The Young Adult Court (YAC) of Orange County is seeking a licensed therapist with experience in substance use assessment and treatment to join the collaborative team. Housed in the Department of Psychological Science in the School of Social Ecology at UC-Irvine (www.uci.edu/), YAC is overseen by Dr. Elizabeth Cauffman in the Development, Disorder, and Delinquency Lab and operates in collaboration with Orangewood Foundation, the Orange County Superior Court, and the Department of Probation. The program provides engagement, assessment and resource coordination support to Transitional Age Youth (ages 18-25) as part of a collaborative research study to reduce recidivism and promote positive outcomes over time. See video of a Young Adult Court graduation.
Your Role on the Team Under general supervision of the Director of Clinical Programming, provides assessment and therapy services to participants enrolled in the Young Adult Court (YAC) of Orange County. Our program serves 18-25 year-old males who have committed a first-time low-level felony offense and therapy services are voluntarily provided as part of this 18-month program aiming to dismiss their felony convictions upon graduation. The licensed therapist will work in collaboration with the treatment team (another therapist, admin coordinator, Orangewood Foundation case manager, probation officer, and attorneys) to coordinate care, specifically focusing on co-occurring substance use disorders and treatments. This is a 100% Full time/in-person contract position with grant funding expected for 3 years.
What It Takes to be Successful
Total Compensation In addition to the salary range listed below, we offer a wealth of benefits to make working at UCI even more rewarding. These benefits may include medical insurance, sick and vacation time, retirement savings plans, and access to a number of discounts and perks. Please utilize the links listed here to learn more about our compensation practices and benefits.
The expected pay range for this recruitment is $80,000- $88,000 (Annual).
Required:
Thorough knowledge and understanding of evidence-based substance use recovery assessments and treatments.
Thorough knowledge of legal and ethical issues related to patients' rights, including confidentiality and professional boundaries
Ability to evaluate the progress of therapeutic approach and modify as necessary.
Excellent listening and interpersonal skills and ability to establish rapport with young adults who may be difficult to engage within different community settings with high tolerance and respect for youth survival actions, while promoting harm reduction strategies.
Ability to provide a welcoming environment that supports and respects a diverse client group.
Ability to multi-task, maintain organization, and remain flexible in meeting youth where they are with respect to their abilities and needs.
Master's degree in Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, or associated mental health field
Licensed therapist in the state of California or license eligible (e.g., Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Psychologist, Addiction Therapist, or other therapist)
1-3 years Experience working in the mental health/substance use recovery field
Preferred:
Ability to develop and present educational programs trainings, and / or workshops.
Be comfortable working within the community (potentially neighborhoods with gangs and in homes), with youth charged with low-level felony offenses, and working through a restorative justice lens.
Genuine interest or previous experience working within a multi-disciplinary treatment team, including legal actors (e.g., attorneys, judges, probation officers) and case managers/mental health providers.
Drug and Alcohol Counselor certifications, licenses, and/or significant experience (2+ years in the field); CADC-II or LAADC preferred
1-3 years Minimum of one (1) year post-license clinical experience and a minimum of one (1) year experience with direct service delivery to the target population (youth in recovery, adolescents/young adults and/or justice-involved individuals).
Spanish-language proficiency
Special Conditions:
Must be able to pass a DMV Clearance, criminal background check, and FBI/DOJ fingerprinting. Professional work experience will be verified.
Position requires use of personal vehicle to drive to court, appointments/meetings, workshops, events, etc. and occasionally to transport youth
Available to work weekends and evenings, as needed
General Working Environment: Student or Staff and Faculty Counseling Center Work will be conducted full time at Orangewood Foundation in Santa Ana (where our clinic is located), at the Santa Ana courthouse, and in the community of Orange County. Occasional work will occur at UCI’s main campus where Dr. Cauffman’s Lab is located in Social Ecology.
Conditions of Employment: The University of California, Irvine (UCI) seeks to provide a safe and healthy environment for the entire UCI community. As part of this commitment, all applicants who accept an offer of employment must comply with the following conditions of employment:
Background Check and Live Scan
Legal Right to work in the United States
Vaccination Policies
Smoking and Tobacco Policy
Drug Free Environment
The following additional conditions may apply, some of which are dependent upon business unit or job specific requirements.
Closing Statement: The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status.
We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce along with honoring unique experiences, perspectives, and identities. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.
UCI provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities upon request. For more information, please contact Human Resources at (949) 824-0500 or eec@uci.edu.
Consideration for Work Authorization Sponsorship Must be able to provide proof of work authorization
