The posting
About North Country Healthcare (NCH):
North Country Healthcare is a non-profit affiliation of four medical facilities, Androscoggin Valley Hospital, North Country Home Health & Hospice Agency, Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital, and Weeks Medical Center, located in the White Mountains Region of New Hampshire. NCH includes numerous physicians and medical providers at multiple locations. This leading comprehensive healthcare network which employs hundreds of highly-trained individuals delivers integrated patient care through three community hospitals, specialty clinics, and home health and hospice services. NCH remains committed to the health and well-being of the communities we serve. As a valued team member this role emphasizes advancing High-Reliability Organization (HRO) principles, embedding a culture of safety, accountability, and consistent high performance.
POSITION SUMMARY:
Adhering to System Values, Service Excellence, and Standards of Behavior, the Substance Use Disorder Counselor/Clinician provides evidence-based assessment, counseling, crisis response, care coordination, and recovery support services for adolescents, adults, and families within a New Hampshire Doorway program and integrated healthcare setting. This role supports screening, brief intervention, referral to treatment, and ongoing recovery planning across primary care, emergency, outpatient, and community-facing workflows as applicable. The position partners with patients, families, providers, peer support, and community organizations to develop individualized plans, improve access to services, reduce barriers to engagement, and support sustained recovery. Responsibilities also include education, timely documentation, participation in case review and quality improvement activities, and professional representation of the program in internal and external partnerships.
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
- Associates in Substance Abuse Counseling, or equivalent in a related field. Masters preferred.
Certification:
- All employees and contracted staff will have either successful completion of an American Heart Association* accredited course in Basic Life Support (BLS), or ACLS and PALS combined. (for clinical staff), Heartsaver CPR AED (for nonclinical staff), and renewal on a regular basis.
*Refer to the NCH Life Support Certification Policy for position specific requirements.
Licensure:
- Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) Must be able to practice in New Hampshire.
Skills:
- Knowledge of substance use disorders, co-occurring behavioral health conditions, recovery support services, and integrated behavioral health practices, including SBIRT workflows.
- Skill in bio-psychosocial assessment, substance use screening, risk identification, reassessment, and treatment planning.
- Ability to provide individual, family, and group counseling using evidence-based, trauma-informed, person-centered, strengths-based, and culturally responsive practices.
- Proficiency in motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, harm reduction, recovery-oriented interventions, and crisis response.
- Skill in care coordination, referral management, and collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, community partners, and external agencies.
- Ability to educate patients, families, staff, and community partners on substance use, overdose prevention, naloxone access, treatment options, and recovery supports.
- Strong documentation skills and ability to maintain timely, accurate, and compliant electronic health record documentation in accordance with confidentiality standards and applicable federal and state regulations.
- Ability to identify and address barriers to treatment engagement, access, and retention.
- Strong communication, interpersonal, organizational, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced clinical and community-based environment.
- Ability to support quality improvement, data collection, workflow refinement, and program outcome tracking.
Work Experience:
- Minimum 2 years’ experience as a Licensed Alcohol or Drug Counselor.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Provide evidence-based substance use disorder assessment, counseling, crisis response, and care coordination services for adolescents, adults, and families within a New Hampshire Doorway program and integrated healthcare setting.
- Conduct bio-psychosocial and substance use assessments, risk screenings, and ongoing reassessments to determine level of need, readiness for change, co-occurring behavioral health concerns, safety risks, and appropriate treatment recommendations.
- Deliver individual, family, and group counseling interventions using trauma-informed, person-centered, strengths-based, and culturally responsive practices, including motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, harm reduction, and recovery-oriented approaches.
- Support Doorway and SBIRT services by providing screening, brief intervention, referral to treatment, and early engagement across primary care, emergency, outpatient, and community-facing workflows as applicable.
- Respond to walk-in, referred, and crisis-related presentations by completing timely screening and evaluation, assisting with de-escalation and crisis stabilization, and coordinating linkage to the appropriate level of care.
- Develop, implement, monitor, and update individualized treatment and recovery plans in collaboration with patients, families or support as appropriate, medical providers, peer recovery support, and community partners.
- Coordinate referrals, follow-up, and service navigation across the continuum of care, including outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment, residential services, withdrawal management, recovery housing, peer support, mutual aid, and community-based prevention and support services.
- Collaborate with Primary Care, Behavioral Health, Pain Management, Emergency Department, Care Management, Social Work, Pharmacy, Prescribing Providers, Peer Supports, and Community Resources to support integrated treatment planning and coordination, including medication for addiction treatment when indicated.
- Provide education to patients, families, staff, and community partners regarding substance use disorders, overdose prevention, naloxone access, stages of change, treatment options, relapse warning signs, and long-term recovery supports.
- Document screenings, assessments, interventions, treatment plans, referrals, contacts, and outcomes in the electronic health record in a timely, accurate, and compliant manner consistent with organizational standards, confidentiality requirements, and applicable federal and state regulations.
- Monitor patient engagement and follow-up after referral, address barriers such as transportation, access, readiness, or social needs when possible, and support retention in treatment and recovery services.
- Participate in multidisciplinary case review, quality improvement, program development, workflow refinement, data collection, and outcome tracking to support Doorway program goals, regulatory expectations, and grant or reporting requirements.
- Represent the program professionally in relationships with internal departments and external partners, contribute to regional collaboration that improves access to substance use disorder treatment, recovery support, overdose reduction, and prevention services, and help patients and families understand recommendations, navigate available options, and connect with appropriate supports in a timely manner.
- Performs additional duties as assigned.
North Country Healthcare is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees. North Country Healthcare and its affiliates do not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability or any other protected class. Employment decisions are made based on job‑related qualifications, skills, and business needs, and without unlawful discrimination in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
North Country Healthcare provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and to individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, as required by law. Applicants who require reasonable accommodation to complete the application process, participate in interviews, or undergo pre‑employment testing should contact [email protected].
