The School of Community and Health Studies offers the Addiction and Mental Health Worker program. It will help you acquire the education to work in mental health and addiction services using evidence-based knowledge and skills in screening, assessing, and responding to people with mental health and substance-use issues from diverse cultural and community perspectives.
In Addiction and Mental Health Work courses, you'll learn to work — in a variety of community health and human services settings such as mental health and addiction agencies, homeless drop-in centres and crisis service centres — with individuals, family members and small groups impacted by addiction and mental health issues. You'll also gain the knowledge to advocate for equitable access to supports and services including health promotion, prevention and harm reduction. The Addiction and Mental Health Work program has a commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous communities in Canada. As a result, courses will offer Indigenous perspectives to addiction and mental health work.
Classroom instruction will be combined with a second-year field placement experience during which you'll spend several days each week working with clients in social service agencies under the supervision of experienced service providers. You'll have the opportunity to work in interprofessional teams to gain direct experience providing support to clients and families through case management, assessment, referral and navigating systems of care. The practical experience you gain will help to reinforce classroom learning and provide grounding for full-time work after graduation.
Please Note: This program is taught using a combination of modalities. Courses may be delivered face-to-face, online or in blended/hybrid combination of both online and traditional classroom teaching.
Program Highlights
In the Addiction and Mental Health Worker program, you'll learn to:
- The Addiction and Mental Worker program curriculum is reviewed on an annual basis to ensure courses are current, relevant, and based on evidence-based research and best practices in the field.
- Program faculty members are all trained in addiction and mental health work and social work practice, and have extensive knowledge, expertise and field experience.
- During your two years in the program, you'll have the opportunity to obtain a Stackable Certificate in Indigenous Studies: First Peoples in Canada.
- Two specialized field placements will provide you with valuable opportunities to integrate classroom learning, knowledge and skills in professional practice. Facilitated two days per week in the third semester and four days per week in the fourth semester, these experiences may include a variety of settings (governmental services, community centres, settlement agencies, social service agencies, shelters, residential group homes, employment counselling agencies and educational institutions, among others).
- As an Addiction and Mental Health Worker student, you'll have the opportunity to apply for an Indigenous focused field placement. This placement is a full year placement and has a prerequisite to be enrolled in the Stackable Certificate in Indigenous Studies: First Peoples in Canada. The program has a history of strong partnerships with global organizations.
- You'll have the opportunity to engage in interprofessional collaboration and practice with other programs within the College community, such as Early Childhood Education, Police Foundations, and Community.
Career Outlook
- Case Manager
- Harm Reduction Worker
- Street Outreach Worker
- Short-term Crisis Bed Worker
- Community Health Support Worker
- Shelter Worker
- Residential Support Worker
- Drop-in Worker
- Supportive Housing Worker
- Peer Support Worker
- Addictions Case Worker
- Mental Health Support Worker
- Hostel Relief Worker
Education Pathways
Successful graduates of this Addiction and Mental Health Worker Diploma program have the opportunity to apply their credits toward further study at the degree level. Listed below are the degrees from partnering institutions available for this program.
Please note that each pathway has a specific minimum grade requirement in order to qualify for transferring credits, which are assessed by the partner institution.
Note: Student graduates are eligible for membership in the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW).
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