Island Health·Nanaimo, British Columbia
Provide non-medical withdrawal management care and general care services in a detoxification and supportive recovery setting.
Review, triage, and accept/deny referrals; manage bed booking.
Facilitate supportive and educational groups.
Conduct individual assessments.
Support admission/discharge of clients.
Provide supportive counselling and assist with daily living activities.
Observe and monitor clients; supervise clients dealing with substance misuse.
Engage regularly with clients on the waitlist and referring agents to ensure clear communication and understanding of expectations, processes, and discharge planning.
Role model healthy lifestyle behaviours and demonstrate healthy lifestyle choices.
Complete required documentation.
Continuously improve quality and safety in accordance with Island Health values and strategic direction
Close Date Location Clearview Detox Centre (CDC) - Nanaimo, BC V9R 6N5 CA (Primary) Work Area (FBA Only) Multi-Site No Travel Requirement No travel required Shift Start Time/End Time as required, 0700-1905/0900-2100/1900-0705 Days Off As required Vacancy Type Casual Salary Range (Hourly Rate) $33.49 - $35.31 Paid FTE n/a Worked BI-WEEKLY HOURS n/a Planned Start Date Sep. 1 2026 Approximate End Date (For Temporary Assignments ONLY) Pending Return of Incumbent No CRC required? (employee will be working with or have access to children or vulnerable adults and requires a Criminal Record Check) Yes
In accordance with the Vision, Purpose, and Values, and strategic direction of the Vancouver Island Health Authority (Island Health) patient and staff safety is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone; as such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position. Reporting to the Coordinator or designate, the Addictions and Recovery Worker provides all service aspects of non-medical withdrawal management care including a variety of general care services, review, triage, and acceptance/denial of referrals, bed booking, group facilitation, individual assessment, admission/discharge of clients, supportive counselling, daily living activities, and supervision of clients dealing with substance misuse, in a detoxification and supportive recovery setting. Observes and monitors clients, role models and demonstrates healthy lifestyle behaviours; and completes documentation. The worker will engage regularly with clients on the waitlist and referring agents, and is responsible for ensuring clear communication and understanding on expectations, processes, discharge planning, etc. Travel may be a requirement of this position. Transportation arrangements must meet the operational requirements of Island Health in accordance with the service assignment and may require the use of a personal vehicle.
Post-secondary certification in addiction counselling (or equivalent) plus two years' recent related experience (or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience).
Working knowledge of chemical dependency.
Basic knowledge of community resources.
First Aid and CPR certification.
Food Safe Certificate.
Certificate in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI) within first three months of employment.
Valid BC Driver's License required for certain positions as determined by operational requirements.
Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
Ability to deal with seriously addicted and mentally ill clients and their families.
Ability to observe and recognize behavioural and/or health status changes in clients.
Ability to facilitate supportive and educational groups.
Ability to set and maintain boundaries.
Ability to work independently and in collaboration with others.
Ability to organize and prioritize own workload.
Conflict resolution and crisis intervention skills.
Ability to operate related equipment and software programs such as word processing and spreadsheet applications.
Criminal Record Check required (CRC required)
Market context
In British Columbia, addictions and recovery roles are commonly tied to community health, outreach, and residential support settings, where demand is shaped by ongoing need for substance-use and mental-health services. This role is competitive because employers often look for both formal addiction-counselling training and recent hands-on experience, along with practical credentials like First Aid, CPR, and sometimes a valid BC Driver’s License. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits on this platform to save time, then confirm your certification, experience, and local resource knowledge match the posting before applying.