ALCOHOL & OTHER DRUG SERVICES COUNSELOR I-EXTRA HELP(Bilingual Spanish/English)

Salary: $19.99 - $24.30 hourly

There is a bilingual premium of .$90 per hour in addition to the base pay.

This recruitment is being conducted to create a pool of qualified bilingual Spanish/English, extra help AODS Counselors for the Drinking Driver Program in the Alcohol and Other Drug (AODS) Services Division of Sonoma County’s Department of Health Services. This list can also be used to fill other similar vacancies that occur during the active status of the list. The work schedules are flexible and may include evenings and Saturdays. The current openings require fluent bilingual skills in Spanish and English.

THE POSITION: Under supervision, provides case management, individual, group, and family counseling, education, and evaluations to clients of the Alcohol, and Other Drug Services Division of the Department of Health Services; and performs related duties as required.

This is a non-licensed professional-level class. In accordance with the permissible scope of professional practices, the AODS Counselor I provides professional level counseling and education services to clients including client screenings and assessments, preparation of court and client program reports, case management and provision of diversion services. This classification differs from the next higher-level class of Alcohol and Other Drug Services Counselor II in that the latter class works with more independence and may perform lead worker duties over a small staff assigned to a specialized program or as a treatment team leader.

INTERMITTENT, EXTRA-HELP EMPLOYEES ARE NOT IN THE CLASSIFIED CIVIL SERVICE AND DO NOT HAVE PROPERTY RIGHTS TO PERMANENTLY ALLOCATED POSITIONS. IN ADDITION, THEY DO NOT RECEIVE ANY EMPLOYEE BENEFITS SUCH AS: MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR LONG-TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGE; ACCRUAL OF VACATION AND SICK LEAVE; PARTICIPATION IN THE COUNTY RETIREMENT PROGRAM; OR ELIGIBILITY TO TAKE PROMOTIONAL EXAMINATIONS. INTERMITTENT, EXTRA-HELP EMPLOYEES ARE LIMITED IN THEIR EMPLOYMENT TO A MAXIMUM OF 1,380 HOURS WITHIN ANY TWELVE-MONTH CONSECUTIVE PERIOD.

ONLINE APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: PLEASE ANSWER MANDATORY SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS THAT COME UP AFTER YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR APPLICATION AND HIT THE SEND BUTTON.

PAPER APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: PLEASE ANSWER MANDATORY SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS AT THE END OF THIS JOB BULLETIN.

Education and Experience: Any combination of training and experience that would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be either:

One year of experience with responsibilities involving alcohol and drug treatment and education programs and academic coursework in sociology, psychology, alcohol and other drug services and other closely related fields.

OR

Some experience with responsibilities involving alcohol and other drug treatment and education programs and possession of a bachelor's degree in sociology, psychology, alcohol and other services drug treatment or other closely related fields.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Special Qualification: The ability to speak, read, and write both Spanish and English is required.

Candidates must also pass a bilingual proficiency examination, which may be administered at the same time as the oral examination.

Working Knowledge of: the needs, problems, attitudes and behavior problems of the alcohol and drug abusing person; basic principles of individual and group behavior; socio-economic, environmental, and cultural factors affecting the behavior of alcohol and drug abusing persons; principles and techniques of group, family and individual counseling; laws, rules, regulations and department policies related to client confidentiality; counseling techniques related to the treatment of alcohol and other drug abusing clients; services and resources provided through other governmental agencies and community-based organizations.

Knowledge of: County program policies and procedures; court procedures and etiquette; County, State and Federal laws governing public alcohol and other drug abuse programs.

Ability to: understand and apply County alcohol and other drug program policies and procedures; provide consultative services in complex situations involving behavioral and physiological conditions of the alcohol/drug client; evaluate the behavioral and physiological conditions of the alcohol/drug client; coordinate the delivery of alcohol and other drug abuse services; analyze situation accurately and adopt an effective course of action; recognize problems which call for the use of public and private community resources; effectively listen, mediate and resolve complaints; read, interpret, apply, and explain complex regulations and reports; communicate effectively with persons from a variety of social, cultural, and economic backgrounds; establish and maintain effective work relationships with all types of persons encountered in the course of work; develop rapport and maintain cooperative relationships with clients and service providers; read, understand, apply and explain regulations and procedures governing job training programs; work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team; use computers and related equipment as necessary for job assignments.

This selection procedure will consist of an application appraisal (weight 100%). Each application will be thoroughly evaluated for satisfaction of minimum qualifications and relevance of educational course work, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Candidates possessing the most appropriate job-related qualifications will be placed on a temporary employment list and referred to the department for consideration.

A background investigation is required prior to appointment to regular positions and some temporary jobs. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Background information obtained from reference checks will not be made available to candidates.

Additionally, a medical examination, including a drug and alcohol screening, will be required prior to employment. Please see additional information as provided in the General Employment Information regarding the general employment process.

Applications are accepted on-line through the County of Sonoma website (www.sonoma-county.org) or the website of www.governmentjobs.com. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), or through the mail. Continuous recruitments may close without notice at any time that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

THE COUNTY OF SONOMA IS COMMITTED TO A POLICY AND ACTIVELY PURSUES A PROGRAM OF EQUAL EMPLOYMENT AND NON-DISCRIMINATION.

Analyst: LV Assistant: lw