State of Maryland

The PSCS Alcohol and Drug (A/D) Associate Counselor Supervisor is the supervisory level of work, at the certified Bachelor's Degree level, counseling clients with substance use disorders by using intervention, treatment and rehabilitation in the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (PSCS).  Employees in this classification supervise lower-level PSCS Alcohol and Drug Associate Counselors and other professional level counselors.  

Employees receive general supervision from a program administrator.  Employees in this classification may be required to work evenings and weekends.  The work is performed in State addictions programs located in State institutions, facilities and offices including jails, detention centers, prisons, halfway house facilities and community-based programs.              

Position placement in this classification is determined by the Classification Job Evaluation Methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the classification specification.  

The PSCS Alcohol and Drug Associate Counselor Supervisor is differentiated from the PSCS Alcohol and Drug Associate Counselor Lead in that the PSCS Alcohol and Drug Associate Counselor Supervisor supervises lower-level PSCS Alcohol and Drug Counselors while the PSCS Alcohol and Drug Associate Counselor Lead assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains lower-level PSCS Alcohol and Drug Counselors. 

Plans, coordinates, supervises and evaluates the work of lower-level PSCS Alcohol and Drug Associate Counselors, other professional level counselors and related support staff;

Trains lower-level PSCS Alcohol and Drug Associate Counselors and related support staff;

Conducts staff meetings to interpret policies and procedures, reviews progress reports and coordinates other phases of the addictions program;            

Reviews case material to assure compliance to standards and procedures for providing addiction services;      

Evaluates existing addictions programs and may initiate, modify or terminate programs as necessary;

Represents the agency in cooperative relationships with other agencies and institutions;

Assists in planning and conducting in-service training activities for PSCS Alcohol and Drug Associate Counselors and other health services personnel;

Makes recommendations in regard to personnel or budgetary needs;

Reviews and evaluates policies and procedures and makes recommendations to improve the quality of staff performance and client services;

Provides counseling and case management services to clients with substance use disorders with the most complex problems as defined by standard treatment criteria;

Coordinates all treatment activities with services provided to the client by other resources and collaborates with other disciplines involved in providing client treatment;

Evaluates client progress in implementing the treatment plan and makes appropriate changes to ensure progress;

Provides group counseling to clients with substance use disorders;

Adheres to accepted ethical and behavioral standards of conduct and participates in continuing professional development;

May direct the work of component addictions programs for clients with substance use disorders;

Performs other related duties.  

Knowledge of the philosophy, practices, policies and outcomes of the most generally accepted and scientifically supported models of treatment, recovery, relapse prevention and continuing care for addiction and other substance-related problems;

Knowledge of the established diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders, treatment modalities and placement criteria within the continuum of care;

Knowledge of models and theories of addiction and other problems related to substance use;

Knowledge of the social and cultural context within which addiction and substance abuse exist;

Knowledge of the effects of psychoactive substances on the user, families and significant others;

Knowledge of ethical and behavioral standards of conduct in the helping relationship;

Knowledge of principles of learning and a variety of educational techniques;

Knowledge of medical and pharmacological resources in the treatment of substance use disorders; 

Knowledge of methods of measuring treatment outcome;

Knowledge of federal, State, local and agency policies and procedures governing the delivery of treatment services;

Knowledge of a variety of current and emerging helping strategies for reducing the negative effects of substance use, abuse and dependence;

Skill in tailoring helping strategies and treatment modalities to the client's stage of dependence, change or recovery;

Skill in providing treatment services appropriate to the personal and cultural identity of the client;

Skill in establishing and maintaining a therapeutic relationship with clients with substance use disorders, their families and significant others;

Skill in accurately documenting client-related information;

Skill in adapting clinical practice to the range of treatment settings and modalities;

Skill in applying crisis management skills to client crises;

Skill in applying setting-specific policies and procedures to clinical practice;

Ability to make effective presentations to a variety of audiences;

Ability to establish and maintain working relationships with other professionals and agencies;

Ability to plan and coordinate the work of an addictions program;

Ability to review and evaluate case records to assure compliance to standards and conformance to policy;

Ability to work with other staff, clients, families of clients and various community organizations;

Ability to review and evaluate policies and procedures and make recommendations to improve the quality of staff performance and client services;

Ability to use the support systems and community resources available to clients, their families and significant others;

Ability to identify and use the role of family, social networks, self-help groups and community systems in the treatment and recovery process;

Ability to make constructive therapeutic responses when the client's behavior is inconsistent with stated recovery goals;

Ability to plan, coordinate, supervise and evaluate the work of PSCS Alcohol and Drug Professional Counselors and support staff assigned to the program.    

Education: Determined by the Maryland State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists under the requirements for Certified Professional Counselors-Alcohol and Drug.  

Experience:   Determined by the Maryland State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists under the requirements for Certified Professional Counselors- Alcohol and Drug.

1. In accordance with Health Occupations Title 17 and Code of Maryland Regulations 10.58.07, candidates placed in this classification must be either certified by the Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists as a Certified Professional Counselor-Alcohol and Drug.  

2. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle.  Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator's license valid in the State of Maryland.  

1.      Candidates must possess graded courses in management and supervision as defined by the Abuse Administration (ADAA), Maryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.  This training must be approved by ADAA.  Inquiries concerning this training must be addressed to the Office of Education and Training for Addiction Services, 55 Wade Avenue, Catonsville, Maryland  21228.  

2.      Employees are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulations 17.04.09, Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.              

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions.  Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405.   

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit as indicated by the designation of S (supervisor), M (manager), T (agency head), U (Board or Commission member), W (student), X (Used by agency or excluded by executive order), or Z (confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and therefore, all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.