Alcohol and Other Drug Services Counselor I - English and Bilingual (English/Spanish)

Position Information

Make a positive difference in the lives of others in our community as an Alcohol and Other Drug Services Counselor I with the County of Sonoma! Starting salary up to $45.14/hour ($94,212/year), a competitive total compensation package*, an additional $1.50 per hour for fluent bilingual positions**, AND a $15,000 Signing Bonus!***

Please note that California Health and Safety Code Section 11833(b)(1) requires Alcohol and Other Drug Services Counselors to be licensed, registered, or certified. Applicants who do not meet this qualification will not be considered qualified for this position.

A list of approved certification agencies recognized by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) may be found on the DHCS website .

The County of Sonoma Department of Health Services (DHS) seeks qualified candidates to fill multiple full-time and intermittent extra-help Alcohol and Other Drug Services (AODS) Counselor positions for multiple programs in Santa Rosa at either the I or II levels. If you are interested in being considered for the positions at the II level as well, you must apply to the separate concurrent recruitment currently being conducted.

To learn more about working as a County of Sonoma Alcohol and Other Drug Services professional, see Laura's story here .
As an ideal candidate for these positions, you will possess many of the following:

• One year of experience managing alcohol and other drug treatment and education programs
• A valid certification as an AODS Counselor
• Experience working with clients to resolve conflicts and de-escalate situations
• Effective communication skills and the ability to work with individuals from diverse social, cultural, and economic backgrounds
• A desire to work in a fast-paced, highly dynamic environment
• The ability to develop rapport with clients and service providers and maintain cooperative relationships
• An understanding of working with justice-involved clients to reduce recidivism and increase access to services
• The ability to efficiently navigate electronic health records and manage documentation while multitasking

Alcohol and Other Drug Services Counselors will generally be responsible for case management, crisis assessment, counseling, and education for individuals in this community. Alcohol and Other Drug Services Counselors may work in a variety of programs, including:

• Crisis Assessment, Prevention, and Education Team (CAPE)
  • The Crisis Assessment, Prevention, and Education (CAPE) Team provides services on site at select high schools in Sonoma County. There will be a CAPE Team in each region of the County which includes an AODS Counselor and a Behavioral Health Clinician. Services include mental health crisis response, screening, linkage and referral to mental health and substance use treatment, substance use prevention and early intervention services, and education for students, school staff, families and the community about mental health and substance use disorders in youth.
• Mobile Support Team (MST)
  • The Mobile Support Team is a 24/7 service providing mobile crisis intervention, de-escalation, evaluation, resources, and referrals county-wide. The MST staffs the Santa Rosa-based response team and provides backup to the other crisis teams in the area. Positions assigned to the MST are responsible for staffing the call center and taking Behavioral Health crisis calls from the community. AODS Counselors will triage and determine the level of crisis response for the mobile response team to respond in the field. When staffing the mobile response team, AODS Counselors will be responsible for crisis assessment, developing and implementing safety plans, and conducting warm handoffs.
• Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
  • The Driving Under the Influence Program works with the Court to provide services to first-time and multiple offenders. The DUI Program is a state-mandated service that is governed by Title 9 of the California Code of Regulations, which requires ongoing monitoring for compliance. Positions assigned to the DUI program must have two years of experience providing alcohol and/or drug education and will provide case management, counseling, consultation, education, and evaluations to individuals, groups, and families participating in the program. AODS Counselors also screen and assess clients, prepare court and client program reports, provide diversion services, and assist in planning and coordinating services.
• Adolescent Treatment Program (ATP)
  • The Adolescent Treatment Program provides screening, assessment, and individual and group education/counseling services to justice-involved juveniles at Los Guilicos Juvenile Hall and Valley of the Moon Children’s Center. AODS Counselors in this position will provide screening, consultation, assessment, education, and resources for non-custody juvenile probation clients. They will also work collaboratively with members of the Human Services Department and other Behavioral Health teams.
• County SUD Outpatient (OTP)
  • County SUD Outpatient operates at the Day Reporting Center (DRC) and is done in collaboration with the Adult Probation Department. Probation Staff are present on-site at the DRC and may be involved with the County SUD OTP activities, including but not limited to case management sessions and check-ins. The Probation Staff conducts “team case planning meetings,” and the frequency of these meetings is referenced in the participant handbook. New Program staff will attend required orientation activities by both Probation and DHS. AODS Counselors assigned to this program will assist in facilitating AOD group sessions, one-on-one counseling, and conducting ASAM assessments.

For further information regarding the department and its programs, services, and partnerships, please visit the DHS website .

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hiring Incentive*** - (Prorated based on FTE) The Department of Health Services is currently offering a $15,000 signing bonus paid over three installments during the first two years of service for permanent full-time and part-time positions
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Career Advancement - With time and good performance, the opportunity for advancement to Alcohol and Other Drug Services Counselor II
• Bilingual Premium Pay** - An additional $1.50/hour on top of the hourly pay rate for fluent bilingual positions
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $850 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Engineers and Scientists of California Union Local 20 Memorandum of Understanding (ESC MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory .

EXTRA-HELP EMPLOYMENT
Extra-help employees relieve or augment permanent staff. Intermittent, extra-help employees are not in the classified civil service and do not have property rights to permanently allocated positions. In addition, they do not receive most regular employee benefits such as long-term disability insurance coverage; accrual of vacation; participation in the County retirement program; or eligibility to take promotional examinations. Intermittent, extra-help employees are limited in their employment to a maximum of 1,380 hours within any twelve-month consecutive period. Extra-help employees who meet the eligibility requirements may qualify for a County contribution toward medical coverage.

Bilingual positions require English and Spanish skills at the fluent (reading, writing, and conversational) level. Applicants who wish to be considered for a bilingual position must indicate their level of skill in the required supplemental questionnaire. An examination will be conducted prior to employment in a bilingual position to confirm the level of skill in this area. Bilingual premium pay is $1.50/hour for fluent skill sets.

This Alcohol and Other Drug Services Counselor I employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help English monolingual or fluent bilingual English/Spanish positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Any combination of training and experience that would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be either:

One year of experience with responsibilities involving alcohol and drug treatment and education programs and academic coursework in sociology, psychology, alcohol and other drug services and other closely related fields.

OR

Some experience with responsibilities involving alcohol and other drug treatment and education programs and possession of a bachelor’s degree in sociology, psychology, alcohol and other services drug treatment or other closely related fields.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Special Qualification: All employees of this class must register, obtain, and maintain a Counselor Certification as defined by the California Code of Regulations, Chapter 8: Certification of Alcohol and Other Drug Counselors. Upon appointment to this class, employees will have six months to register and five years to obtain Certification from an ADP approved certifying organization whose curriculum includes a minimum of 240 hours of formal classroom training. Human Resources will waive the Counselor Certification requirement for licensed professionals (or registered interns) who successfully pass a written examination similar to that administered for Certification. This examination will be administered by the Sonoma County Human Resources Department, and will be designed to measure those areas included in the curriculum required for certification.

Additional Special Qualification: Some positions may require the ability to fluently speak and write a language other than English.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Working knowledge of: the needs, problems, attitudes and behavior problems of the alcohol and drug abusing person; basic principles of individual and group behavior; socio-economic, environmental, and cultural factors affecting the behavior of alcohol and drug abusing persons; principles and techniques of group, family and individual counseling; laws, rules, regulations and department policies related to client confidentiality; counseling techniques related to the treatment of alcohol and other drug abusing clients; services and resources provided through other governmental agencies and community-based organizations.

Knowledge of: County program policies and procedures; court procedures and etiquette; County, State and Federal laws governing public alcohol and other drug abuse programs.

Ability to: understand and apply County alcohol and other drug program policies and procedures; provide consultative services in complex situations involving behavioral and physiological conditions of the alcohol/drug client; evaluate the behavioral and physiological conditions of the alcohol/drug client; coordinate the delivery of alcohol and other drug abuse services; analyze situation accurately and adopt an effective course of action; recognize problems which call for the use of public and private community resources; effectively listen, mediate and resolve complaints; read, interpret, apply, and explain complex regulations and reports; communicate effectively with persons from a variety of social, cultural, and economic backgrounds; establish and maintain effective work relationships with all types of persons encountered in the course of work; develop rapport and maintain cooperative relationships with clients and service providers; read, understand, apply and explain regulations and procedures governing job training programs; work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team; use computers and related equipment as necessary for job assignments.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Responses to supplemental questions will be used in assessing minimum qualifications. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination(weight 100%).Each application and supplemental questionnaire will be thoroughly evaluated for satisfaction of minimum qualifications and relevance of educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities that relate to this position. Candidates possessing the most appropriate job-related qualifications will be placed on an employment list and referred to the department for selection interviews.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org . Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Continuous recruitments may close without notice at any time that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: SZ
HR Technician: RR

IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS: GENERAL*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off : Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals; 12 paid holidays and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan : Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generousCounty contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement :Fully integrated with Social Security.For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired .

IRS 457 Plan : Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical : County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief :County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331.Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources/divisions-and-units/employee-relations/labor-agreements-and-salary-resolution . For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources or, contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonoma-county.org or (707) 565-2900.

*IMPORTANT NOTES: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

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• County of Sonoma

• 707-565-8059

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