Co-Occurring Counselor, Chemical Dependency

Addiction Medicine (AM) Counselors provide engagement, counseling, and case management services to members that are struggling with substance use disorders. AM Counselors are generalists who are flexible in their job duties serving a population that has a variety of needs including treatment for substance use disorders, co-occurring mental health disorders, and support and education for their family members. AM Counselors function within a multidisciplinary treatment team to support members that present in all phases of readiness for change.

• Provide high quality clinical services (individual, group, and family) to our adult and adolescent members through screening, assessment, diagnosis, and formulation/implementation of service plan in outpatient or residential settings.
• Provide all care in accordance with accepted best practice standards and department protocols (including supervision).
• Provide case management through appropriate triaging and referrals, consultation with other providers, contact with members and their families, and coordinating with outside agencies. Coordinate care for patients receiving medications from the Addiction Medicine Medical Team.
• Document all member care in the electronic medical record in accordance with accepted medical/legal standards.
• Provide other member or department services, such as program development, in-service training, and participation in process improvement activities.

• Minimum one (1) year working in a setting that is specific to substance use disorder treatment within the last five (5) years OR completion of KP Addiction Medicine department internship before hire/transfer.


• Minimum two (2) years of experience spent conducting co-occurring assessments and/or facilitating crisis stabilization interventions for high acuity patients in a community mental health and addictions co-occurring program, or equivalent (experience must have occurred within the last five (5) years).

• Masters level degree in counseling, social work, or closely related field (M.S.W., M.S., M.A., M.Ed.) at time of hire/transfer.

• Marriage and Family Therapist Probationary License (Washington) required at hire OR Professional Counselor License (Oregon) required at hire OR Mental Health Counselor License (Washington) within 12 months of hire OR Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker - Probationary (Washington) required at hire OR Mental Health Counselor Probationary License (Washington) required at hire OR Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (Washington) within 12 months of hire OR Licensed Clinical Social Worker (Oregon) required at hire OR Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (Oregon) required at hire OR Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (Washington) within 12 months of hire

• Drug and Alcohol Counselor Certificate (Oregon) required at hire OR Substance Use Disorder Professional License (Washington) required at hire OR Substance Use Disorder Professional Trainee Certification (Washington) required at hire

• National Provider Identifier required at hire

• Thorough and working knowledge of best practices for delivering culturally aware services.


• Ability to assess, diagnose, and treat members affected by substance use.


• Ability to recognize, assess, and provide treatment for members with co-occurring mental health disorders.


• Ability to effectively apply ASAM criteria to make placement decisions. Ability to use appropriate procedural/testing equipment and tools.


• Ability to provide case management for patients with a variety of needs including legal issues and social determinants of health.


• Ability to interface with large multidisciplinary systems.


• Competency in computer skills including email, and other typical office applications.


• Competency in computer skills including ability to access and utilize web-based resources.


• Proficient in providing both face to face and virtual care.


• Ability to learn and teach patients to use electronic recovery aids, apps, etc.


• Oregon licensure/certification is required for Oregon positions. Washington licensure/certification is required for Washington positions.


• Note: If hired with a probationary license the employee is responsible to meet full licensure requirements within probationary license timeline as a requirement of the job (typically the license is issued for one year and can be renewed one time for another year.) A candidates required certifications must be from the same state.


• Demonstrates proficiency in documenting full American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) assessments, treatment plans, progress updates, and discharge planning.


• Proficiency in using standardized comprehensive risk assessment tools and coordinating safety plans.


• Ability to assess and treat adults across a wide age range (18-geriatric population), who have a combination of DSM Mental Health disorders, along with a broad spectrum of co-occurring problems including those related to trauma, substance use disorders, chronic pain, complex medical problems, social determinants of health, and eating disorders.


• Case Management/care coordination experience in community mental health/substance use treatment settings.


• Experience working within an inter-disciplinary treatment team, preferably including peer partners.


• Thorough and working knowledge of current best practice treatment for; adolescents and adults and their family members needing substance use disorder treatment services; including treatment principles for individual, family, and group counseling; and treatment/intervention options for common co-occurring mental health disorders.


• Thorough and working knowledge of legal requirements for reporting abuse and maintaining confidentiality.


• Thorough and working knowledge of accepted best practice protocols and ethical guidelines and behaviors for counselors.

• Minimum Two (2) years of post-masters experience working in a substance use disorder treatment setting within the last 5 years.


• At least four (4) years of clinical experience.


• At least four (4) years of experience conducting co-occurring assessments and/or facilitating crisis stabilization interventions for high acuity patients in a state licensed setting in a community and addictions co-occurring program, or equivalent.


• Experience working in an integrated healthcare setting including primary care services.


• Experience or specialized training in treating adolescents with substance use disorders.


• Experience or specialized training in family therapy and working with family members that have a family member with a substance use disorder.


• Experience or specialized training in treating trauma.


• Experience in applying Motivational Interviewing techniques to engage and triage new patients


• Experience working with an interdisciplinary treatment team including medical providers


• Experience working with patients that are receiving either prescribed or dispensed medications for substance use disorders


• Experience using Feedback Informed Care tools in direct patient care


• Experience providing crisis management services


• Experience working with electronic health record systems


• Experience providing co-occurring care to adolescents and families.


• Certified Addiction Counselor in practicing state required at time of hire/transfer, and Current license to treat mental health disorders without restriction, LPC, LMFT, LCSW, LICSW, LMHC in practicing state required at time of hire/transfer.


• Certified Addiction Counselor in both OR and WA state.


• Licensure in both Oregon and Washington.


• Bi-lingual in English and Spanish or Russian or other community language is preferred.

PrimaryLocation : Washington,Vancouver,Cascade Park Medical Offices
HoursPerWeek : 40
Shift : Day
Workdays : Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri
WorkingHoursStart : 08:00 AM
WorkingHoursEnd : 06:30 PM
Job Schedule : Full-time
Job Type : Standard
Employee Status : Regular
Employee Group/Union Affiliation : W05|AFT|Local 5017
Job Level : Individual Contributor
Job Category : Behavioral Health, Social Services & Spiritual Care
Department : Cascade Park - Chemical Dependency-NonMD Prov - 1008
Travel : No
Kaiser Permanente is an equal opportunity employer committed to fair, respectful, and inclusive workplaces. Applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic or status.