The Co Occurring Disorders Specialist supports clients receiving PACT (Program of Assertive Community Treatment) services who are experiencing both mental health and substance use issues. This role provides supportive counseling, case management, and psychoeducation around substance use using a stage based treatment model that is non confrontational and built on client determined goals. Treatment is provided primarily in the community at a location that best meets the needs of the clients served.

Responsibilities:

Primary Responsibilities: 

• Provide case management, engagement and motivational enhancement strategies, problem solving, and relapse prevention for an assigned group of clients.


• Serves as the team’s subject matter expert on co occurring disorders


• Conducts comprehensive substance use and readiness to change assessments within the context of serious mental illness


• Provide psychoeducation that considers the relationship between substance use and mental health. 


• Apply stages of change and functional analysis to inform treatment planning, ensuring immediate changes are made in the treatment plans as clients’ needs change


• Educate and support clients’ families, and advocate for clients’ rights and preferences


• Provide on call coverage for PACT clients, including responding to after hours phone calls, triaging mental health crises, consulting with the Team Leader or crisis staff as needed, and coordinating in person crisis response or emergency services when clinically indicated, with timely documentation of all actions taken.


• Assist clients with activities of daily living through ongoing assessment, problem solving, side by side services, skill training, and environmental adaptations.


• Provide individual supportive therapy, social skill development, and assertiveness training to increase client social and interpersonal activities in community settings.


• Continually monitor clients’ co occurring disorders symptoms and clients’ response to treatment. 


• Provide consultation and informal supervision to PACT team members regarding substance use, harm reduction, and engagement strategies


• Provide direct clinical services including individual supportive counseling to clients on an individual, group, and family basis to teach behavioral symptom management techniques to identify and manage symptoms and to promote personal growth by assisting clients to adapt to and cope with stresses.


• Collaborate with detox, inpatient, outpatient SUD providers, probation/parole, and medical providers. Assist clients with engagement in higher levels of care when clinically indicated (detox, inpatient, medication assisted treatment)


• Support the team in responding to substance related crises, including relapse, overdose risk, and substance driven psychiatric destabilization


• Organize and lead individual and group recreational activities to structure clients’ time, increase social experiences, and provide opportunities to practice social skills and receive feedback and support.


• Support continuity of care during hospitalizations, incarcerations, or treatment transitions

Perform other duties as assigned