Kick It California (KIC), formerly the California Smokers' Helpline, is a statewide counseling/coaching service operated through UCSD Moores Cancer Center. The program was established in 1992 and currently provides telephone-based cessation services in English and Spanish for all California residents, and through the Asian Smokers' Quitline, counseling/coaching in Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Korean, and Vietnamese for the whole country (N=30,000 enrollees/year).

The Helpline became the first in the nation to offer free, telephone-based services for tobacco users wanting to quit. This program has served as a model for similar services that are now available in all 50 states. Since its inception, KIC has provided free, personalized and confidential services to Californians from diverse communities throughout the state. KIC also provides training and technical assistance to a wide variety of organizations throughout California to increase their capacity in tobacco cessation, including health professionals working in tobacco control, public health, health education, behavioral health, health care, and health system administration. In addition to telephone based coaching, KIC also offers several technology-based interventions including texting, chat, mobile app, and videos.

KIC serves a range of tobacco users and non- tobacco users from varying ethnic, socioeconomic and psychiatric health backgrounds and includes populations such as teens, American Indians, LGBTQ tobacco users, tobacco users with mental health conditions, First 5 clients (pregnant tobacco users and smokers living with children 0-5), nonsmoking family members and friends of smokers (proxies) and those using e- cigarettes and vaping nicotine.

KIC is renowned for its quality intervention research that has consisted of large, randomized trials testing various counseling/coaching protocols designed to help tobacco users quit. These trials have repeatedly proven the effectiveness of the standard telephone counseling protocol as well as more targeted protocols such as for pregnant smokers, teens, and Asian- language speakers. KIC has also been the setting for conducting research on novel interventions such as using financial incentives to increase counseling adherence among low income smokers, helping smokers quit through intervention with non- smokers, or determining the role of nicotine replacement therapy in helping smokers quit.

KIC plans to expand services to offer cannabis cessation to both youth and adults in California. Initial plans for expansion are to provide cannabis cessation through an existing KIC program, Youth Vaping Alternative Program Education (YVAPE).

The Coaching Services & Clinical Lead is a licensed mental health clinician who will serve as the project manager for KIC's expansion to cannabis cessation. The Coaching Services & Clinical Lead will apply behavioral change theory with an in-depth understanding of the modification of addictive behaviors in the Quitline setting. The Coaching Services & Clinical Lead will serve as a project manager for the cannabis cessation project and oversee all aspects of implementation, evaluation, and quality assurance. This position is under the general direction of the Clinical Director and the Coaching Services & Clinical Lead will work closely with the Project Manager for YVAPE.

Under general direction from KIC's Clinical Director, the Coaching Services & Clinical Lead will: 1) Assist with creation, evaluation, and quality assurance of cannabis cessation protocol for youth; 2) Assist with client recruitment and liaison with outside organizations that refer clients to our cannabis cessation services; 3) Maintain a clinical caseload, provide clinical consultation to Helpline coaches and supervisors; 4) Provide triage, emergency care and consultation; 5) Supervise risk management/crisis intervention and mandated reporting for KIC clients; 6) Assist with hiring, training and consultation for clinical staff; 7) Help develop, manage, assess and maintain coaching and tech-based cessation interventions for tobacco smoking, nicotine vaping, other tobacco products, and cannabis; 8) Offer technical assistance and training for medical and behavioral health care providers as needed; 9) Assist with creating clinically related psychoeducational and promotional materials and preparing scholarly works for presentation or publication; 10) Contribute to the conceptualization, design, implementation, and monitoring of intervention studies.

Specialized knowledge of industry standards for teen and young adult cannabis cessation intervention and behavioral health care is required. Knowledge of adult cannabis cessation intervention and tobacco cessation (across the lifespan) as well as knowledge of technology-based behavior change interventions is preferred.

• Advanced degree in Psychology, Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, or related area and/or equivalent experience/training.

• A valid California license as a mental health provider (Psychologist, LMFT, LCSW, or LPCC).

• Thorough knowledge and understanding of clinical counseling principles, methods, procedures, and standards.

• Thorough knowledge of legal and ethical issues related to patients' rights.

• Ability to evaluate the progress of therapeutic approach and modify as necessary.

• Ability to develop and present educational programs and / or workshops.

• Highly effective problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

• Ability to work in a highly collaborative manner with a diverse client group.

• Highly effective verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.

• Knowledge of business software and specialized applications / systems used in behavioral health settings.

• Demonstrated ability to use good clinical judgment and professional boundaries when assessing, counseling and consulting.

• Demonstrated skill in analyzing, planning and implementing clinical interventions based on knowledge of theory of human behavior.

• Demonstrated skill in the management of serious incidents including suicide intervention and mandated reporting.

• Strong demonstrated ability to use evidence based therapeutic techniques (or advanced empirical knowledge) to treat cannabis use disorder and those with co-morbid depression, anxiety and other mental health and substance use disorders.

• Demonstrated ability to lead groups and manage projects of varying levels of complexity.

• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with behavior change for teens and young adults in a therapeutic setting.

• Demonstrated skill and ability to effectively and competently work from a broad definition of diversity; to think logically and to choose creative and compassionate clinical interventions without undue influence from personal bias or stereotype.

• Solid experience in assessing clients and determining appropriate therapeutic approach in consultation with other behavioral health professionals as appropriate.

• Strong demonstrated ability to use evidence based therapeutic techniques to treat tobacco use disorder and those with co-morbid depression, anxiety and other mental health and substance use disorders.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate in English and one other service language offered at the Helpline (Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Vietnamese), both orally and in writing, in a clear, effective and culturally-competent manner to serve the counseling, case management and referral needs of clients from various backgrounds.

• Experience with tele-health and tech-based interventions.

• Specific knowledge of intervention strategies for the change of addictive behaviors for tobacco users, including teens, American Indians, First 5 populations, LGBTQ smokers, smokers with behavioral health conditions and non-smoking family members or friends of smokers (proxies).

• Demonstrated experience in telephone-based smoking cessation programs and tobacco research.

• Demonstrated interest in and knowledge of research design, IRB approval processes and program evaluation.

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.

• Must have flexibility to work evenings and occasional weekends as needed.

• Must have reliable transportation to go to community meetings and events.