You are reading the State of New Jersey Job Descriptions. This is not a Job Vacancy Announcement.

Job Specification

 SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELOR 1

 DEFINITION:

 Under direction of a Supervising Substance Abuse Counselor 
 or other supervisory official in a state department, local government 
 or institution, does field and office work to provide intake,
 outreach, and aftercare counseling services; does other related 
 duties as required.

 NOTE: The definition and examples of work for this title are for
 illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not
 perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties
 performed on the job may not be listed.

 NOTE: Appointments may be made to positions requiring bilingual 
 skills.

 63114D - Bilingual in Spanish and English
 SPECIAL SKILL
 Applicants must be able to read, write, speak, understand, or 
 communicate in Spanish and English sufficiently to perform the 
 duties of this position.

 EXAMPLES OF WORK:

 May assist in identifying drug dependent individuals by obtaining
 information from jails, streets, homes, referral agencies, courts, 
 and schools.

 May assist in the development of preliminary treatment and
 rehabilitation plans.

 Alone or on a team, participates in initial interviews with clients.

 Participates in case, diagnostic, and progress conferences.

 Prepares and submits amanuensis, preliminary interviews, 
 and impression intake reports.

 Investigates and verifies pertinent facts and information 
 necessary for an effective treatment plan.

 Attends and takes part in conferences, training institutes, and
 meetings concerned with programs and activities of the unit.

 Develops working relationships with involved agencies such 
 as welfare departments, the police, courts, probation and 
 parole officers,
 schools, clinics, hospitals, physicians, lawyers, clergy, and
 employers and employment agencies.

 Provides guidance to Substance Abuse Assistants/subordinates 
 and monitors their work progress.

 Maintains an assigned caseload of clients and provides 
 necessary group or individual counseling.

 Plans and conducts informal group discussions designed
 to encourage participation, within the bounds of discipline 
 and with a view toward the development of positive attitudes, 
 cooperative relationships, social reeducation and adjustments.

 Plans and conducts formal group discussions on a variety of 
 subjects.

 May assist with group and recreational activities of the program 
 and stimulates interest in and cooperation with social and 
 education programs.

 Provides personal counsel and advice to individual patients, 
 clients, and/or inmates on problems related to social behavior 
 and personal relationships.

 In treatment centers, may be required to make safety and fire 
 checks, bed checks of students or patients, sanitation checks, 
 inventory equipment, or perform other duties during emergencies 
 to protect students and patients and to protect state property.

 Prepares reports and routine correspondence.

 Maintains records and files.

 Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic
 and/or manual recording and information systems used by 
 the agency, office, or related units.

 REQUIREMENTS:

 CERTIFICATION:

 Applicants must possess a certificate as a Certified Alcohol and 
 Drug Counselor (CADC), issued by the Board of Marriage and 
 Family Therapy Examiners, New Jersey Division of Consumer 
 Affairs, Department of Law and Public Safety.

 Applicants who posses the credentials as a Licensed Clinical
 Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) are considered to have
 met the above certification requirements.
 
 EXPERIENCE:

 One (1) year of experience in counseling or social work 
 having responsibility for gathering and analyzing social or 
 health information from clients, the determination of their 
 needs, and the planning and carrying out of a treatment 
 plan geared to the needs of individual clients.

 SPECIAL SKILL

 Appointees to the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf 
 must be able to communicate effectively in the language of the 
 deaf, particularly American Sign Language, sufficiently to perform 
 duties of this position, and must successfully pass a screening 
 process administered by the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Committee 
 at the School.
  
 LICENSE:

 Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid
 in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee
 mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

 KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

 Knowledge of current facts, theories, hypotheses, programs, 
 and research in the area of alcohol and/or narcotic and dangerous 
 drugs.

 Knowledge of and familiarity with techniques used in group and
 individual counseling.

 Knowledge of problems involved in dealing constructively with 
 human relationships, personality disorders, social behavior, 
 and social relationships.

 Knowledge of drug abuse practices in inner and outer city and
 suburban, exurban, and rural areas after a period of training.

 Ability to analyze, comprehend, interpret, and apply basic laws,
 rules, regulations, and procedures to specific situations.

 Ability to comprehend and adjust to frameworks of reference 
 other than one's own cultural and educational standards.

 Ability to relate and adjust to individuals of varied types including
 professional workers, staff, clients, and patients and their families.

 Ability to learn to collect and make appraisals of factual information
 and the social relationships of individuals and families, to learn
 quickly the essential and significant facts in an individual or family
 situation, to weigh and evaluate such facts, and to take appropriate
 action.

 Ability to maintain a firm, correct, and professional attitude at all
 times.

 Ability to comprehend the problems of persons who are physically 
 and/or emotionally maladjusted.

 Ability to prepare clear, sound, accurate, and informative reports
 containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

 Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording
 and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

 Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in 
 English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American 
 Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable 
 forms of communication.

 Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as 
 long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after 
 reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. 
 If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause 
 the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

This job specification is applicable to the following title code(s) which
are different work week or work month and/or variants of the job class title:
Job
Spec
Code
VariantState,
Local or
Common
Class of
Service
Work
Week
State
Class
Code
Local
Class
Code
Salary
Range
Note
63114CNNE1821P18-
63114DBilingual In Spanish & EnglishCNNE1821P18-

This job specification is for state and local government use.
Salary range is only applicable to state government.
Local salaries are established by individual local jurisdictions.

8/02/2008