Drug Addiction Workers
Job description
These individuals help people struggling with addiction and those at risk of developing an addiction. They aim to improve their quality of life and well-being. They assess the profile, situation, and physical and mental health of these people. They recommend various treatment options adapted to their needs. They design and lead educational workshops on different types of addiction (drugs, alcohol, gambling, internet addiction, etc.) and their harmful effects. They work for:
- Government agencies and community organizations
- Medical clinics
- Youth centres
- Therapy centres and safe houses
Environment
- Controlled ambient temperature
- Violence
Main tasks
- Establish the history of the person struggling with addiction issues.
- Evaluate individual and environmental resources, limitations, and risk factors, using a psychosocial approach.
- Establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship with the person.
- Conduct regular check-ins with clients in therapy centres during the treatment period.
- Intervene in the event of episodes of severe intoxication or withdrawal.
- Understand the various effects of psychotropic drugs, the contexts in which they are used, and the profile of those who are at risk.
- Take part in prevention and awareness activities with groups of individuals of every age.
- Write progress notes and maintain files up to date.
Advancement and mobility
Experience and additional training enable these individuals to move into a variety of positions (marriage or family therapists, social workers, probation officers, etc.).
Training and requirements
Formation
Sometimes required
- Experience in social services as a volunteer or in support services may be a substitute for educational requirements for certain occupations.
- Training in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may be required.
- Certification or diploma related to the duties of the position or industry is often required.
- A Class 5 driver's licence may be required.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Active listening
- Oral expression
- Social perception
- Critical thought
- Data collection
- Service oriented
- Reading comprehension
- Judgment and decision-making
- Solving complex problems
- Result evaluation
- Persuasion
- Negotiation
- Teaching
- Coordination
- Information processing
- Written expression
- Time management
- Active learning
- Learning strategies
- System analysis
- Systems evaluation
Abilities
- Speech recognition
- Awareness of issues
- Oral comprehension
- Verbal skills
- Deductive reasoning
- Speech clarity
- Written comprehension
- Inductive reasoning
- Auditory attention
- Near vision
- Selective attention
- Hearing sensitivity
- Idea generation
- Written expression
- Classification
- Originality
- Information organization
- Time sharing
- Colour perception and distinction
- Visualization
- Memorization
Knowledge and attributes
- Capacity to establish and maintain interpersonal relations
- Capacity to influence and mobilize
- Capacity to adapt
- Capacity to work in a team
- Capacity to be discrete
- Availability
- Capacity to facilitate a group
- Open-mindedness
- Knowledge of psychology
- Knowledge of therapy and counselling
Interests
- Draft, communicate, and inform
- Watch, defend, and secure
- Assist and advise
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
Appellation d’emploi liée (à traduire)
Social and community service workers (CNP 42201)
Skill type
Education, law and social, community and government services
Related occupations
- Career development practitioners and career counsellors (except education)
- Instructors of persons with disabilities
- Managers in social, community and correctional services
- Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment
- Social and community service workers
- Social workers
- Therapists in counselling and related specialized therapies
- drug addiction worker
- rehabilitation teacher
Last update: January 29, 2026