Job Detail

REAL Journey Academies (RJA) is a non-profit charter school. Our vision is that RJA schools will
transform our communities by raising expectations for achievement, offering a high level of
opportunity, and educating the next generation of leaders.

Job Purpose:
Under the immediate supervision of the Director of Counseling, the Substance Abuse
Counselor is responsible for providing consultation, wellness services, ongoing case
management, and a full range of social emotional prevention, intervention, counseling and
agency linkage to resources within the RJA.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
In accordance with the Standards for the profession, Substance Abuse Counselor work
under the supervision of the Director of Counseling and in collaboration with their school
staff, families and community and are responsible for the fulfillment of the essential duties

set forth below:
Meets with students to obtain medical histories and consults with staff to get a clear picture
of the students status
Uses a combination of individual and group counseling sessions to help students and
observes their attitudes and readiness to accept help and guidance
Meets with parents to build community support and to educate them on the roles they can
play in the support process
Educates students and families about community-based organizations that may help restore
them to productive roles in the community
Assists patients with coping with family problems and recommends appropriate social
services as support for the entire family unit
Implementing substance use prevention programs for youth preferably in a school setting
Providing training on the risk factors for substance use, use of screeners and best practices
for prevention and intervention
Counseling of substance-related and/or co-occurring substance-related disorders
Collaborating within multidisciplinary teams to promote the best outcomes for students
Providing training related to the link between mental health and substance use to various
audiences including educators, school-based mental health professionals and families
Evidence-based drug prevention programs (ex., Life Skills Training, Youth Screening, Brief
Intervention, and Referral to Treatment and trauma-informed practices
Providing technical assistance site leaders for policy development, best practices for
substance use prevention and school-based mental health service delivery, and development
of partnerships with outside agencies
Essential program development tasks such as maintaining reports, and evaluating data for
program effectiveness.

Required Skills/Abilities
Developmental factors, social influences and other etiologic factors that contribute to
adolescent substance use
Available referral agencies for substance use and their referral process as well as resources
within the county
Methods and techniques for conducting assessments and treatment of substance abuse
problems
Principles, methods, techniques, and materials of substance abuse prevention and
education
Multi-ethnic and cultural differences. Multi-Tiered System of Support framework, youth
substance use, district/school-based referral systems, amongst other mental health-related
topics.

Minimum Requirements:Education and Experience:
Preferably a Masters degree from an accredited college or university with major
coursework in mental health, counseling, psychology social work, marriage and family
therapy, or a related field
One (1) year of full-time experience working in substance abuse counseling or substance
abuse prevention related to mental health, education, or social service
A valid California Pupil Personnel Services Credential preferred
Current advanced certification as an Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Counselor from a state-
approved certifying organization preferred.

Physical demands:
Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Compensation & Benefits:
This is an outstanding opportunity for a highly motivated counselor to assume a fundamental
role in an innovative school environment.
REAL Journey Academies offers its employees a competitive salary, commensurate with
experience. We pride ourselves in offering a competitive benefits package that covers full
benefits (medical, dental, vision, and life) as well as voluntary benefits, paid time off, and a
403b Savings Plan