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 either: six months of experience either paid or volunteer working with alcoholics and/or drug addicts in a treatment and/or recovery program that would provide basic understanding of the needs of alcohol and other drug abusing persons.
OR
Related coursework, training, conferences and workshops that would provide basic understanding of the needs of the alcohol and other drug abusing person.
License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.
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.
Additional Special Qualification: Some positions may require the ability to fluently speak and write a language other than English.
Working Knowledge of: the needs, problems, attitudes and behavior problems of the alcohol and drug abusing person.
Knowledge of: Basic principles of individual and group behavior; Socio-economic, environmental, and cultural factors affecting the behavior of alcohol and drug abusing persons; Services and resources provided through other governmental agencies and community-based organizations.
Ability to: learn how to interpret and apply County Alcohol and Other Drug Services Program policies and procedures; learn informal/peer counseling techniques; work irregular hours, different shifts, weekends and holidays; understand and follow oral and written instructions; stand for long periods of time, stoop, lift clients, and lift heavy articles in accordance with accepted safety standards and perform physical tasks as required; learn how to evaluate the behavioral and physiological conditions of the alcohol/drug client; learn how to coordinate the delivery of alcohol and other drug abuse services; 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; use computers and related equipment as necessary for job assignments.