Social Worker - Drug Alcohol and Addiction

Monash Health is a great place to work

Monash Health is Victoria’s largest and most comprehensive health service. For more than 170 years, Monash Health and its predecessors have provided safe, high-quality healthcare and service for people at every life stage. 

To see first-hand what our colleagues think about working here, take a look at the following short videos: monashhealth.org/careers.

Embark on a rewarding career and be part of a team where your dedication makes a difference in people’s lives.

About the Role:

Join our team as a Social Worker – Drug, Alcohol & Addiction on a full time, ongoing basis to work within The Monash Health Drug & Alcohol Service (MHDAS) through the Mental Health Program.

Working Monday to Friday, you will be working from Thomas Street in Dandenong and the the principle catchment areas are the Cities of Greater Dandenong, Casey and the Shire of Cardinia with sites located in Dandenong, Pakenham, Cranbourne and Berwick. 

The incumbent will be supporting young people within both the Youth Outreach Drug and Alcohol Program and the Youth Housing and Accommodation Program. The role will consist of:

• Assisting with intake, specialised drug and alcohol assessment and evidence based therapeutic interventions to reduce the potential harms associated with their substance use and be able to provide individual counselling, group work and assertive outreach in their role.
• A case load of clients as negotiated with the Community Service Manager of the Drug and Alcohol Services at Dandenong and will work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders to meet the needs of young people presenting to this service. 

About Us:

Employing multidisciplinary clinicians across these wide ranging services including Peer Workers with lived experience, the service employs approximately 75 EFT staff and budget of approximately $7 million. We provide a wide range of services including:

• Community Residential Withdrawal
• Primary Health Clinic
• Needle Syringe Program – fixed site, outreach and syringe dispensing machines
• Mobile Overdose Response & Mobile Drug Safety
• Proactive Overdose Response Initiative & Naloxone Subsidy
• Aboriginal Metropolitan ‘Ice’ Partnership
• Youth Supported Accommodation and Youth Outreach
• Peer Led Network trials and
• Assessment, Counselling and Non-residential withdrawal

About You:

• To ensure your success in this role you will bring the following demonstrated skills, experience and knowledge:
• Communicate information and expectations clearly and concisely in a way that builds effective and collaborative working relationships with others.
• Promote a culture of innovation, education, excellence and consumer/client first focus, through policies and practices that support and recognise individual and collective team contribution.
• Exhibit a high level of emotional self-control and flexibility in complex, changing, and/or ambiguous situations and when confronted with challenges
• Maintain and foster relationships with appropriate internal and external stakeholders.
• Sound knowledge of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 and other Acts/legislation relevant to working with children, young people and adults in a mental health and/or AOD setting (as relevant to service).
• Demonstrated effective stakeholder engagement skills, including the capacity to engage with multidisciplinary teams within a mental health and /or AOD setting.
• Demonstrated high level of interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills and experience of working with a range of internal and external stakeholders and partners.
• Demonstrated time management skills including an ability to effectively organise the workload with competing priorities, limited resources and the complexities of multiple site communications and service delivery within a matrix style organisation.
• Sound knowledge of the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce 2013.

Mandatory requirements of the role:

• A current qualification as a Social Worker
• Minimum of 2 years’ clinical experience in a relevant clinical area.

In Return

• ADO once a month
• Clinical and Operational Supervision Structures
• Professional Development Opportunities
• Supportive of further education and provide opportunities to attend training and conferences

For a confidential discussion and to explore the opportunity further, please call Hariklia Gritzalis on 0409 748 153.

Position Description can be found here and here.

We recognise the value of equal employment opportunity. We are committed to patient safety, promoting fairness, equity and diversity in the workplace and to Child Safe Standards. At Monash Health we are relentless in our pursuit of excellence and work to our six guiding principles and our five ICare values.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted via the Monash Health online EHub system. For information including how to apply and probity check requirements, please click here for the ‘Application Guide’

Applications will be screened upon receipt and selection activity may commence prior to the closing date. 

Applications close: 14 March 2025