CTM Substance Use Caseworker in Porth

Service: CwmTaf Morgannwg

Location: Flexibility to work across all areas of Cwm Taf Morgannwg, where appropriate is essential.

Hours: Some evening and weekend work may be required to meet the need of the service.

Contract: Permanent, in line with funding.

THE SERVICE

The aims of CTM Substance Use Service are to engage people who use drugs or alcohol, and/or their concerned others, to access support to make positive life changes. This includes early intervention, engaging and assessing service users, needle exchange, brief interventions, outreach, training, case management, health promotion and harm reduction initiatives and recovery and aftercare services. Barod services are provided in a non-judgmental, non-discriminatory, and professional manner and in a way that demonstrates courtesy and respect for individuals using substances, and sensitivity to their unique personal situations and experiences.

ROLE PURPOSE

The role of the Substance Use Caseworker is to assess service user needs and subsequently plan and deliver structured treatment interventions in order to empower and support people to make positive lifestyle changes. They will work holistically with all service users on caseload, including those presenting with needs that require brief interventions and harm reduction support, through to service users requiring structured, comprehensive care planning. The role also engages with service users who are receiving medically assisted recovery programmes and aftercare support. The purpose is to provide harm reduction information, advice and guidance to improve the health and wellbeing of people who use our services (those who use substances and their loved ones and significant others). They also deliver recovery activities within CTM to support service users within their recovery journey to support them to move into long-term sustained recovery and community integration.

The role will support entry into the service by raising awareness of the effects of substance use, local trends and health harms across both adults, children and young people in Cwm Taf Morgannwg. They will proactively raise awareness with those at risk of harmful and hazardous substance use, including the consequences of use. They deliver training to the wider workforce within CTM to improve awareness of substance use issues and ensure professionals are aware of how to make appropriate and timely referrals when needed. This role also supports the Single Point of Contact system which accepts referrals into the treatment system.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Work alongside colleagues within the Integrated Substance Use System to deliver substance use interventions to people identified as having substance use needs.
• Collaborate with other agencies, including Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB, third sector agencies and local authority teams, to provide a holistic integrated substance use service.
• Engage service users in the CTDAS substance use treatment system.
• Deliver harm reduction initiatives including needle exchange, naloxone, and dried blood spot testing.
• Deliver evidence-based interventions in group-work settings and on a one-to-one basis to people who use substances and concerned others.
• Provide a range of interventions including crisis intervention and information regarding substance use and associated lifestyle behaviours that reduce the risk of overdose, reduce the spread of blood borne viruses, promote healthy living, and minimise the potential risks and impact of drug-related crime and disorder on the wider community.
• Conduct initial and comprehensive assessments and care planning in line with substances used.
• Undertake risk assessment and develop and review risk management plans that seek to mitigate identified risk.
• Devise, with service users and concerned others, individually tailored time-limited support plans based on a clear assessment of need.
• Offer flexible working environments including location, duration and frequency of appointments to respond to individual service user needs.
• Liaise with partner agencies to ensure seamless transitions between services in line with the service specification.
• Actively influence and support service users and concerned others in co-production and active participation in shaping service provision.
• Encourage involvement in mutual aid groups, peer-led recovery and service user groups.
• Provide structured relapse prevention support on a one-to-one basis and within group settings.
• Develop and deliver a range of treatment and support groups.
• Raise awareness of the harms associated with substance use and the effect on individuals, families and communities.
• Identify people who are at risk of harm from alcohol and drugs as early as possible and provide early intervention and/or prompt referral to services where needed.
• Train the wider workforce within Cwm Taf Morgannwg to improve general awareness of substance use issues and available services and referral routes and enable them to deliver brief interventions where appropriate.
• Using a service user led approach, provide a recovery service which includes peer led support, self-help and service user involvement.
• Promote the service and key messages to individuals, groups, communities, and other agencies via various communication channels, empowering them to make healthy choices.
• Deliver awareness sessions, workshops, and educational events in various settings for adults, children and young people.
• Develop, deliver and evaluate campaigns and awareness raising opportunities that will promote the work of the service to potential service users and other agencies.
• Use outreach to engage with children, young people and adults to allow early identification of substance use issues and prompt intervention as appropriate.
• Provide a targeted outreach service to individuals who are identified as underrepresented or underreported to encourage engagement with treatment services.
• Deliver a range of recovery interventions in group settings, including structured relapse prevention groups and diversionary activities.
• Assess and address new drug trends by actively seeking and promoting innovative harm reduction methods.
• Engage in screening and onward referral for Alcohol Related Brain Injury assessment, treatment and support.
• Develop, train, manage and motivate a team of service user volunteers and peers to provide high quality support and practical assistance.
• Assess and contribute towards the safeguarding and wellbeing of children and adults within the statutory obligations of the Social Services, Health and Wellbeing Act in line with organisational safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Enter data onto the case management system, and use the system effectively to inform work with service users and concerned others.
• Engage service users via open access on a rota basis.

Other Duties

• Contribute to the development and review of organisational policies and procedures as and when appropriate.
• Positively promote and represent Barod in the public/external arena including engaging with media.
• Adhere to all Barod policies and procedures.
• Ensure the undertaking of appropriate monitoring, review and evaluation procedures.
• Undertake appropriate administrative tasks.
• Co-operate with requests from Barod management and administration.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Ideally all of these requirements must be met by the candidate on appointment. However, in certain circumstances a candidate may be appointed who does not meet a particular requirement, provided that the shortfall can be made good in a reasonable time, and the candidate brings other skills, knowledge or experience which are valuable to the role and the organisation.

Qualifications and training

• Level 3 in Advice and Guidance (or equivalent) or willingness to work towards.

Experience in any of the following areas:

• Safeguarding
• Substance Awareness
• Harm Reduction
• Psychosocial Interventions

Role-related knowledge, skills & experience

• Ability to work effectively with people regardless of their ethnic, cultural, social backgrounds, gender, age, religious belief, disability, and sexual orientation.
• Previous experience of working within the substance use sector or similar field.
• Proven ability to network and build professional relationships.
• Ability to compile, maintain and complete accurate written records, including data capture and the use of case management systems.
• Excellent literacy, numeracy, and ICT skills, with close attention to detail.
• Experience of working in a support role within the community.
• Understanding of substance use treatment pathways.
• Understanding of ACEs and their impact.
• Experience of a trauma-informed approach.
• Experience of delivering training in a professional capacity.
• Experience of facilitating group work and/or therapeutic interventions.
• Experience or knowledge of managing or working with volunteers.

Interpersonal skills

• Flexibility to work at multiple locations and flexible working hours outside the normal working week.
• Ability to establish and maintain clear boundaries in respect of personal and professional responsibility.
• Time management skills – excellent ability to plan, prioritise and manage own workload and time in a fast-paced, demanding role.
• Ability to problem solve, work under own initiative and be able to work under pressure.
• Commitment to Barod values and mission.

Other

• Full, current driving licence and use of a car which is insured for business use is an essential requirement of this role.