Position Close Date: 05/06/2024

***Applicants must upload a resume to their application in order to be considered for this opportunity.***

The Residential Counselor (RC) provides crisis counseling and support services to residents of the Volunteers of America Oregon's Women's Residential Center. The RC works on a multidisciplinary team which includes an intake counselor, QMHPs, case managers, a mindfulness consultant, an LMP, and a variety of other support staff. RCs work closely with the WRC treatment team to ensure high-quality resident care and to nourish a positive growth-oriented community for both residents and staff. RCs enjoy a supportive work environment where there are routine opportunities for supervision, training, and team collaboration.

Compensation: $20.13 - $26.84/hour (Depends on Experience and/or Certifications). This is a full-time position with excellent benefits! Benefits package includes medical, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, short and long-term disability insurance, 403(b) with automatic 5.5% contribution after 18-months regardless of employee participation, flexible spending account, employee assistance program, and other voluntary benefits and discounts. A generous paid time off plan includes 15 days in the first year, 23 days in the second year, and 26 days in the third year, in addition to 10 paid holidays and 3 paid personal holidays per year. VOA Oregon is also Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible.

In addition to VOA's excellent benefits package, the WRC Residential Counselor is currently provided with:

• Supervision toward CADC I certification
• Weekly staff yoga
• Weekly staff resiliency group
• Staff retreats

Agency/Program Description

Volunteers of America Oregon is a nonprofit providing a range of therapeutic, trauma-informed, and supportive services to empower populations to implement changes and thrive.

What makes treatment at the WRC unique?

• We believe in a multifaceted, mindfulness-based approach to care.
• We provide a different approach to residential treatment that supports resident autonomy and centers their voices in policy making.
• We implement empirically proven models of treatment for addiction and trauma recovery and have a history of hosting research projects on-site.
• We honor our residents as individuals with a wide range of strengths and challenges by providing them with access to a holistic array of treatment services including individual and group therapy, meditation practice, medication management, case management, recreational activities, self-help meetings, yoga, chiropractic care, parenting support, transitional housing and more.
• We foster sustained recovery success for residents through offering regularly scheduled recreational and community engagement activities that connect women to the wider Portland recovery community and enable them to build strong sober social support networks.
• Our program structure incorporates opportunities for our residents to practice recovery skills through social outings once they have stabilized in treatment.

Work, internship, recovery, and volunteer experience are all valued. Experience with one or more of the following populations is beneficial, though not required, for performing the essential duties of the job:

• Addictive behaviors and recovery
• Healing from personal, cultural, and historical trauma
• Mental Health and wellness
• People involved in the legal system
• Pregnant and parenting people and children
• Gender responsive services
• At-risk populations
• BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S*+ populations
• Building community in a residential setting
• Feedback Informed Treatment
• Collaborative policy development
• Mindfulness

Education, Training and Experience:
* High school diploma or GED required.
* One year of social service experience preferred but not required.
* Prior experience using conflict resolution skills in a dynamic environment. Crisis counseling experience preferred.
* Prefer knowledge of addictions, criminal behavior, and at-risk populations.
* Experience with medical health records preferred.

Competencies:
* Demonstrated ability to work effectively independently and as part of a team
* Ability to function effectively under pressure
* Ability to role model healthy communication skills
* Ability to adapt to change

Additional Eligibility Requirements:
* Exposure to Motivational Interviewing, Mindfulness, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, and Family Systems Theory desirable.
* Must be able to pass a DHS criminal history check.
* Must have CPR/First Aid Certification or ability to obtain within six months of hire.
* Reliable form of transportation.
* An active driver's license, current insurance, a reliable vehicle and ability to pass our insurer's driving standards.
* Ability to perform CPR in case of emergency.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
* Provide services in accordance with WRC Best Practices for Residential Counselors.
* Engage in therapeutic relationship with clients, providing crisis counseling, conflict resolution, and problem-solving assistance.
* Work in collaboration with a Primary Counselor to monitor and provide supportive services to a specific caseload of clients.
* Provide consistent and continuous monitoring of whereabouts of clients within the facility and of entrance to and exit from the facility of clients, in accordance with WRC policy.
* Provide consistent monitoring of client behavior with regard to WRC House Rules as outlined in the Client Handbook; respectfully implement consequences for rule violations as appropriate.
* Answer WRC phones in a professional manner.
* Provide consistent monitoring of safety and sanitation of therapeutic milieu in accordance with fire and health codes.
* Administer to clients breathalyzers and urinalyses in accordance with chain of custody procedures.
* Perform client room searches as assigned.
* Monitor client medication in accordance with WRC policy.
* Facilitate skill-building classes for clients as assigned.
* Perform individually assigned Residential Counselor duties consistently.
* Communicate observations of client behavior within the therapeutic milieu to clinical staff.
* Maintain the confidentiality of all clients and their records according to HIPAA and 42-CFR rules.
* Provide services in accordance with professional ethical guidelines.
* Maintain healthy professional boundaries with clients and co-workers at all times.
* Ensure that services are gender specific and culturally competent.

Other Responsibilities:
* Attend weekly Residential Counselor and All-Staff meetings.
* Transport clients to meetings and appointments as necessary.
* Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.
* Support the program and agency's Continuous Improvement, Client Proposal, Client Concern and Grievance processes.

Work Environment: Work is performed in a residential treatment center. May be required to intervene in crisis situations or work with agitated clients. Must be prepared to handle client crises and/or emergencies

Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours/week, two available swing shifts Sunday - Thursday, 2pm - 10:30pm, and Tuesday - Saturday, 1:30pm - 10pm.

This position is part of the bargaining unit that is represented by AFSCME Council 75.

Volunteers of America Oregon is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.