SOCIAL SERVICE COUNSELOR 4B

Job Overview

Supplemental Information

This position is located in the Acadiana Area Human Services District – Opelousas Behavioral Health Clinic.

The incumbent provides direct counseling services for clients who generally reside in St. Landry parish and include adolescents, and adults with addictive disorders and/or co-occurring psychiatric problems. The incumbent serves as an active member of a multi-disciplinary treatment team and identifies resources for the treatment program in order to meet specific needs of clients. The incumbent performs other duties assigned by supervisor, in accordance with Civil Service, LDH, and AAHSD policies and procedures, licensing standards, and CARF.

Applicants must have Civil Service test scores for 8100-Professional Level Exam in order to be considered for this vacancy unless exempted by Civil Service rule or policy. If you do not have a score prior to applying to this posting, it may result in your application not being considered.

Applicants without current test scores can apply to take the test here.

To apply for this vacancy, click on the “Apply” link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.

*Resumes WILL NOT be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.*

If you are selected for this position and indicate that you have a degree, you will be required to submit an official transcript.

There is no guarantee that everyone who applies to this posting will be interviewed. The hiring supervisor/manager has 90 days from the closing date of the announcement to make a hiring decision.

Specific information about this job will be provided to you in the interview process, should you be selected.

For further information about this vacancy contact:

Jennifer Sonnier, Human Resources Analyst

Jennifer.Sonnier@la.gov

AAHSD-Human Resources

302 Dulles Drive

Lafayette, LA 70506

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

A baccalaureate degree plus three years of professional social services experience.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

Six years of full-time work experience in any field may be substituted for the required baccalaureate degree.

Candidates without a baccalaureate degree may combine work experience and college credit to substitute for the baccalaureate degree as follows:

A maximum of 120 semester hours may be combined with experience to substitute for the baccalaureate degree.

30 to 59 semester hours credit will substitute for one year of experience towards the baccalaureate degree.

60 to 89 semester hours credit will substitute for two years of experience towards the baccalaureate degree.

90 to 119 semester hours credit will substitute for three years of experience towards the baccalaureate degree.

120 or more semester hours credit will substitute for four years of experience towards the baccalaureate degree.

College credit earned without obtaining a baccalaureate degree may be substituted for a maximum of four years full-time work experience towards the baccalaureate degree. Candidates with 120 or more semester hours of credit, but without a degree, must also have at least two years of full-time work experience to substitute for the baccalaureate degree.

A baccalaureate degree in social work, sociology, psychology, behavioral science or human service counseling from an accredited institution will substitute for one year of the required experience.

Graduate training in social work, sociology, psychology, or human service counseling from an accredited institution will substitute for a maximum of one year of the required experience on the basis of thirty semester hours for one year of experience.

A master’s degree in the above fields will substitute for a maximum of one year of the required experience.

Specialized college course work will substitute for a maximum of one year of the required experience.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:

Positions that provide addictive disorder counseling services require a current practice credential as a Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC), Registered Addiction Counselor (RAC), or Licensed Addictive Counselor (LAC) issued by the Addictive Disorder Regulatory Authority (ADRA), or its successor, pursuant to the Addictive Disorder Practice Act, LA RS. 37.3386-3390.6

NOTE:

Any college hours or degree must be from a school accredited by one of the following regional accrediting bodies: the Middle States Commission on Higher Education; the New England Commission of Higher Education; the Higher Learning Commission; the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities; the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

NOTE:

The baccalaureate, graduate training, or master’s degree in social work must be from a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, 1701 Duke Street, Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22314.

Job Concepts

Function of Work:
To serve as a certified addiction counselor.

Level of Work:
Advanced.

Supervision Received:
Broad from a Social Service Counselor 5, social worker, or other higher-level social services personnel.

Supervision Exercised:
May provide functional supervision to lower-level counselors and other direct care providers.

Location of Work:
Department of Health and Hospitals; LSU-Health Sciences Centers, Acute Care Hospitals, Medical Schools; Veterans Affairs; Department of Corrections; Department of Social Services.

Job Distinctions:
Differs from the Professional Counselor job series by the absence of a master’s degree and licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor.

Differs from Social Service Counselors 1, 2, and 3 by serving as a certified addiction counselor.

Differs from Social Service Counselor 4-A by the absence of responsibility for assessment, development, implementation, and evaluation of specialized programs.

Differs from a Social Service Counselor 5 by absence of supervisory responsibility.

Examples of Work

Participates in the decision making process of the treatment team including formulating therapeutic activities and recommending a treatment plan.

Meets with officials of local and state agencies, professional organizations, advocacy organizations and private providers to develop and maintain a viable service delivery system.

Serves as a group leader/facilitator in a peer group made up of persons with addictive disorders in order to educate them on coping with such difficulties.

Serves as liaison and coordinator between individuals, their families, the community, and service providers.

Evaluates and monitors services and redirects when indicated.

May provide expert testimony and recommendations on behalf of clients in court cases in response to judges and other officers of the court.