WHO WORKS IN ADDICTIONS TREATMENT SERVICES? SOME RESULTS FROM AN ONTARIO SURVEY^*

Abstract

This paper summarizes results from a survey of staff of specialized addiction treatment agencies in Ontario and includes information on demographic characteristics, education and related issues for those working in different types of agencies. Across all agencies 80% of staff had some sort of post secondary academic qualification and the majority reported taking professional development courses in the previous 12 months. However, only 20% of all respondents were “certified” as either an addictions counsellor or as another type of human service provider. There were differences within and between different agencies, and between respondents with and without administrative/supervisory responsibilities, with respect to education and certification status. Discussion concerns professionalization of the addiction treatment field, preparatory training for work in addictions treatment, and the generalizability of results. [Translations are provided in the International Abstracts Section of this issue.]

• Staffing
• Training
• Certification
• Quality Assurance

Notes

¹In Canada such certification can be obtained form the Addictions Intervention Association (AIA), a national agency founded in 1985 and currently affiliated with the US-based International Reciprocity Consortium (ICDC).

²For this paper the term “agency” is used to encompass distinctive units within multi-function agencies as well as distinctive agencies with a single function.