Substance Abuse Specialist - BHUC

Job Description

Job Description

Summary:

The Substance Abuse Specialist – Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) provides substance abuse disorder-focused care in a Tier IV BHUC, including assessments, milieu therapy, abstinence promotion, and recovery support for urgent/emergent crises related to SUD/MH/I/DD.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conducts SUD assessments within crisis/risk evaluations (e.g., ASAM level, stages of change/readiness).
• Uses outreach/motivational interviewing for early stages; cognitive behavioral/relapse prevention for later stages.
• Facilitates access to 12-step groups/community supports; ensures team approaches align with stages of change.
• Supports triage (urgency determination) and interventions (e.g., withdrawal management, overdose reversal).
• Leads SUD-specific group sessions, placement in detox/treatment, and PCP facilitation.
• Participates in 24/7 on-call; coordinates first response per consumer needs/PCP.
• Assists with referrals, discharge planning (e.g., community linkages, follow-ups), and inclusion of supports.
• Documents billable encounters in EMR within 24 hours; completes NCTOPPs, PCPs/ITRs, summaries/reports.
• Ensures confidentiality (HIPAA/CFR-42), protects rights/PHI, represents company positively.
• Participates in required trainings per service line/clinical coverage policy.
• Other duties as assigned, focusing on 75% full assessments.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This position can involve overseeing staff.

Qualifications:

Education/Experience

• Minimum High School Diploma

Required Skills/Abilities

• Strong clinical skills; knowledge of population served.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

• CCS, CSI, LCAS, LCAS-A, or CADC (maintain current)
• Valid NC driver’s license with insurance.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The work is typically performed in an office environment, community, or home with potential exposure to crisis.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; talk and hear; and taste and smell. The employee frequently is required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to sit and climb or balance. The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 20 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Must be able to drive and operate a personal vehicle safely and adhere to all applicable state and traffic laws.