AOD Clinician Assessment, Care & Recovery and Counselling – GVADS 

• Full-Time, Permanent  

• Based in Shepparton or Seymour 

• $90,138.16 per annum plus super.     

• 17.5% annual leave loading and generous salary packaging options    

• Progressive Workplace Flexibility options that enable genuine work life balance   

About Odyssey Victoria:   

Odyssey Victoria (OV) is a place of hope and positive change for individuals working towards breaking their pattern of addiction. At Odyssey Victoria we believe that every person should have the opportunity to change and grow. Our diverse teams work with individuals, families, and communities to reduce alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, improve mental health, and reconnect people to their family and the community. OV is a dynamic and fast-growing organisation committed to excellence in service provision and innovation in responding to alcohol and other drugs use problems.

Role Purpose:

The AOD Clinician Assessment, Care & Recovery and Counselling reduces AOD-related harms to individuals and their families by providing a range of counselling interventions to assist clients and their family members to change harmful behaviours and increase their capacity to effectively manage the difficulties they are experiencing that are associated with problematic AOD use and that promote recovery. Ultimately this role will assist in the provision of skills to prevent relapse and support the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and motivation to initiate and maintain change and improve quality of life.

This position sits within the Goulburn Valley Alcohol and Drug Service (GVADS) consortium which is made up of Goulburn Valley Health (the lead agency) The Salvation Army (TSA) and Odyssey Victoria (OV). GVADS offers alcohol and drug treatment to adults (16+ years) in the Goulburn Valley region. This is a free service with a variety of treatment streams available including: Care and Recovery Coordination, Counselling, Non-Residential Withdrawal Service, Residential withdrawal, Therapeutic Day Rehabilitation, Individual Choices Forensic Program and a medical stream.

Key areas of focus:    

• Provide pre-care support for clients until their engagement with services commences.

• Provide high quality engagement, treatment and support services to individuals and their families, via evidence-based, therapeutic counselling and group work using best practice principles including Family Inclusive and Dual Diagnosis practices.

• Case manages complex clients, facilitate, coordinate and support clients throughout the life cycle of their treatment plan.

• Provide high quality pre and post care coordination services to clients and their families, using best practice principles including Family Inclusive Practice and Dual Diagnosis Principles.

• Facilitate client access to a range of appropriate treatment options and service providers, both internally and externally, to address their AOD use and meet long term recovery goals.

• Develop individual long term recovery plans by assisting clients to identify achievable and relevant goals.

• Utilise the Drug & Alcohol Outcome Star and/or other outcome measure to identify goals, track and monitor progress across a range of recovery domains and provide clients with tangible evidence of the effectiveness of their treatments.

• Work with clients and their families to develop holistic discharge plans that support meaningful social and economic participation and other practical aspects of recovery.

• Provide post care support including assisting clients and their families to negotiate their treatment journey beyond the AOD sector as required.

• Follow up standard clients at 3 and 12-months post treatment to track progress of recovery and support re-engagement with AOD treatment services or other supports, where appropriate.

• Co-ordinate with Care and Recovery and Clinical Review processes to support seamless transitions between service types and a consistent approach to supporting the achievement of clients’ recovery goals.

• Provide flexible coordination and support and targeted interventions to clients and family members, to enhance the client’s engagement and retention in treatment and facilitate re-entry for clients who have disengaged or relapsed following treatment. These interventions may include:

• Providing practical assistance, such as transport to key appointments and facilitating access to relevant services

• Opportunistic motivational interviewing and supportive counselling with the aim of retaining clients in treatment

• Provision of harm reduction information and education o Coordination of and contribution to case conferences to facilitate integrated and consistent treatment across services.

• Develop treatment plans and provide effective counselling interventions to meet the individual needs of clients and their families, including those with complex needs. These interventions may include:

• Assisting clients to identify their substance use triggers and high-risk situations.

• Assisting clients to develop practical skills such as problem-solving, goal-setting, and assertive communication.

• Assisting clients to develop insight into their thinking and behaviour in order to help them make and sustain positive changes.

• Assisting clients to understand the relationship between their substance use and other areas of their lives, such as mental and physical health, relationships, and lifestyles.

• Assisting clients to access a range of community services and supports to promote recovery.

To be successful in this role, you must…    

1. Relevant Health, Social or Welfare degree/tertiary qualification with one-years’ experience or an Associate Diploma with relevant experience.

1. Satisfactory outcome of a confidential Police Check and Working with Children Check. OV is committed to child safety and is a child safe organisation.

1. Minimum Alcohol & Other Drugs competencies (as listed below), or willingness to complete within 12 months of starting work with OV.

1. Empathy for those whose lives have been affected by problematic alcohol and other drug use/ and or mental health disorders. · Possession of a current Victorian Driver’s License.

1. Information technology skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office suite.

1. Eligibility to work in Australia.

1. Preparedness to travel within the catchment to meet the requirements of the job and to work out of various partnership locations.

1. Maintain up-to-date Influenza (Flu) Vaccination (applicable for staff located at GV Health)

For a copy of the position description which outlines the full list of responsibilities and key selection criteria, please click HERE (http://odyssey.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/POSCS4008-AOD-Clinician-Assessment-Care-Recovery-and-Counselling-GVADS.pdf)

*Appendix A (AOD Competencies)    

OV requires people in clinical positions to have the following competencies (or their equivalent). Where people do not already have these competencies, OV will invest in the person’s professional development by providing them through its RTO.

The competencies required in the first 12 months of employment are:

• CHCAOD001 - Work in an alcohol and other drugs context

• CHCAOD004 - Assess needs of clients with alcohol and other drugs issues.

• CHCAOD006 - Provide interventions for people with alcohol and other drugs issues.

• CHCAOD009 - Develop and review individual alcohol and other drugs treatment plans

What we can give YOU!   

In return we are committed to offering you an inclusive and transparent workplace culture where our people can develop to be their very best by:

• Ongoing learning and development opportunities

• Providing work that is meaningful and challenging

• Providing career pathways across diverse OV programs.

• Access to 24/7 counselling through our Employee Assistance Provider (EAP)

• Generous leave options such as 48/52 Purchase Leave and Study Leave

• Flexible working arrangements such as monthly RDO’s for full-timers (arrangements will vary based on role requirements).

In addition to the above, staff will also be provided monthly Clinical Supervision sessions for professional development and personal wellbeing.

Application information   

Please apply directly via our careers website (applications via external recruitment websites or via email will not be considered)

Applications should be addressed to Catherine McCarroll and include your CV and a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria.

If you have any questions relating to the position, please contact Catherine McCarroll Manager Consortia Programs on, cmccarroll@odyssey.org.au.

We will be assessing applications on a rolling basis, and suitable candidates will be shortlisted immediately. This role will be open for one week and close once a suitable candidate has been selected, which may be prior to the application deadline, so please don’t wait to apply!

Our commitment to diversity   

At OV we value diversity and believe that a range of backgrounds brings a variety of ideas, perspectives and experiences that will enhance our effectiveness. We promote a workplace that actively seeks to include, welcome and value unique contributions by encouraging people with disability, Aboriginal Australians, LGBTQIA, young people and people from culturally diverse backgrounds to apply for this position.

Safety screening   

OV is committed to child safety and is a child safe organisation. All OV employees must undergo Police Records and Working with Children Checks. Any person issued with a negative notice on their Working with Children Check will not be eligible for employment with us.

All Odyssey Victoria sites are smoke free for all employees