Assistant Clinic Director (LCSW)

The Assistant Clinic Director reports to the Clinic Director and is a member of the administrative staff. Provides support to the Clinic Director by providing clinic oversight assistance, supervision of counselors, and ensuring the quality of patient engagement and care.  

Administrative Responsibilities:  

• Provides administrative backup for Clinic Director as needed including rotating Saturday shift. 
• Expected to provide clinic oversight in the event staff are on leave or vacant.
• Supervision of CASAC Counselors and ensure delivery of behavioral health services, oversees case notes and individual case records.
• Provides clinical supervision to the counselors by holding supervisory meetings at least once weekly with a focus on case analysis, person-centered treatment planning, case management, and issues related to the supervisory process.
• Participates in clinical supervision with the Clinic Director once per week.
• Ensures that vocational rehabilitation (when indicated) and resolution of concurrent medical disorders are integrated within each treatment plan.
• Concurrently monitors the quality of patient treatment and reporting documentation in all systems and initiates prompt corrective actions if required.
• Coordinates the release of patient treatment summaries to requesting agencies.
• Attends staff meetings and serves annually on at least one of the agency’s standing committees (Health & Safety, Continuous Quality Insurance, Compliance, or Continuing Education.
• Participates and assists in the generation, planning, and implementation of research and demonstration proposals and provides feedback on identified corporate priorities.
• Provides staff training to treatment personnel and ensure the implementation of evidence-based practices.
• Ensures staff maintains all patient confidentiality and privacy guidelines

Patient Care Responsibilities

• Serves as a member or chairperson of the Interdisciplinary Team in the development of the patient's treatment plan. 
• Ensures the thorough and timely completion of patient treatment and reporting documentation in all systems including HRA-STARS, OASAS-CDS, agency electronic health records system, and manual records as appropriate. 
• Studies medical and behavioral histories and provides guidance on bio-psycho-social assessment to the Counselors. 
• Provides initial mental health screenings for all patients prior to admission. 
• Provides initial, annual, and crisis mental health evaluations for identified patients. 
• Effects improved patient care by selecting the appropriate therapeutic approach and providing individual and group sessions (when necessary), crisis therapy, and marital/family therapy (when indicated), on an ongoing, time-limited, or crisis intervention level. 
• Provides a network of referrals for those patients needing out-patient, in-patient, residential, or emergency psychiatric services, ensures patient coordination and follow-up, and monitors progress monthly with external providers. 
• Coordinates referrals and follow-ups for those patients who require concurrent chemical dependency services.  

Patient Engagement Expectations:

• SCREENING: The process by which the patient is determined appropriate and eligible for admission to a particular program (LOCADTR). Evaluate the psychological, social, and physiological signs and symptoms of alcohol and other drug abuse. Identify any coexisting conditions (medical, psychiatric, physical, etc.) that indicate the need for additional professional assessment and/or services.
•  INTAKE: The administrative and initial assessment procedures for admission to a program. Accurately complete the required documents for admission to the program. Obtain appropriately signed consent when soliciting information from, or providing information to, outside sources to protect patient confidentiality and rights.
• ORIENTATION: Describing to the patient the following: patient rights general nature and goals of the program; rules governing patient conduct and infractions that can lead to disciplinary action or discharge from the program, the hours during which services are available and treatment costs to be borne by the patient if any; and.
• ASSESSMENT: The procedures by which a counselor/program identifies and evaluates an individual's strengths, weaknesses, problems, and needs for the development of a treatment plan.
• TREATMENT PLANNING: The process by which the counselor and patient identify and rank problems needing resolution; establish agreed-upon immediate and long-term goals; and decide upon a treatment process to be followed and the resources to be utilized.
• COUNSELING: (Individual, Group, and Significant Others): The utilization of special skills to assist individuals, families, or groups in achieving objectives through exploration of a problem and its ramifications, examination of attitudes and feelings; consideration of alternative solutions; and decision-making. 
• CASE MANAGEMENT: Activities that bring services, agencies, resources, or people together within a planned framework of action toward the achievement of established goals. It may involve liaison activities and collateral contacts.
• CRISIS INTERVENTION: Those services which respond to an alcohol and/or other drug abuser's needs during acute emotional and/or physical distress.
• PATIENT EDUCATION: Provision of information to individuals and groups concerning alcohol and other drug abuse and the available services and resources.
• REFERRAL: Identifying the needs of a patient that cannot be met by the counselor or agency and assisting the patient to utilize the support systems and community resources available.
• REPORT AND RECORD KEEPING. Charting the results of the assessment and treatment plan, writing reports, progress notes, discharge summaries and other patient-related data.
• CONSULTATION WITH OTHER PROFESSIONALS IN REGARD TO PATIENT TREATMENT AND SERVICES. Relating with in-house staff or outside professionals to assure comprehensive, quality care for the patient. This includes medical and nursing staff, vocational rehabilitation staff and staff with a focus on medical consequences of addiction, such as HIV or Hepatitis C virus.

Qualifications:  

• Licensed Clinical Social Worker required
• Master in HealthCare, Public Health or Business Administration preferred. 
• Three (3) years of post-Masters Degree experience in the emotional/behavioral assessment and treatment of individuals in a mental health setting, including experience with substance users. 
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience as a counseling supervisor. 
• Evidence of excellent interpersonal skills; effective communication skills (written and oral); ability to problem solve; ability to motivate, develop, and coach individuals and groups; ability to appropriately confront issues; and ability to think creatively.  
• A strong commitment to furthering institutional performance measures through interdisciplinary teamwork is essential. 
• Experience in providing and documenting psychological Mental Health Assessments and Screenings including diagnosis as described in the DSM-V; establishing therapeutic relationships with individuals; providing direct treatment services and referrals for patients; and providing consultation to the treatment staff. 
• Excellent computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft applications.  
• Being Bilingual in any language is a plus.   

Travel Requirements: 

• Expected travel is up to 20% of the time to participate in staff training and management development programs.  

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

StartCare provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.