Addictions and Community Service Workers serve in social service agencies supporting youth, families, older adults, and programs for addiction, violence, and mental health.
Reeves College’s 44-week program, recognized by the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CACCF), offers comprehensive training in psychology, pharmacology, ethics, and communication to prepare you for a meaningful career in the field.
During training, you will gain skills in case management, crisis intervention, and community resources, plus earn First Aid, CPR-C, and Non-Violent Crisis Intervention certifications.
An 8-week, 300-hour, field placement provides hands-on experience, and you may apply to the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CACCF) for AAC (Associate Addictions Counsellor) status during or after the program.
Upon graduation, you will become eligible to take the CCAC certification exam and be job-ready for addictions counsellor and support roles.
Practicum Prerequisites
Note: The existence of a criminal record may result in a candidate being denied acceptance by a work experience site.
Certifications Received
Gain practical, career-focused training through courses designed to prepare you for real-world roles.
SSS4
Student Success Strategies
Students will gain a better understanding of themselves through an exploration of their personal attributes, transferable skills and learning styles. This course will introduce techniques for time, conflict, and stress management and develop interpersonal communication skills. Fundamental study and motivation skills will be covered, preparing students to excel in their program of choice.
PCG4
Psychology
This subject provides the student with a basic knowledge and understanding of psychological concepts that can be applied in the subjects that follow. Subjects include Introduction to Psychology, History of Psychology, Biology and Behaviour, States of Consciousness, Learning, Developmental Psychology, Motivation and Emotion, Psychological Disorders, Therapies, and more.
CFMO
Case File Management & Report Writing
This subject deals with preparing social work-related written reports to communicate the progress of a client. The student will be introduced to various methods of recording information, along with the requirements for various entries to a file within the parameters of legal and ethical requirements. Basic computer skills are further developed through a series of assignments. Topics include reasons for record-keeping, the mechanics of recording and dictating, summary recording, confidentiality: physically safeguarding case records, general rules around documenting, case conference process, and more.
ITP4
Introduction to Intake Procedures and Treatment Planning
This course focuses on developing students’ understanding
of the intake and planning processes. Our graduates work in
a broad range of settings across social services and
therefore encounter of a wide variety of standardized and in-house
intake and psychometric tools. This course centers on developing
portable and hands-on skills in interviewing and planning so that our
graduates have a solid practical basis from the start.
CMFO
Communications Fundamentals
This subject provides a comprehensive study of effective communication skills and techniques the student will use both professionally and personally. The subject will sharpen skills to work effectively in a professional helping relationship. Students will also learn how to conduct an effective job search and how to continue their development as an Addictions Worker. Topics include human communication, perception and self, language, non-verbal communication, public communication, organization and support, presenting your message, informative speaking, persuasive speaking, understanding and improving interpersonal relationships, and more.
ECR4
Ethics [ECR4]
This subject is designed to provide the student with a framework in which to view helping functions and related skills in a systematic manner. The subject concentrates on the helper’s task of becoming a more aware and effective person. The emphasis is on empowering others to help themselves through the development of communication and coping skills. Topics include reasons for students seeking a career in the helping profession; practical strategies for ensuring quality experiences in fieldwork and supervision stages of the helping process; common problems at work in regards to resistance, transference, counter transference and difficult clients; ethical awareness and learning for helpers; value and belief systems of helpers; one’s role in the community as a helper; stress and burnout; and more.
GFC4
Group Facilitation Concepts [GFC4]
This subject will provide the student with an overview of the nature of group work in a social service setting and an opportunity to explore relevant techniques and exercises designed to enhance group work. Topics include the role of techniques; getting groups established; and techniques for the initial, transition, working, and final stage.
CRNO
Community Resources & Networking [CRNO]
The goal of an Addictions Worker is to accurately assess the client’s needs and provide the most appropriate referral in an ethical manner. This subject establishes a framework to assess needs and explores the various services available in the community. This is accomplished by guiding the student through a series of assignments to enhance evaluation skills and knowledge. Topics include learning about various community resources in the local community, addiction treatment centres, the John Howard Society, the Elizabeth Fry Society, correctional facilities, multicultural organizations, detox centres, assessment centres, local counselling services, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and more.
IVW4
Interviewing Techniques [IVW4]
This subject will assist the student to define communication skills and demonstrate how to use them effectively in many types of situations. A group of core communication skills is essential to any interview, whether it takes place in counselling, nursing, social work, personnel work, or information gathering. Topics include introduction to structured and unstructured interviewing; focusing and following; effective inquiry; reflective feeling; reflecting content; developing an individualized style; communicating feeling and immediacy; confrontation skills and enlisting cooperation; self-disclosing; information giving; structuring for information and action; and more.
FOAO
Fundamentals of Addiction [FOAO]
This subject provides the foundation for further in-depth subjects in the study of addiction. The basic pharmacological nature and effects of a range of psychoactive chemicals are presented with an emphasis on challenging the myths of which chemicals cost society the most in terms of economic costs and social burden of human suffering. Specific target populations are explored, focusing on women, children, adolescents, ethnic minorities, elderly, the disabled, and those suffering from mental illness. Assessment, intervention strategies, and treatment options are presented along with the most common problems encountered during treatment.
PRMO
Fundamentals of Pharmacology [PRMO]
This subject provides basic drug information including the basic pharmacological nature and effects of a range of psychoactive chemicals. Students will build knowledge relating drug treatments/usage to various body systems and associated states of disease. Subjects include General Principles of Pharmacology; Drug Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion; Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Certain Drugs; Drugs and the Digestive System/Vitamins and Minerals; Conduction and Neurotransmission; and more.
PRVO
Preventive Health Promotion [PRVO]
The student is introduced to various health and relationship concerns that are relevant in chemically dependent individuals. The student will learn to evaluate the effectiveness of program delivery and begin to create new ideas for promoting healthier lifestyle choices within a range of settings and diverse populations.
RPIO
Relapse Prevention & Intervention [RPIO]
This subject will provide the student with an understanding of relapse as a natural part of the recovery process. The student will study a range of strategies and techniques to assist in minimizing and preventing the effects of prolonged periods of relapse during the journey of recovery. Students are guided through the entire relapse process by considering the application of some basic principles introduced in the Centre for Applied Behavioural Research (CENAPS) Model of Treatment.
SCTO
Secondary Traumatic Stress [SCTO]
Secondary traumatic stress results from helping or wanting to help a traumatized or suffering person. Students will gain insight into their personal strengths and weaknesses and will explore methods to prevent/reduce secondary traumatic stress. Topics include the Definition of Secondary Traumatic Stress and Stress Disorders; Counter Transference and Burnout; Self-Care for Trauma Counsellors; Vicarious Traumatisation; The Importance of the Professional Peer Group; Personal Sorting Styles; Ethical Issues Associated with Secondary Trauma in Counsellors; Moderating Secondary Traumatic Stress Through; Administrative and Policy Action; and more.
WFM4
Working with Families [WFM4]
This subject will provide students with an overview of how addiction can impact the family unit. Understanding the family reaction is critical to providing caring support to the recovering addict and their loved ones. A recovery program that does not address issues of co-dependency may increase the likelihood of persistent patterns of relapse for both the addict and their family.
HRPO
High Risk Populations [HRPO]
This course is designed to give students a cursory understanding of the most common high risk populations in Canada. Students must also be aware that this course cannot provide a completely comprehensive understanding of each group. It is intended simply to provide a base level of knowledge, an expanded frame of reference, and practical understanding of how to begin working with these groups in a manner that is respectful and effective. During this course, students will learn about cultural context in general and more specifically, how that understanding is applied to each group from a front line perspective. Additionally, students will learn most common defining traits and relevant statistical information for each group and how to show respect to that group when working with them. Towards this end, the instructor will combine lecture with class discussion, assignments, videos, and speakers to help deepen their understanding of these various populations within the human services field.
YOU4
Youth Issues [YOU4]
This course is designed to give students an overview of the issues that our youth are facing in today’s society. The course looks at three general areas of concern related to youth issues. The first part of the course is aimed at describing what is meant by at-risk and who these at-risk youth are. This is essential in order to better understand what the common risk factors that contribute to youth becoming at risk are. Secondly, the student will learn about the different at-risk categories in order to explore the various issues and problems. Finally, the course will look at the different intervention, prevention, and treatment strategies or models.
SSW113O
Community Service Worker Certificates [SSW113O]
In this module, students earn the three external certificates bundled into their program:
Instruction will be provided by certified trainers in these specialties. Typically, the trainers will be College staff, but external trainers may also be used when that is expedient.
CES4
Career and Employment Strategies [CES4]
This course builds on the skills learned in the Student Success Strategies course or its equivalent. It provides information on how to use the communication skills learned in order to make a successful presentation to a prospective employer. Students also learn how to uncover the hidden job market and identify employment opportunities. Self-assessment during this course allows students to identify their personal skills that are transferable to the workplace and to describe these skills to a prospective employer. Students may be videotaped during a mock interview and will participate in the analysis of their performance in the “interview”.
AB-ACW-PR
Work Experience [AB-ACW-PR]
This program includes eight weeks (300 hours) of practicum.
Students must meet ALL of the following criteria:
Students who have received their high school diploma outside of Canada must have their transcripts evaluated through International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) or World Education Services (WES) to be eligible for admission to the program.
Students must meet ALL of the following criteria:
International applicants must meet the following English language proficiency requirements:
Additional requirements include official transcripts, proof of financial support, a valid study permit, and other documentation as specified by the college.
Reeves College alumni are building rewarding careers as Addictions Support Workers, Community Service Workers, and Community Support Workers.
I learned lots of new things, met great people...it gave me more knowledge and experience to be successful out in the workforce.
Study Addictions and Community Services Worker to develop in-demand skills, open new opportunities, and launch your future.
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