About the business and the role

Bendigo Community Health Services has cared for the health and wellbeing of the Bendigo community for more than 40 years.  The success of BCHS starts with our staff.  A high level of professionalism and dedication allows BCHS to deliver quality services for the community with a particular focus on the vulnerable and disadvantaged.  As an organisation that employs more than 200 people across a broad range of services, you will find working at Bendigo Community Health Services challenging and rewarding.  We offer the chance for you to make a real difference to those directly in your care and the community in general.  Work-life balance and health and well-being is important in today’s busy lifestyle and we have a Staff Health and Well-being Program to take care of that. Added benefits of a career in the community health sector include training programs, flexible working conditions, salary packaging and study assistance.  Does this sound like somewhere you would like to work?  The next chapter in your career story awaits …

The Role of the Team 

The non-residential AOD team sits within the broader AOD programs and services portfolio alongside the clinical programs including residential withdrawal program (Nova House), community-based withdrawal program and pharmacotherapy services. In turn, AOD services are a portfolio of the Wellbeing, Inclusion and Independence team which also includes Settlement Services and Cultural Diversity projects.  

The current programs within the non-residential AOD team include: 

• Needle Syringe Program 
• Mobile Drug Safety
• Care and Recovery Coordination 
• AOD Counselling including Forensic Counselling
• Family Support Worker 
• Initial Assessment and Care Planning 
• AOD Family Violence Advisor.

Staff within these programs provide a broad range of support to highly marginalised individuals and families as well as at risk communities. The suite of services covers initial contact, brief interventions, longer term therapeutic and clinical supports, information, harm reduction education and referral into treatment services both internally and externally. Targeted service users often have very limited engagement with services therefore care plans need to be flexible and individually responsive. Individuals and families being supported by the AOD team receive an integrated response, which addresses their priority needs. 

Position Role 

The Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Care and Recovery Coordination (CRC) Support Worker role is responsible for working with consumers to coordinate their treatment, planning and care in accordance with their recovery goals. The role engages consumers in a thorough and comprehensive assessment of their needs developing a responsive recovery plan that addresses both short to long term goals. The position will support the development of integrated treatment pathways for community members assessed as being complex and who often require support through Bendigo Community Health Services (BCHS) Residential Withdrawal Program.  

Tailored activities for individuals or groups will be supported through intra and interagency collaboration. The CRC Support Worker is located within the Non-Residential AOD Services team however will work closely with the Residential and Community-based withdrawal team. Key to the role’s success is the ability to work collaboratively with consumers, their families and external stakeholders, to achieve optimum outcomes from pre-care to post-treatment. 

The role includes .4 Family Drug Support whereby the successful applicant will work closely with the withdrawal unit in providing support to families and loved ones 1:1 (brief intervention) and Family Drug Support Group (Connect) co-facilitation. 

Position Responsibilities 

The responsibilities of the position are: 

• Deliver care coordination to high needs complex consumers.  
• Deliver pre-treatment supports and undertake meaningful comprehensive assessments. Develop responsive individual recovery plans that address consumer needs and priorities.  
• Respond to the needs of priority and marginalised community groups. 
• Provide supported referrals to other AOD treatment services and to other community sector programs. 
• Liaise with other treatment providers to ensure treatment and recovery planning is current and reflects the individual’s journey ensuring continuity of care.   
• Deliver information, advice and brief interventions (individual and group) that engages motivational interviewing and relapse prevention strategies.  
• Undertake discharge planning, recording goals/outcomes achieved and post-treatment goals.  
• Deliver assertive follow-up and provide AOD treatment re-engagement opportunities as appropriate.  
• Build sustainable intra and inter agency connections and networks that meet the holistic needs of consumers and family members with particular attention to dependent children. 
• Proactively monitor and report on priority waitlist.  
• Collect, collate and report consumer engagement against programmatic expectations and role key performance indicators.  
• Facilitate or co-facilitate AOD group work as require. 
• Provide proactive community outreach supports.  
• Undertake other duties and functions as directed, commensurate with current level of skills and classification. 
• Support Family and loved ones with brief intervention and co-facilitation of the ‘Connect’ Family Drug Support Group.   

Key Selection Criteria 

Essential

1. A tertiary qualification in a related area of health and/or community services. 
2. Experience in the provision of assessment and brief intervention services within the Alcohol and Other Drugs sector. 
3. Proven ability to effectively work with people and families experiencing disadvantage from alcohol and other drug use in a respectful, compassionate, and positive manner. 
4. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work as a member of a multidisciplinary team. 
5. A personal commitment to promoting equality, diversity and human rights in all aspects of service delivery and the ability to work with a range of people and organisations. 
6. An ability to demonstrate and display the values of Bendigo Community Health Services. 
7. Strong record keeping skills and solid understanding of Microsoft Office tools. 
8. Demonstrated ability to develop responsive care plans and the ability to be self-directed. 
9. Demonstrated understanding of community-based interventions for reducing alcohol and drug related harm. 
10. A current Drivers Licence. 
11. Ability to provide vaccination information that meets the requirements for healthcare workers. 

Desirable

1. MARAM and Family Violence training and professional development 
2. A Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs or have completed the Alcohol and Other Drugs core competencies or able to complete within the first twelve months of employment. 

For further information about the position contact Jan Dunlop on 5406 1514.

Applications addressing the Key Selection Criteria should be emailed to [email protected] by 4pm Sunday 13th November 2022.