Msrs Counsellor

Permanent Full Time or Part-Time, Hawthorn & Doncaster East
- Not for Profit with salary packaging benefits & work life balance
- Collaborative and highly skilled supported team environment

**About Access Health and Community**

With a history of 150 years and caring at our centre, our mission and commitment is to build healthier lives within our communities and to deliver excellent health and community services for all. We have a dedicated and experienced team of over 400 employees and 200 volunteers operating across 18 locations. Our people are the centre of everything we do, making a contribution to the wellbeing of the community every day through our work, making a difference every day to those that need it most.

**About the role**

This is an exciting opportunity to join our thriving community health care organisation and work within a truly supportive value based culture and engaged workforce at Access Health and Community. We are seeking a passionate and suitably qualified MSRS Counsellor to join our enthusiastic and motivated highly skilled multi-disciplinary Alcohol and Other Drug services team across the locations of Hawthorn and Doncaster East.

The primary responsibility of this role MSRS Counsellor is to provide support to clients within a recovery-orientated model, employing a s t r e ng t h s - b a se d client-centred and family inclusive approach to substance use. The MRSR Counsellor will use a dual diagnosis framework and 'no wrong door' approach in their assessment and treatment of people presenting to our service.

The MSRS will provide specialist assessment, therapeutic counselling, medical support and care co-ordination for individuals and families affected by pharmaceutical dependence and misuse and the MSRS team consists of therapeutic counsellors, specialist nurses, peer support workers, project officers and a project co-ordinator. The MSRS Counsellor will sit in the broader Alcohol and Other Drug service at Access Health & Community, supported by the Manager and Senior Clinician.

The MSRS Counsellor will work with individuals and families affected by pharmaceutical misuse, including those who also misuse or are dependent on other substances (such as alcohol or illicit drugs). Therapeutic interventions may include; brief interventions, psychoeducation/ overdose awareness, motivational interviewing, mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), harm reduction and relapse prevention. This role may require some after-hours service delivery.

The Medication Support and Recovery Service also offers peer support, family counselling, single-family sessions and clinical nursing/ withdrawal support services. In addition, all clients who present to the Alcohol and Other Drug service at AccessHC are able to access a range of community-based health services at AccessHC, including GPs, nursing and dental services.

**What you will be doing**
- Conduct high quality comprehensive and client-centred assessments (including risk assessment) of clients presenting to the AOD service, using Department of Health and Human Services AOD assessment tools and other relevant assessment tools and outcome measures as appropriate
- Conduct screening for mental health and other co-occurring conditions where appropriate, using a dual diagnosis framework
- Develop and implement collaborative Individual Recovery Plans and treatment plans with clients and families based on a comprehensive assessment, to support treatment goals and recovery
- Facilitate and complete referrals to other health, mental health AOD and welfare support services where appropriate (including residential withdrawal, rehabilitation and supported accommodation)
- Participate in clinical review, peer supervision case conferencing, intake and allocation meetings in the AOD team as required
- Providing clinical assessment and outpatient treatment services to individuals and families affected by pharmaceuticals (including prescription and over-the-counter medications), including those who have problems with other types of substances
- Facilitating referrals into the program via clinical intake, and referral pathways with external agencies
- Conducting comprehensive clinical assessments, developing collaborative individual treatment plans and making referrals to support the client’s goals regarding their pharmaceutical misuse
- Providing therapeutic counselling for individuals and families affected by pharmaceutical misuse, using evidence-based treatments and a dual diagnosis framework
- Participate in shared care plans in collaboration with internal services and external agencies as required
- Participate in case management and service coordination practices with other professionals, supporting the clients’ journey through relevant treatment services
- Supporting clients to reduce the risk of overdose and other harms relating to pharmaceutical misuse
- Providing MSRS intake services, secondary consu