, increase engagement and retention in treatment and connection with community resources to facilitate ongoing remission. This program supports clients and their family to manage their symptoms of withdrawal in the comfort and support of their own home environment in a safe manner in consultation with family physicians and other clinical support. This goal of the program is to ensure greater accessibility and awareness through culturally competent and language specific service delivery for the individual and their family.

The Clinical Counsellor for Home Based Addictions Support and Detox will provide comprehensive clinical counselling and therapy to clients and families with problematic substance use or addictions, on an outreach basis, with a focus on the South Asian community. This position will assess clients, determine referral needs, counsel clients, and provide comprehensive case consultation and follow-up support in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team.

**ACCOUNTABILITIES**
- Adheres to the policies, procedures and standards of Options Community Services Society (OCS).
- Provides comprehensive clinical counselling and therapy to youth and adults affected by problematic substance use or addictions on complex cases including people in crisis.
- Assesses clients following clinically sound assessment procedures including Alcohol and Drug Services standardized instruments to determine voluntary and involuntary client needs and establishes and evaluates risk indicators to determine the need for referral.
- Liaises with community resources, mental health centres, emergency department, inpatient psychiatric units, refers clients for further and/or alternate specialized services such as detox, intensive treatment requiring residential and non-residential services, hospitals, recovery groups and employment training and advocates on behalf of the client/family to ensure respect and dignity are maintained.
- Formulates and implements treatment plans by negotiating a process for achieving goals, collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team, and evaluating goals while maintaining respect for client dignity and maximum client self-determination and independence.
- Provides comprehensive case consultation and follow-up support on treatment decisions regarding problematic substance use or addictions by collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team and with external professional community resources.
- Maintains client records by documenting client assessments, charting client information, preparing progress notes and reports, in accordance with established standards, policies and procedures to meet regulatory
- Participates in and leads a variety of team and/or local committees and internal and external case conferences by engaging in practice evaluation, identifying opportunities for change, assessing available resources, initiating solutions, and analyzing outcomes.
- Identifies areas for improved efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery to enhance client care services.
- Develops, coordinates, and delivers in-services, education sessions, presentations and training to clients, families, staff and other caregivers through methods such as collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team, determining relevant content and required handouts, and planning and coordinating seminars.
- Performs other duties, as assigned.

**QUALIFICATIONS**

**Education, Training, and Experience**:

- Master's Degree in Social Work, Clinical Counselling, Counselling Psychology, or other health related or social science discipline.
- Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) designation from the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors.
- Minimum two (2) years' recent related addictions counselling experience or equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
- Valid B.C. Class 5 Driver's License and access to a personal vehicle for work-related purposes.
- Proficiency in Punjabi is required.

**Skills and Abilities**:

- Demonstrated knowledge of problematic substance use, addictions, mental health disorders, medication side effects and substance use counselling techniques.
- Ability to assess, plan, organize, implement, evaluate and problem-solve.
- Comprehensive assessment, clinical counselling and therapy skills including crisis counselling to families, youths, and adults.
- Ability to work effectively with others, including working effectively in a mul