Licensed Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Therapist

About the West Contra Costa Public Education Fund

The West Contra Costa Public Education Fund (Ed Fund) mobilizes resources for our students and aligns the efforts of our partners to ensure that all students succeed in college, career, and life. Therefore, our work is to connect public schools with tools, funds, and people power. Learn more about our work at www.edfundwest.org.

The Ed Fund seeks to hire (2) Licensed Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Therapists to support the district's Full Service Community School and Positive School Climate Initiatives. These positions will be employed through the Ed Fund but will report directly to the Director of School Climate for WCCUSD.

Position Summary:

The Licensed Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Therapist supports the emotional, behavioral, and academic success of students by providing prevention, early intervention, and therapeutic services related to substance use. The position focuses primarily on secondary students (grades 6–12), while supporting districtwide K–12 prevention efforts. The AOD Therapist collaborates with site teams, families, and community partners to reduce risk factors associated with alcohol, cannabis, vaping, and other substances, and to promote healthy decision-making and student well-being.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide individual and group counseling to students affected by alcohol or substance use.
• Conduct comprehensive assessments, including screening for substance use and co-occurring mental health concerns.
• Develop and implement harm reduction, relapse prevention, and sobriety support plans for students in collaboration with families and school staff.
• Serve as a member of school site multidisciplinary teams (CARE or SST) to identify students in need of Tier 2 or Tier 3 support.
• Provide crisis response and safety planning related to student substance use, in collaboration with mental health and administrative staff.
• Deliver classroom and schoolwide prevention education on topics such as vaping, alcohol, cannabis, peer pressure, and healthy coping.
• Provide consultation and training to school staff and families on recognizing signs of substance use and understanding effective responses.
• Develop culturally responsive outreach strategies to engage students from underserved populations.
• Partner with community agencies for referrals to intensive outpatient or residential treatment when needed.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation in accordance with district, state, and legal requirements.
• Collect and report data on service delivery and student outcomes to inform program effectiveness and continuous improvement.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or a related field.
• Valid California license as an LCSW, LMFT, LPCC, or Psychologist.
• Certification or documented experience in alcohol and drug counseling (e.g., AOD preferred but not required).
• Minimum of two years' experience providing therapeutic services to adolescents, with demonstrated expertise in substance use treatment, preferred.
• Knowledge of adolescent development, trauma-informed practices, motivational interviewing, and restorative approaches.
• Experience working in school-based settings and collaborating with educational teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with high-needs and historically underserved student populations.
• Familiarity with multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and school discipline alternatives.
• Prior experience facilitating psychoeducational groups (e.g., tobacco cessation, relapse prevention).

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

• Work is performed in school and office environments.
• Must be able to travel to multiple school sites.
• May involve occasional evening meetings or parent workshops.

Salary & Benefits

The salary range for this position is $90,158 - $109,710 plus a generous benefits package including:

• 100% medical and dental for individual AND family
• 5% employer contribution to 401K
• 15 accrued vacation days (20 after 3 years), plus 4 personal days/year.
• 2 weeks of paid vacation during winter break
• 12 paid holidays
• Parental leave

To apply for this position or for additional information on the opportunity, please send a copy of your resume with a cover letter to LaShante Smith, Director of School Climate, at lsmith2@wccusd.net and Robert Bunce, Executive Director, at robert@edfundwest.org