Job Details

Description

Job Title: Life Recovery Counselor

Departments: CWC

Reports To: Program Manager

Date Revised: April 2023

UGM considers every position one of ministry and a vital and valued part of our team. Therefore, it is essential that all employees of UGM have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and subscribe to our Statement of Faith and Core Values. Additionally, employees must be willing to lead and/or participate in Bible study, prayer, devotions and sharing the Gospel.

SUMMARY OF POSITION:

The Life Recovery Counselor works to provide counseling and client management services for individuals and groups. They train and equip volunteers, oversee interns as assigned and facilitate or teach Recovery Program process groups and classes. This position requires the ability to offer teamwork, problem solving and lead in conflict resolution. Identifying client needs and applying a balance of grace and truth in order to lead them to resolutions. Overall, this individual assists in maintaining a safe, transforming and supportive environment reflective of the vision of the Union Gospel Mission.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Key Result Area #1: Leadership

• UGM's Core Values and their indicators are personally applied and observed.
• Maintain a success matrix with meaningful statistics to substantiate the effectiveness of the ministry by actively updating Waypoint database on a weekly basis.
• Inform the Director of all critical activities and concerns.
• Participate in the outcome-based management process, i.e., SWOTS, SMART goals, one-on-ones, and provide appropriate training as needed.
• Attending quarterly team building and planning meetings to discuss the effectiveness of collaboration and programming.
• Attend and participate in all required training to be fully equipped as a UGM employee.
• Collaborate, share planning, assist and participate in residential activities (exp. Friday Fun, parties, Holiday activities, etc.) as assigned.
• Teach classes as assigned.

Key Result Area #2: Counseling Services

• Provide Life Recovery counseling, utilizing Genesis Process and other experiential tools as Living Stage, Life Span Integration or Healing Timeline, sand therapy, etc.
• Ensure the 12-step recovery approach is implemented into counseling.
• Maintain an assigned case load; meeting with Phase 1-3 resident's weekly and Phase 4-5 clients twice a month, or as needed.
• Create an individualized recovery plan for assigned clients that includes specific goals and benchmarks, addressing addition recovery, relapse prevention skills, physical, emotional and mental health, behavioral conditions and childhood trauma.
• Recovery plans will be a collaborative process, involving the client and when other professionals (CPS, Probation, etc.) as needed.
• Monitor clients written goals in their recovery plan and assess monthly to evaluate and encourage ongoing growth/progress.
• Attend scheduled treatment/counseling meetings; present & review resident caseload concerns, status reports, pass needs, and updates.
• Maintain confidentiality in accordance with established program guidelines.
• Ensure accurate ROIs are in place and current.
• Support the Genesis Process and Grace based guidelines.
• Integrate Biblical truth by utilizing prayer, scripture, Bible encouragement, and Christian materials into the recovery process.
• Ensure clients receive case management support in each phase to address vocational, legal, physical and spiritual needs.

Key Result Area #3: Case & Client Management

• Participate in accountability, focus meetings and truth in love (conflict management); coordinate staff and residents when necessary.
• Assist in leading community meetings as assigned and actively participate in the self-evaluation process; present at least one personal self-evaluation per tri-semester.
• Identify individual resident benchmarks and evaluate progress at the mid-semester mark prior to client's advancement to the next phase.
• Inform program team of changes in resident's status and schedule at the following treatment team meeting.
• Maintain accurate case notes in Waypoint and inform other counselors of any critical information within 48 hours of meeting with client.
• Submit department statistics on a monthly basis and input into Waypoint.
• Collaborate with outside counselor, Voc Ed, Aftercare and the Children's Program Coordinators to ensure each client is receiving necessary services.
• Ensure ongoing accountability regarding resident's money management.
• Develop Transition team and follow up with meetings three months from UGM commencement.

Key Result Area #4: Volunteers & Teacher

• Ensure development, appropriate training and supervision of volunteers and teachers as needed.
• Identify volunteer needs and regularly update volunteer coordinator of changes and needs.
• Ensure that volunteers have received a current job description, have completed the interview process and are led with intentionality.
• Attend quarterly Genesis Coach meetings to review clients and their status in Genesis.
• Meet 1 on 1 with assigned Genesis Coach as needed.

Daily Expectations:

• Follow up on e-mails within 24 hours.
• Attend daily counselor touch down - Mon, Wed, Fri check-in, Tue counseling meeting, Thursday Tx Team
• Oversee and participate in community and monitoring self-evaluations Monday - Thursday
• Meet with assigned one on one's following treatment plan.
• Lead by example and teach de-escalation/conflict resolution skills using skills learned in conflict resolution training, Grace Blitz, life languages, the drama triangle resources and preparing for difficult conversations handout.
• Assist clients with resources needed to reach personal goals coordinating with case managers.
• Signing yellow/red/green passes per pass guidelines
• Client documentation to be put in Waypoint within 24 hours.

Weekly Expectations:

• Meet with each client weekly for one on one for 50 minutes or 1:20 minutes as assigned.
• Assure class prep completed prior to assigned classes you will be teaching.
• Bring resident and or house concerns to treatment team and to counselor meeting and actively participate in discussions, being a part of discovering solutions.
• Oversee weekly counselor small group and guide self-evaluations.
• Develop and implement treatment plans with clients individually according to their specific needs and desired goals, then monitor progress and adjust treatment plan as needed while holding them accountability to their goals.
• Truth in love, focus and accountability meetings will be addressed with counseling team and scheduled within two days.

Monthly Expectations:

• Review client staffing form and benchmarks
• Work with case manager collaborating in decisions and support regarding court and CPS.
• Attending all CWC staff meetings and providing training.

Trimester Expectations:

• Inputs and Outcomes in Waypoint
• Setting client goals and creating treatment plan together
• Review and update treatment plans with each client
• Provide Mid-Term Reviews and Phase-Up Petitions discussing concerns with each client.
• Prepare with each client individually for phase celebration expectations and projects.
• Participating in phase celebration by affirming clients' accomplishments.
• Participate in class registrations and phase meetings.
• Lead initial transition team meetings for phase 4 and 5, attending additional meetings as needed.
• Attending scheduled planning meetings.

Yearly Expectations:

• Provide 1 mentor training per year.
• Attending all UGM staff camp.
• Attending all UGM training as required - Grace Blitz, Life Languages de-escalation and etc.

General:

• Actively encourage, support and listen to clients guiding them in discussing experiences and emotions.
• Educate clients in strategies, coping skills and mindfulness/calming tools.
• Collaborate with inter departments as needed.
• Deescalate crisis situations as they arise.
• Assisting clients through difficult challenges and life changes.
• Lead clients to heart healing using the Genesis Tools, Lifespan Integration, Living Stage, Sand tray Therapy.
• Follow accountability process using accountability process log.
• Lead and/or participate in Friday Fun activities and holiday fun/events.
• Provide oversight for a minimum of 1 holiday per year.

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS:

• Committed Christian, able and willing to model servant-leadership and interested in being part of a ministry for the poor, homeless, drug addicted and mentally ill. Grounded in the Christian faith as a mature, active member of the body of Christ. In accordance with Union Gospel Mission Statement of Purpose, Statement of Vision and Statement of Faith.
• Strong Interpersonal skills - exercise compassion and discernment while modeling the teachings of Jesus Christ.
• As a unified team member, willing to honor the leadership, chain of command, and standards and ministry objectives of Union Gospel Mission.
• Follows UGM policy regarding addressing and resolving conflict amongst team members, volunteers, & residents.
• Know and able to communicate and embrace UGM's cultural Core Values and their indicators. The Core Values are applied and observed.
• Computer literate (Office 365, Word, Excel, Outlook, UKG HR, Waypoint); able to complete documents, reports and accurately record information. Willing to continue education as needed or required.
• Excellent communication skills including written, verbal and instructional.
• Must have a teachable spirit and the ability manage multiple emotional and task related variables, listen, and make sound decisions in alignment with UGM's purpose.
• Minimum five years of sobriety, if in recovery.
• Insightful, trustworthy, honest, reliable, model appropriate boundaries, maintains confidentiality and demonstrates strong work ethic.
• Valid Washington or Idaho driver's license- required.
• CPR/First Aid certification - required.
• Yearly TB clearance - required.
• Criminal background check clearance - required.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL FACTORS:

Occasionally = 1%-33%; Frequently = 34%-66%; Continuously = 67%-100%

• Work is primarily indoors and may require climbing three flights of stairs, sitting, standing, bending, reaching, and going from building to building - Continuously.
• Requires working with a diverse population, many of whom struggle with homelessness, addiction and mental illness - continuously.
• Requires a sustained level of high energy, stamina, and the ability to move about the facilities on a regular and ongoing basis - frequently.
• Requires the ability to hear, see, and speak clearly - continuously.

EQUIPMENT/TOOLS USED:

Computer (Office 365, Word, Excel, Outlook, Web-Browser, UKG HR, Waypoint), Copier/printer, Phone, Fax, Breathalyzer, and Drug Testing Kit.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

• Master's Level Licensed Social Work or Mental Health Counselor - preferred.
• Bachelor's in psychology or social work, considered with experience.
• 3+ year's prior related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience with chemical dependency, addiction recovery counseling & trauma therapy - preferred

Requirement:

Union Gospel Mission is a privately funded 501 (c)3 non-profit, evangelical Christian ministry. Our designated purpose is religious, and we are a Christ-centered ministry which is dedicated to sharing the Gospel and helping the homeless and impoverished. We consider every position to be essential in the fulfillment of our ministry and Statement of Purpose. As such, each employee must have a relationship with Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. All employees must:

• Be able and willing to share the Gospel and participate in all of the ministry activities of Union Gospel Mission.
• Subscribe to Union Gospel Mission Statement of Faith and Statement of Purpose upon hire and continuously while employed.
• Adhere to Union Gospel Mission Employee Handbook.