Senior SAOR Screening and Brief Intervention Practitioner
The SAOR Practitioner will establish and coordinate local referral pathways (in and out) and promotion of the service within sectors, in partnership with CTC.
Job Title:
Senior SAOR Practitioner (Screening and Brief Intervention)
Details of Service
The SAOR Practitioner will be based in Cork/Kerry.
Funded under the Health Diversion Programme, the SAOR Practitioner will deliver the SAOR screening and brief intervention and make onward referrals as necessary. Referrals to, or information about, the SAOR Screening and Brief Intervention for problem alcohol and substance use can come from a variety of sources including (but not limited to) An Garda Síochána, GPs, community services, the Court Service, TUSLA, homeless services, child and family services, public health and self-referral. It is expected that the SAOR Practitioner role will complement the future roll-out of the Health Diversion Programme.
The post holder will provide KPI data to Coolmine monthly and to the HSE National Social Inclusion Office on a quarterly basis.
Reports to:
Coolmine Regional Manager
Contract Term
12 Months
Salary
€41,580
Hours:
35 hours per week. Some out of hours work required.
Purpose:
1. This post is to support the expansion of the National SAOR Screening and Brief Intervention Programme and to establish the infrastructure for the Health Diversion Programme.
2. This role will require the post holder to develop key working relationships with multiple stakeholders e.g., service users, government departments, senior managers, NGOs and Advocacy organisations.
3. Implement HSE national drug awareness campaigns locally by liaising with relevant stakeholders such as 3rd level institutions and event organiser
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
General Responsibilities:
4. The post holder will provide Screening and Brief Intervention for appropriate referrals.
5. The post holder will provide reports on referral outcomes as appropriate.
6. Implement service plan objectives in Cork and Kerry.
7. Ensure the efficient management and administration of the service
8. Ensure deadlines are met and that service levels are maintained and meeting agreed KPI's.
9. Ensure that records are accurate and maintained confidentially in line with Coolmine Policies.
10. Ensure that stakeholders are kept informed and that their views are communicated to management.
11. Seek feedback from service users and implement change to incorporate same, in agreement with Line Manager.
12. To work with the Regional Service Manager to ensure that all aspects of health & safety regulations are adhered to.
13. Perform as a full team member supporting colleagues, participating in effective team meetings, attending supervision, and client case reviews and being open to reasonable requests from manager in order to ensure effective working relationships.
14. Work within the policies of Coolmine Therapeutic Community in order to ensure that a consistent delivery of service, quality standards and best practice are adhered to at all times.
15. Be accountable for overseeing the implementation of and adherence to HSE's Children First protocols, and any other such protocol or legislation determined to protect vulnerable Service Users and or their families.
16. Participate in service evaluation and review and ensure all relevant documentation, filing, statistics and paperwork are in line with the aims and standards of the project and comply with Coolmine Policies
17. Operate and maintain the highest professional and personal boundaries appropriate to this post
Contact Email:
Application Ref.
CTC/HR/CRK/SAOR/0925
Coolmine Therapeutic Community
Coolmine is a leading drug and alcohol treatment service providing community, day and residential services to men and women with problematic substance use and their families in Ireland established since 1973. Coolmine Therapeutic Community believes that everyone should have the opportunity to overcome addiction and lead a fulfilled and productive life.
Coolmine, in conjunction with Cork Local Drug and Alcohol Task Force and Southern Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force have developed multiple community-based drug and alcohol hubs to deliver frontline community-based drug & alcohol treatment interventions in the Cork and Kerry region. The successful candidates will report to the Team Leader to provide quality service to clients, families and significant others in accordance with best evidence-based practice in the area of key working, care planning and case management, group therapy, psycho-social workshops, pro-social activity, and formal and informal interactions with clients.
Health Diversion / SAOR:
Under the National Drugs Strategy, Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery, the Government established a Working Group to consider alternative approaches to the possession of drugs for personal use in December 2017. Having considered the recommendations in the 2019 report of the Working Group, the Programme for Government priority is to implement a health diversion approach to the possession of drugs for personal use. Under a health diversion approach, people found in possession of drugs for personal use would be diverted to the Health Service Executive in the first instance for a health screening and brief intervention with a health professional known as SAOR (Support, Ask and Assess, Offer Assistance and Referral).
The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.
Person Specification
Education
Essential:
18. Third Level diploma in Addiction Studies, Addiction Counselling or related field, Minimum of level 7 on the NFQ scale.
Desireable:
19. Certified SAOR trainer
Experience
Essential:
20. Three years' experience working within the drug and alcohol field.
21. Experience of working directly with service users.
22. Experience of the implementation and evaluation of care planning and Case Management.
23. Experience in providing statistics and reports.
24. Full clean driving licence and willingness to drive as part of work.
Desireable:
25. Experience delivering SAOR Brief Interventions.
26. Experience in a leadership or management position.
Knowledge & Skills
27. Has excellent communication and listening skills.
28. Enjoys working with people, is approachable, and demonstrates warm and friendly mannerisms.
29. Is clear and explicit about professional and personal boundaries.
30. Strong interpersonal skills
31. Clear written and verbal communication skills
32. High IT literacy skills.
33. Have a "can do" attitude and a positive solution focused approach to problem solving and conflict resolution.
34. Uses assertive behaviour, demonstrating dignity and respect for self and others at all times.
35. Capacity to work effectively under pressure
36. Committed to meeting the needs of excluded and marginalised people.
37. Successful candidate would be engaged in recording case files on ECASS.
38. Successful candidate would be engaged in recording the NDTRS forms
39. Open to working in an outreach capacity in appropriate services/locations
40. Committed to follow up with allied health and social care services.
41. Have capacity to attend to a considerable number of phone calls / emails and follow up.