The Counselors will do Alcohol/Drug evaluations and assessments (biopsychosocial) and refer when necessary to outside agencies for either inpatient or outpatient treatment, whichever, is deemed necessary by the counselor. Counselors will diagnose clients, both adult and adolescent, to help them with their needs and services. Counselor will help States Attorney and hospital in community when needed to help client get the help necessary if deemed necessary for involuntary commitments with help of both facilities (States Attorney, local hospital). The counselors will also help with clients who have been incarcerated to help client with needs services. Statistics have shown that many crimes that are committed are alcohol and drug related.
The clients have local outpatient treatment centers to utilize and if necessary counselors will help client with referral process to the several inpatient facilities that are funded by Indian Health Services. Several of which are in South Dakota and one is in Nebraska. Counselors will also collaborate with other agencies in the communities to help with funding resources. There are specific situations in which sources of funding may be deemed necessary such as the indigent funding process, in these instances the counselor will need to collaborate with core agencies, which are designated as such by the State Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse agency, to help with client needs.
The counselors will also help local community school Indian education agencies to help students and families with help for both referral to outside agencies and to help with aftercare process for youth that have returned to community with aftercare services.
The three SDUIH substance abuse programs will also help with transportation of youth and adult to inpatient facilities for inpatient alcohol/drug treatment when deemed necessary by counselor or other referring agency. The Counselor in Pierre will collaborate with mental health component of program to help client obtain ongoing therapy after or during treatment, if needed. The client returning from inpatient alcohol/drug treatment programs will utilize counselors for aftercare. The youth and the adults returning will utilize this component of programs.
The need for substance abuse counselors is great in all three areas of service. The population of Native Americans migrating to the areas is increasing annually. The local facilities that help with evaluation and referral are primarily non-native and are intimidating financially and racially to many natives seeking services. SDUIH Substance Abuse program is aware of these factors and the program helps the native population in seeking and getting the help necessary.
back to behavioral health
or to mental health
