Community Support Worker: Addictions & Mental Health Specialization

This module is aimed to help students develop the competency to make decisions and take action on a wide variety of situations in the social services. A strong grasp of ethics enables them to think critically in considering the balance between professional behaviour and a client's best interest.

This module educates students in the complex phenomenon of drug addiction—from the causes, types, risk factors, scope, to its consequences. It introduces the concepts of harm reduction and abstinence—two points of view that play an important role in addressing addiction.

This module can be considered a supplement to the addictions module. Leaning more towards substance addiction, this module explores the biochemical aspect of addictions in order to solidify the students' understanding of how drugs affect the brain and the body.

The module is designed to educate students to fundamental concepts about mental illness—the rationale behind identification, sign and symptom recognition, and familiarization with some of the most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses among vulnerable clients. Though this module isn't geared to teach students the diagnosis of mental illness, early detection may help alleviate the distress on impacted individuals.

This module aims to raise awareness on the phenomenon of intergenerational trauma that resulted from the Residential School system and the sixties scoop—harrowing experiences that torment present-day Aboriginal Canadian survivors. This module blends knowledge with advocacy/taking action towards the process of reconciliation and healing as put forward by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The intake/interview is one of the building blocks of client work. Possessing a solid understanding of a client's circumstances lays the foundation for a solid assessment later on. This module blends theoretical knowledge with role-playing exercises in order to augment student learning.

The ‘problem-solving’ phase of client work, this module teaches the students a logical approach to going about the process. Similar to interviewing skills, it blends theoretical knowledge with role-playing sessions to reinforce understanding. Knowledge from interviewing skills is also applicable to this module; however, assessments emphasize working on a client's concerns.

Case management is a vital process that, at some point, the support worker will have to conduct. Support workers are motivated to help; this module teaches them the specific processes involved in it: documentation, collaboration, care plan implementation, and follow-up.

A client's first step towards positive change can be a life-changing step for them. Keeping them on the path towards continued positive change is another aspect that a support worker may need to help a client with. A person in recovery may be at-risk for a relapse, given the right timing of certain distressing circumstances. This module educates students on the basic premises of a relapse, its risk factors, and preventive measures that can be taken to decrease its likelihood.

Social service work can be a daunting task. If a support worker isn't mindful of their professional boundaries and limitations, the risk of developing apathetic and unsupportive attitudes increases. This module teaches students the importance of balancing their professional competency with self-care. Limit-setting and assertiveness are also discussed here.

Industry-standard certifications in British Columbia for FoodSafe Level 1, First Aid with CPR Level C, and Suicide Prevention are required for this program.

This course provides information on how to use the communication skills in order to make a successful presentation to a prospective employer. Self-assessment during this course allows students to identify their personal skills.