Position Information
Are you a registered or certified Alcohol and Other Drug Services Counselor? Are you looking to provide critical services to your community? If yes, apply to our Alcohol and Other Drug Services Intake Interviewer position!
Starting salary up to $33.89/hour ($70,737/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*
Find out what it's like to work as an Alcohol and Other Drug Services professional with the County of Sonoma by watching Laura's story here.
Note: California Health and Safety Code Section 11833(b)(1) requires that any individual who provides counseling services in a licensed or certified AODS program, except for licensed professionals (see Minimum Qualifications below)*, must be registered or certified with an organization approved by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Individuals must be currently registered, certified, or licensed to be eligible for employment.
For more information on registration and a list of approved certification agencies recognized by the DHCS, please visit here.
About the Position
Alcohol and Other Drug Services Intake Interviewers are an integral part of the County of Sonoma's Department of Health Services. They provide direct assessment and intake services to clients daily. Their responsibilities include:
- Scheduling and conducting intake interviews with referred clients
- Assessing clients' substance use using established and standardized evaluation tools
- Explaining all program rules, objectives, payment schedules, and requirements to clients
- Creating client program schedules, gathering data, and maintaining all records and relevant caseload documentation
- Assisting clients with documentation for all assessments and appointments
As the ideal candidate to join this team, you will bring a collaborative approach and possess knowledge of alcohol and other drugs and the impact they have on individuals. In addition, you will possess many of the following:
- An understanding of alcohol and substance use disorders and knowledge of related community resources
- Extensive knowledge of universal precautions and relevant health-related privacy and confidentiality laws and standards
- Experience performing data entry and using database systems
- Excellent customer service skills
- Knowledge of trauma-informed care
- A deep interest in alcohol and other drug studies
What We Offer
Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:
- Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
- Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
- County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
- Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $500 and ongoing education/training opportunities
- Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
- Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
- Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
- Student Loan Debt Relief – County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education
*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory.
This recruitment is being conducted to fill a full-time Alcohol and Other Drug Services Intake Interviewer position in the Department of Health Services. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.
APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.
Minimum Qualifications
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:
Successful completion of twelve (12) semesters units college level coursework in alcohol and drug studies, psychology, counseling, social work or a closely related field and one year of program or administrative support experience, preferably in the area of alcohol and other drug services programs.
For positions in the Drinking Driver Program: California State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs requires two years of experience which meets the requirements of Title IX of the California Administrative Code in providing services to persons with alcohol and/or drug problems.
One year (24 semester units) of college level education including twelve (12) semester units of alcohol and other drug studies, psychology, counseling, social work or a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required experience.
Special Qualification: All employees of this class must register, obtain, and maintain a Counselor Certification as defined by the California Code of Regulations, Chapter 8: Certification of Alcohol and Other Drug Counselors. Upon appointment to this class, employees will have six months to register and five years to obtain Certification from an ADP approved certifying organization whose curriculum includes a minimum of 240 hours of formal classroom training. Human Resources will waive the Counselor Certification requirement for licensed professionals (or registered interns) who successfully pass a written examination similar to that administered for Certification. This examination will be administered by the Sonoma County Human Resources Department, and will be designed to measure those areas included in the curriculum required for certification.
Due to regulatory changes, California Health and Safety Code Section 11833(b)(1) requires that any individual who provides counseling services in a licensed or certified AODS program, except for licensed professionals*, must be registered or certified with an organization approved by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Individuals must be licensed, registered, or certified by the date of hire to be eligible for employment.
A list of approved certification agencies recognized by the DHCS may be found at the following site:
http://www.dhcs.ca.gov/provgovpart/Pages/CounselorCertificationOrganizations.aspx
*Licensed professionals include a physician licensed by the Medical Board of California; or a psychologist licensed by the Board of Psychology; or a clinical social worker or marriage and family therapist licensed by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, or an intern registered with the California Board of Psychology or the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.
Additional Special Qualification: Some positions may require the ability to fluently speak and write a language other than English.Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of: County program policies and procedures; County, State and Federal laws governing public alcohol and other drug abuse programs; laws, rules, regulations and department policies related to client confidentiality; counseling techniques related to the treatment of alcohol and drug abusing clients; basic principles of individual and group behavior; basic interviewing techniques and procedures; socio-economic, environmental, and cultural factors affecting the behavior of alcohol and drug abusing persons; the needs, problems, attitudes and behavior problems of the alcohol and drug abusing person; services and resources provided through other governmental agencies and community-based organizations; other related alcohol and other drug program laws that impact the provision of services such as Medi-cal, motor vehicle, penal, and criminal justice codes.
Ability to: understand and apply County alcohol and other drug program policies and procedures; learn about the specific provisions of the full spectrum of alcohol and other drug services provided by both Sonoma County and other community service providers; interview a variety of clients, including hostile clients, to gather all needed information in a manner that develops trust and cooperation; select and apply appropriate evaluation tools to recognize and record behavioral and physical conditions of the alcohol and drug abusing client; 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; 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; operate a variety of routine office support machines and equipment including calculators, copiers, facsimile, printers and peripheral devices; use computers and related equipment as necessary for job assignments.
Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying
- Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
- You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
- You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
- Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.
Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.
APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.
Responses to supplemental questions will be used in assessing minimum qualifications. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient.
The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:
An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%). Each application and supplemental questionnaire will be thoroughly evaluated for satisfaction of minimum qualifications and relevance of educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities that relate to this position. Candidates possessing the most appropriate job-related qualifications will be placed on an employment list and referred to the department for selection interviews.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
A background investigation is required prior to employment. 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. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.
Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. 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 values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.
HR Analyst: SZ
HR Technician: RR
