Clinical Supervisor, Helplines

Brief Overview:

We are seeking a Clinical Supervisor to join our team on the MA Helplines, the IL Helplines, and VT Helplink. This is an exciting opportunity to share addiction expertise while gaining a deeper understanding of substance use, problem gambling, and related systems in three states.

Position Description:

As part of our Public Health services, HRiA manages an extensive portfolio of behavioral health initiatives, including statewide substance use helplines in Vermont and substance use and problem gambling helplines in Massachusetts and Illinois. The Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances (Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery) was launched in 2017, building upon our experience operating the MA Substance Use Helpline (Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services) for over 23 years. HRiA launched the Vermont Helplink (Vermont Department of Health, Division of Substance Use Programs) in 2019. HRiA began operating the MA Problem Gambling Helpline (Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Office of Problem Gambling Services) in 2020 and the Illinois Problem Gambling Helpline (Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery) in 2022.

The Helpline contact center is the hub for the Helplines. Screening & Information Specialists (SIS) comprise most of the contact center team and respond to incoming Helpline inquiries. Three Contact Center Supervisors provide Helpline services and provide direct supervision to a portion of the SIS team. Two Masters-level Clinical Supervisors provide clinical supervision and support to SIS, implement follow- up services with Helpline consumers, facilitate training and professional development opportunities for the team, provide additional coverage and support in the contact center, and offer clinical expertise to other HRiA projects as needed. Additional Helpline team members deliver and support program operations, marketing and communication, web management, data analysis and management, supervision, and leadership. This position reports to the Helplines Clinical Manager and the larger team is overseen by the Managing Director, Behavioral Health.

To learn more about HRiA and our helplines, visit the following:

This role involves supervision of non-clinical Helplines staff, consumer interaction, and developing and facilitating training opportunities and educational materials to support the Helplines team and HRiA’s growing behavioral health portfolio.

The Clinical Supervisor will be a part of the Helplines Contact Center and the Clinical Teams and is responsible for providing availability to respond to requests from SIS regarding complex, difficult, or emergency calls to the Helplines. The Clinical Supervisor will also provide coverage to respond to Helpline calls, chat inquiries, and text messages as needed.

Each Clinical Supervisor will provide individual and group supervision to several SIS. This includes monitoring SIS calls, consulting with SIS and intervening during difficult calls, and addressing any urgent issues, as well as supporting the social-emotional wellbeing of staff and fostering their skill-building and professional growth. The Clinical Supervisor will provide on-going training to SIS through periodic in- service trainings on relevant topics and will assist in the onboarding of new SIS. The Clinical Team is also responsible for initiating contact with Helpline users who qualify for and agree to participate in follow- up services. This involves contacting consumers at designated times to check in on the status of their search for treatment or other resources and to assist them in navigating potential barriers to care, using Motivational Interviewing, and by providing additional referrals, if needed, along with brief emotional support.

The Clinical Supervisor will also be called upon to contribute clinical expertise to the development of policies, procedures, protocols, and curricula to support the Helplines, and may be engaged in providing this expertise to other HRiA teams and projects focused on substance use, problem gambling, and/or behavioral health equity.

This is an exempt, full-time position that requires some early evening availability and participation in a week-long 24-hour on-call rotation approximately once every other month. Salary range in the high  $60k’s to low $70k’s, based on skills and experience. The Clinical Supervisor may work remotely. Occasional, paid travel to the Boston office is required. Candidates based in Massachusetts, Illinois, or Vermont are strongly encouraged to apply.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Project Work

  • Conduct follow-up services with Helpline consumers
  • Consult with SIS and intervene on complex or difficult calls/cases
  • Provide Helpline coverage as needed
  • Participate in Helpline on-call supervisor rotation
  • Collaborate with supervisor and clinical teams to develop topics for group supervision and training topics for staff meetings
  • Collaborate with Helpline Managers, Supervisors, Managing Director and Associate Director, and other team members on quality improvement processes
  • Participate on the Helpline Quality Assurance Team
  • Participate in new staff hiring and onboarding processes

Management

  • Provide individual and group supervision to assigned SIS
  • Foster professional development of supervisees and contribute to team-wide professional development through relevant in-service trainings and developing curricula and educational materials on a range of topics as appropriate
  • Contribute to development and maintenance of Helpline policies, procedures, protocols, and curricula
  • Monitor SIS consumer interactions and provide feedback and/or assistance as appropriate
  • Act as supervisor on-shift for contact center team, when needed

Thought Leadership

  • Continue to build and develop expertise in substance use disorders, problem gambling, and behavioral health equity
  • Suggest ideas/improvements through participation in departmental and organizational teams and committees
  • Serve as an internal trainer and facilitator for the Helplines team
  • Provide clinical lens in planning and execution of Helpline activities and other behavioral health initiatives across HRiA

New Business Development

  • Maintain updated resume and bio for use in new business proposals
  • Assist with technical and/or clinical components of new business proposals as needed
  • Support the team-wide implementation of new business opportunities

Candidate Qualifications:

  • Master’s degree in social work, clinical or counseling psychology, psychiatric nursing, or other mental health field. Any professional licenses or certifications must be current and maintained.
  • Minimum two years of post-master’s clinical or case management experience.
  • Clinical competency in:
    • Assessment and evaluation of patients with mental health and/or substance use disorders
    • Crisis intervention and management
    • Substance use disorder continuum of care
    • Motivational Interviewing
    • Trauma-informed and healing-centered practices
    • Providing brief interventions and emotional support
    • Facilitating group and individual supervision
  • Demonstrated experience facilitating meetings, developing training materials, fostering the professional development of others, and making interactive presentations online.
  • Strong commitment to health equity, harm reduction, and practices that promote inclusion and reduce stigma.
  • Respectful of cultural differences, and values diversity of thought, backgrounds, and perspectives.
  • High ethical standard and a willingness to comply with professional expectations.
  • Ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
  • Previous experience with or willingness to learn to use computer for data recording and database searching.
  • Demonstrated history of dependability.
  • Demonstrated pleasant telephone voice and helpful manner.
  • Comfort working in a mostly remote environment, and ability to build relationships primarily via online platforms.
  • Ability to adapt to changes in work environment and and expectations.
  • Customer/client focused with strong computer skills and excellent interpersonal skills.
  • Openness to information that may be different from personal views.
  • Willingness to work with callers who may be ambivalent, resistant, impaired, or have psychological disorders.
  • Openness to a variety of treatment services and approaches based on individuals’ needs.
  • Certified Community Resource Specialist (through AIRS) or willingness to obtain within one year of hire.
  • Two years of recovery from a substance use or gambling disorder, if applicable
  • Telephone service delivery experience preferred.

Training in addiction, screening, treatment services, and resources is provided. Typical hours for this position are Monday-Friday 11am-7pm EST (10am-6pm CT) but may be flexible. The position will include some weekend and overnight on-call duties. The VT Helplink is open Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 10:00 pm and weekends and holidays 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. The IL Helplines and MA Helplines are open 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.

This description is intended to indicate the kinds of work duties that will be required in this position. It is not intended to limit, or in any way modify, the rights of any supervisor to assign, direct, and contract work of staff under his/her supervision. The use of a particular illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties, not mentioned, that are of a similar level or difficulty.

How to Apply:

HRiA is actively seeking to build a diverse and experienced staff. HRiA encourages multiple perspectives and experiences, supports a multicultural environment, and strives to hire and retain a diverse work force that reflects the populations we work with and the communities where we work. Diversity is a core value of HRiA resulting in culturally competent services, materials, resources, and programs. Our hiring and business practices appreciate the strengths offered through different backgrounds.

HRiA offers an attractive benefits package including medical, dental and life insurance, retirement plan, tax-deferred annuity, and generous annual vacation that starts at four weeks in addition to three weeks of annual sick time, 13 paid holidays, plus office closure time during the last week of December.

Generally, our interviews take place between 9am-5pm ET. If you are contacted for an interview, please let us know if this timeframe is a challenge, so we can work with the interview team to find alternatives.

To apply, submit your resume and cover letter online.



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