Outreach SUD Counselor

About Interfaith Community Services:

As North County's largest social services agency, Interfaith Community Services has been "helping people help themselves" since 1979. The organization provides a wide range of programs designed to empower hungry, homeless, and low-income community members to begin a pathway towards self-sufficiency. Each year, Interfaith Community Services impacts more than 20,000 community members by providing basic needs and nutrition support, social services, shelters and housing, employment development, senior services, veterans programs and addiction recovery support.

Together, in partnership with 250+ diverse faith communities, more than 1,700 recurrent volunteers, and a growing staff of over 275, Interfaith provides a safe-haven and pathway towards self-sufficiency for more than 20,000 community members annually.

If you're passionate about making a difference and thrive in a service-driven environment, we invite you to be part of our mission!

What You'll Do:

In the Outreach SUD Counselor role, you’ll work closely with Interfaith’ s SUD Outreach team and will provide Substance Use Disorder (SUD) mobile outreach, screenings, and work closely with other homeless outreach teams and community partners to identify individuals experiencing homelessness with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and any co-occurring Substance Abuse

Disorder/Mental Health (SUD/MH) needs.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct outreach and other engagement activities to identify eligible individuals and households, including households in shelter programs and affordable housing properties
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team to coordinate client care
• Attend and participate in regularly scheduled outreach and care conferencing meetings
• Collaborate with regional Emergency Department social workers, substance use disorder counselors, and mental health practitioners to facilitate a continuum of care and system navigation for clients
• Conduct outreach and engagement from a harm reduction approach, developing rapport while identifying risks and needs
• Conduct in-the-field screening and provide assessment and ongoing reassessments
• Develop personalized strengths-based plans to reduce the negative physical and psychological impacts of drugs and alcohol
• Help develop informal support systems as appropriate
• Provide linkage to and support of engagement with recovery support services, such as vocational, educational, or crisis care services
• Develop plans to reduce barriers to maintaining sobriety including; sober living, transportation, support groups, outpatient treatment and other needs as appropriate
• Provide referral and coordination into Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), detox and other treatment options
• Collaborate across applicable agencies, providers and programs to enhance service and referral capacity
• Complete accurate and thorough documentation in a timely manner
• Maintain documentation of client meetings and interactions, including conversations and progress towards goals