MENTAL HEALTH & SUBSTANCE USE ADVOCATE
Job Description
Organization: Enhancing The Quality Of Life
Department: Behavioral Health Services
Position Title: Mental Health & Substance Use Advocate
Reports To: Program Director / Qualified Professional (QP)
Employment Status: Full-Time
Classification: Paraprofessional / Support Staff, as applicable
POSITION SUMMARY
The Mental Health & Substance Use Advocate provides support, advocacy, education, resource coordination, and community-based assistance to individuals experiencing mental health challenges, substance use disorders, homelessness, reentry barriers, and other social or behavioral health needs.
The Advocate works as part of the interdisciplinary team to help individuals access appropriate services, maintain engagement in treatment, develop independent living skills, overcome barriers to recovery, and connect with community resources.
This position does not independently diagnose mental health or substance use disorders, provide psychotherapy, develop clinical treatment recommendations, or perform other services requiring professional licensure unless the employee separately possesses the required credential or license.
ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES
The Mental Health & Substance Use Advocate will:
- Provide advocacy and supportive assistance to individuals receiving behavioral health services.
- Assist individuals with identifying barriers related to mental health, substance use, housing, transportation, employment, healthcare, benefits, and community integration.
- Encourage individuals to participate consistently in recommended mental health and substance use treatment.
- Assist with connecting individuals to therapists, psychiatrists, substance use treatment providers, primary care providers, medication management, and other healthcare resources.
- Help individuals access detoxification, residential treatment, outpatient treatment, recovery programs, and other appropriate substance use resources when directed by the treatment team.
- Assist individuals with accessing community resources, including housing, food assistance, Medicaid, Social Security, employment programs, transportation, identification documents, and educational resources.
- Advocate for individuals when communicating with community agencies and service providers, consistent with appropriate releases of information and confidentiality requirements.
- Provide education regarding recovery, wellness, relapse prevention resources, community supports, and healthy decision-making within the employee's training and scope of practice.
- Encourage participation in AA, NA, recovery support groups, peer support, therapy, PSR, and other recommended services when applicable.
- Assist individuals with scheduling and maintaining appointments.
- Help individuals develop organizational, communication, problem-solving, and independent living skills.
- Support individuals transitioning from homelessness, incarceration, hospitalization, detoxification, residential treatment, or other institutional settings into the community.
- Assist individuals in developing positive natural and community support systems.
- Observe and report significant changes in an individual's behavior, functioning, appearance, or circumstances to the appropriate supervisor or clinical staff.
- Follow agency procedures when an individual reports or demonstrates suicidal thoughts, homicidal thoughts, overdose risk, abuse, neglect, exploitation, or another crisis.
- Contact emergency or crisis resources according to agency policy when immediate intervention is necessary.
- Maintain professional boundaries at all times.
SUBSTANCE USE ADVOCACY RESPONSIBILITIES
The Advocate may assist individuals with:
- Identifying recovery resources.
- Accessing substance use assessments and treatment.
- Connecting with detoxification and residential programs.
- Locating AA, NA, SMART Recovery, and other recovery-support resources.
- Understanding treatment recommendations provided by qualified clinical professionals.
- Developing recovery-support routines.
- Identifying environmental and social barriers that may interfere with recovery.
- Accessing harm-reduction and overdose-prevention education consistent with agency policy.
- Obtaining information regarding naloxone and community overdose-prevention resources.
- Reconnecting with treatment following relapse or interruption in services.
The Advocate shall immediately refer clinical questions, treatment recommendations, diagnostic issues, and other matters outside the Advocate's scope to the appropriate QP, LCAS, LCSW, licensed clinician, or other qualified professional.
MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY RESPONSIBILITIES
The Advocate may:
- Help individuals understand how to access mental health services.
- Encourage compliance with scheduled behavioral health appointments.
- Assist with transportation and appointment coordination.
- Help individuals communicate concerns to their treatment providers.
- Support development of healthy daily routines.
- Reinforce coping strategies previously taught by qualified clinical professionals.
- Assist individuals with identifying community and natural supports.
- Report observed changes in mood, behavior, functioning, or safety to supervisory or clinical staff.
Advocates shall not independently provide psychotherapy, diagnose disorders, change medications, recommend medication changes, or represent themselves as licensed clinicians unless appropriately licensed.
DOCUMENTATION RESPONSIBILITIES
The Advocate is responsible for completing required documentation accurately and within agency-established timelines.
Documentation must:
- Identify the service or support provided.
- Describe the individual's needs and the Advocate's intervention.
- Identify resources, referrals, and coordination activities.
- Document significant observations when appropriate.
- Describe the individual's response to the intervention.
- Identify follow-up actions when necessary.
- Be objective, professional, accurate, and individualized.
- Protect confidential and protected health information.
- Be completed according to EQL policies, payer requirements, and applicable state and federal regulations.
Employees shall never document a service that was not actually provided.
SUPERVISION
The Mental Health & Substance Use Advocate works under designated agency supervision.
Supervision may include:
- Review of assigned individuals and current needs.
- Review of documentation.
- Discussion of barriers and referrals.
- Crisis and safety consultation.
- Review of professional boundaries.
- Training and competency development.
- Corrective coaching when necessary.
- Review of compliance with agency policies.
The Advocate must immediately consult the supervisor or appropriate clinical professional whenever a situation exceeds the employee's training, qualifications, or scope of practice.
When the Advocate performs duties associated with a specific Medicaid service, the employee must meet the qualifications and supervision requirements applicable to that service before providing or documenting the service.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Preferred qualifications include:
- High school diploma or GED at minimum.
- Experience working with individuals experiencing mental health disorders, substance use disorders, homelessness, justice involvement, or other significant life barriers.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to maintain professional boundaries.
- Ability to work effectively with diverse populations.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to complete accurate documentation.
- Ability to work collaboratively with clinical and support staff.
- Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record when transportation or community-based duties are assigned.
Additional education, credentials, or certifications may be required depending upon the Medicaid service, funding source, or duties assigned to the employee.
Preferred credentials may include Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS), CADC, human services education, behavioral health experience, or other relevant qualifications.
REQUIRED TRAINING
Employees must complete agency-required orientation and ongoing training, which may include:
- HIPAA and confidentiality
- Client rights
- Abuse, neglect, and exploitation reporting
- Crisis intervention and de-escalation
- Suicide prevention and response
- Substance use and overdose awareness
- Opioid antagonist/naloxone education
- Trauma-informed care
- Cultural competency
- Person-centered practices
- Professional boundaries and ethics
- Incident reporting
- Infection control
- Documentation requirements
- Fraud, waste, and abuse
- Emergency preparedness
- First Aid/CPR, when required
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
The Advocate shall:
- Treat every individual with dignity and respect.
- Protect confidentiality.
- Maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
- Avoid conflicts of interest and dual relationships.
- Follow EQL's Code of Ethics.
- Immediately report suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, safety concerns, and serious incidents according to policy.
- Never falsify documentation.
- Never provide services outside the employee's qualifications or authorized scope.
- Participate in supervision and required training.
- Maintain all required credentials and training documentation.
PHYSICAL AND WORK REQUIREMENTS
The position may require community-based work, walking, standing, sitting, driving, accompanying individuals to appointments, working in behavioral health program settings, and responding appropriately to changing client needs.
Reasonable accommodations will be considered consistent with applicable law.
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
Performance will be evaluated based upon:
- Timely and accurate documentation
- Client engagement
- Appropriate referrals and follow-up
- Attendance and dependability
- Compliance with supervision
- Professional boundaries
- Team communication
- Completion of required training
- Compliance with agency policies
- Quality of advocacy and resource coordination
- Protection of client rights and confidentiality
Pay: $300.00 per week
Work Location: In person
