Inside Addictions Work: Exploring Roles and Responsibilities

Inside Addictions Work: Exploring Roles and Responsibilities

The support of a compassionate individual is needed to guide and nurture individuals facing challenges related to substance abuse or addictive behaviours. Let’s take a look into the traits of an Addictions Worker in Canada.

What is an Addictions Worker?

Addictions workers provide support and care with recovery to individuals who are struggling with mental and physical problems but are unable to overcome these on their own due to restrictive measures. They provide support through an understanding of the individual's needs and wants. Clients may struggle with addiction (tobacco, gambling, drugs, alcohol, etc.), eating disorders, and substance abuse.

Responsibilities of Addictions Workers

Addictions workers are tasked with assessing clients struggling with drugs, disorders, and addictions who need support with recovery. To succeed with recovery, addiction workers evaluate the clients' strengths to understand where they can first succeed with recovery to help promote forward progress. Addictions workers also determine where the client needs the most support and guide them toward a path of recovery.

Some responsibilities and daily tasks that an addictions worker may perform are:

• Reviewing client background to complete mental and physical health assessments to assess the level of risk of the client
• Maintain and update the progress records and documents of clients and identify future intervention plans based on the current outcomes
• Support clients with the implementation of workshops as well as providing emergency services when required
• Adhere to processes of documentation, treatment planning, referral, and consultation of the health system standards in Canada

Core Competencies/skills of Addictions Workers

Addictions Workers require a great deal of interpersonal skills to be successful in assisting clients. Oftentimes, their clients may not be in a state in which they are willing to change or adapt to new situations. Some skills that addictions workers require are:

Communication

The most important skill for an addictions worker is communication. Verbal communication is a key factor in developing trust with the client, with the most effective technique being active listening. This is the process of listening and responding that improves mutual understanding. This can be done through maintaining eye contact, being attentive, and asking open-ended questions.

Conflict Resolution

Understanding the proper path to resolving conflict requires critical thinking when working with someone who may not have the full mental capacity to realize the situation. The client may be having conflicts with themselves, the addictions worker, the environment they’re in, substances, or family. Assisting clients resolve conflicts includes developing plans of action and implementing the plan in a way that supports the client.

Emotional Intelligence

Addictions workers must be able to perceive social cues that the client may display. In addition, they should display empathy, putting themselves in the shoes of the client to understand the situation. This allows them to establish trust with the client and allows for further emotional support and counseling. Proper understanding of emotions allows addictions workers to effectively perceive what support the client may need.

Location

Addictions workers can be located at a variety of different rehabilitation and health centres. Some of these include:

• Community Mental Health Centres & Rehabilitation Centres
• Nursing and Residential care
• Youth Centres
• Safehouses
• Advocacy Groups
• Community Food and Housing Centres

Services are also provided online through Canada.ca.

How Much do Addictions Workers Make in Canada?

Based on a labour force survey documented by Job Bank Canada, as of January 2024, the average salary for an Addictions Worker is roughly $50,294 annually, which evens to about $24.18 an hour. In this survey, the average high salary was $35/hr, with the low being $17.25/hr. Across the country, the average salary for this occupation is high, which makes for a stable position for any aspiring student to strive towards.

Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation

The Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation is a non-profit organization that has certified thousands of addiction counsellors across Canada. The CACCF monitors and maintains the competency of addiction counsellors in Canada. They strive to offer credible certifications to addiction specific counsellors in Canada using internationally recognized effective practices. In addition, they provide opportunities to schedule appointments with an addiction counsellor. Their mission is to make an impact and protect the public through providing addiction crediting domestically and internationally.

Conclusion

Get started with our course: Mental Health and Addictions Support Worker Certificate here. This course provides entry-level competencies for the field of mental health. Students will cover essential treatments and explore health promotion, prevention, and harm reduction in Canada. As CACCF accredited course, Graduates of the Mental Health and Addictions Support Worker Certificate will satisfy the education requirements to become a Canadian Certified Addiction Counsellor (CCAC) or an International Certified Alcohol and Drug Counsellor (ICADC). Up to 120 hours from studies will also count toward the clinical supervision time required for certification. Get hands-on experience during the practicum, allowing you to work with professionals in the field.