Who works in addictions treatment services? Some results from an Ontario survey.
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.
Ogborne
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AC
Prevention and Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, London, Ontario, Canada. alan.ogborne@sympatico.ca
Braun
K
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Schmidt
G
G
D002568:Certification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D009864:Ontario; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*