Licensed Counselor (Bilingual preferred)

About the Position

Positive Directions—The Center for Prevention and Counseling is seeking a part-time, independently licensed clinician to provide drug and alcohol counseling services off-site at Norwalk public high schools two days a week and at Positive Directions’ Outpatient Treatment Clinic one day per week.

In this dual role, the Licensed Clinician will primarily be responsible for maintaining a caseload of students (and some group facilitation) who have been identified by school administration or self-identified as struggling with substance misuse. The Licensed Clinician will collaborate with each school's administration, teachers, and other school-based mental health providers at each high school.

In addition, the Licensed Clinician is responsible for providing drug and alcohol counseling services at Positive Directions to individuals and families with a variety of presenting issues and diagnoses. This position is to be carried out in collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians and under the supervision of the Clinical and Medical Director at Positive Directions.

All employees are responsible for maintaining the supportive and collaborative work culture that Positive Directions has established and prides itself on. The work is hard enough; the environment we do the work in shouldn't make it harder!

This position reports to the Clinical Director.

Schedule

• Minimum of 2 days per week at Norwalk high schools
• Option for 1-3 clinical days in office and virtual

Responsibilities

Norwalk Public Schools

• Administer comprehensive behavioral health screening to identified students
• Provide on-site drug and alcohol counseling
• Make referrals for additional support for students and their family members
• Attend coordination meetings with Norwalk Public School mental health providers and administration
• Facilitate support groups for students such as SMART Recovery group, vaping cessation group, general substance use support group, or others based on identified needs and interests of students and administrators
• Maintain data in accordance with reporting requirements of Positive Directions and Norwalk Public Schools
• Meet as determined with Positive Directions’ Clinical Director and Norwalk Public Schools clinical liaison

Outpatient Treatment Clinic

• Provide in-person and telehealth counseling services to individuals and families struggling with substance use disorders
• Use the DSM 5 to make accurate diagnoses and clearly communicate diagnoses to clients and/or parents
• Develop detailed, tailored treatment plans using a client-centered approach to goal setting
• Keep accurate and up-to-date client records and complete monthly chart audits at the Clinical Director’s request
• Attend monthly clinical and medical consult meetings
• Maintain knowledge of Positive Directions’ treatment population, risk of harm assessment protocols, mandated reporting, HIPAA Compliance, and cultural competency

Requirements

• Master’s degree (required)
• Must hold a valid Connecticut counseling license (LADC, LCSW, LMFT, LPC)
• 2+ years of experience providing direct counseling services to individuals, families and groups with substance use disorders
• Trauma-informed and client-centered approach to treatment
• Highly organized, efficient, and reliable clinician
• Experience with telehealth a plus, but not required
• Computer and Internet competency (MS software, Google Workspace)
• Knowledge of electronic medical record (EMR)

Compensation

Compensation commensurate with experience.

Signing bonus for Spanish bilingual counselor.

Employment benefits for part-time employees include:

• Simple IRA with employer contribution
• Paid holidays, including 3 floating holidays
• Paid time off for part-time employees
• Administrative and billing support provided, including credentialing with insurance companies
• Malpractice coverage provided under agency policy
• Fulltime employees also qualify for health insurance

To Apply

Please submit a cover letter and a copy of your resume to Vanessa Wilson, Executive Director at vwilson@positivedirections.org.

You are encouraged to include the following information in your cover letter: information about you – what makes you unique, your credentials, your clinical philosophy and why you want to work at Positive Directions – The Center for Prevention and Counseling.

About the Agency

Positive Directions is a community-based, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit located in Westport, Connecticut providing a continuum of prevention, treatment and recovery supports to Mid-Fairfield county.

The Agency principally serves the towns of Fairfield, Norwalk, Weston, Westport and Wilton and its mission is to provide leadership in the community with the aim of improving the lives and health of individuals and families through both comprehensive behavioral healthcare, including addictive behaviors, and prevention leadership.

Positive Directions was established in 1971 in Westport, CT as a volunteer effort by recovering alcoholics to support recovery and bring awareness and prevention into school and community programs. Since then, treatment, prevention and recovery programs have evolved to become more disciplined and outcome-focused. Positive Directions today emphasizes evidence-supported clinical treatment services, community focused prevention programs, and innovative recovery supports. We are a 501(c)(3), state-licensed provider of behavioral health treatment and prevention programs and have received state prevention and awareness funding continuously for close to 25 years, in recognition of our expertise as a provider of evidence-supported, data-driven, locally focused prevention programs to the communities we serve.

Positive Directions 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.