Mental Health Worker

Temporary assignment until approximately October 2026

POSITION SUMMARY:
In response to the COVID19 pandemic, St. Josephs HealthCare and its Mental Health and Addiction Program has contributed to various initiatives ensuring support and treatment is available to those immediately affected by the pandemic and those who have limited access to care.  Initiatives including the development of a peer-support service providing mental health support to all St. Joseph’s staff and physicians, as well as external healthcare and frontline workers in the community, as well as prioritizing an increase in access of culturally-informed care to our Indigenous peoples who are experiencing mental health and addictions concerns and who face barriers accessing MHA services and/or live in geographically remote areas of Canada where access to care is challenging.
This Mental Health Worker will be a part of a multidisciplinary team of mental health clinicians, as well as partners in our central intake service (Connect).  This position will be housed within the Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic (ATRC).  The primary responsibility of the Mental Health Worker will be to provide peer support and/or psychotherapy to individuals seeking care; primary functions include:  supportive peer support/counselling; brief psychotherapy (cognitive-behavioural therapy); care planning, including facilitating referrals to tertiary care programs when needed); provide psychoeducation; system navigation; contribute to program and system development, evaluation and support the ATRC’s psychology services as needed. The Mental Health Worker will work closely with outpatient clinics and other areas of the hospital, in addition to community stakeholders. 

QUALIFICATIONS :
-Degree/diploma in nursing (RN) or Degree in Social Work or Occupational Therapy or a degree in related health or social science field (e.g.  psychology) OR current registration in good standing with the College of Psychotherapists with a Degree in a health-related discipline
-Current registration with your college in good standing: College of Nurses (RN), Ontario College of Social Workers & Social Service Workers, College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario or College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario
-Minimum 3-5 years’ experience in a mental health and/or addictions healthcare setting or practice
-Current First Aid/CPR certification
-Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation to be used in course of employment
-Knowledgeable of the history and effects of systemic racism on indigenous peoples and their ability to access mental health and addictions supports.
-Demonstrated knowledge and practiced skills in intake assessment, care planning, supportive counselling, and system navigation in mental illness and/or addictions for adults.
-Demonstrated knowledge and practiced skills in conducting a risk assessment, intervening when required and providing necessary supports.
-Demonstrated knowledge and practiced skills in cognitive-behavioural therapy.
-Demonstrated understanding and practiced skills working with Indigenous clients; extensive knowledge of the history of our First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples in Canada and the unique considerations in delivering mental health services to them. 
-Experience providing culturally-informed care to Indigenous clients
-Lived experience of anti-Indigenous racism
-Current and demonstrated knowledge of mental health illnesses and/or addictions symptoms, required.
-Current and demonstrated knowledge of motivation interview techniques and/or interventions, highly recommended.
-Proven ability to perform comprehensive bio-psychosocial mental health and addiction screening, as well as the ability to apply research and evidence to inform processes and program development.
-Demonstrates superior knowledge in engaging with patients and/or families who may be reluctant to seek help and establish rapport in various scenarios.
-Demonstrated educational/presentation, facilitation and networking skills.
-Understanding of basic use of psychotropic medications.
-Requires expertise in  crisis assessment and interventions, as well as the ability to apply research and evidence to inform processes and program development.
-Ability to work collaboratively and in partnership with an interdisciplinary team and other agencies/organizations in the community.
-Ability to ensure continuity of care between services and development of coordinated care plans to promote community integration for service users.
-Strong verbal and written communication skills.
-Demonstrates a strong recovery-oriented, client-focused philosophy in all interactions.
-Demonstrated ability in conflict resolution.
-Current and demonstrated knowledge of Mental Health Act, Healthcare Consent Act, Substitute Decisions Act, and Privacy Legislation.
-Maintains own competency in accordance with relevant professional standards.
-Demonstrates and role models an awareness of and commitment to personal and professional development
-Maintains membership in professional organizations as related to area of expertise and knowledge.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
-Review and triage referrals
-Requires extensive knowledge of St. Joe's MHAP services, as well as community resources.
-Build effective internal partnerships to support care planning, care transitions, and support SJHH system development.
-Provide supportive counselling with a focus on validation and empathy using a strengths-based framework;
-Work in partnership with provincial agencies/programs to provide psychotherapy to Indigenous clients via virtual platforms
-Assesses for aspects of RISK and intervenes as appropriate. Provides secondary support to crisis intervention services, as appropriate. Identifies and intervenes with high risk social situations such as intimate partner violence, child abuse/neglect, elder abuse/neglect, financial abuse, and others as appropriate utilizing best practice social work guidelines.
-Identifies on a case-by-case basis the educational and resource needs of clients, families and service providers and provides in the most appropriate format. Provides support, system navigation and psycheducational information to families, as required.
-Provide brief courses of psychotherapy (must have experience with CBT and solution-focused therapy);
-Documents all findings and interventions in a clear and concise manner in the client’s clinical record. Maintains records and statistics as required by the program, and St. Joseph's Healthcare.
-Assume responsibility for maintaining a level of knowledge conducive to confident and competent functioning within the mental health and addiction service sector.
-Participates in and is a liaison with others, as appropriate, in the planning, delivery, implementation and evaluation of institutional, local, regional and provincial strategies or initiatives ( e.g. clinical, academic, research). Collaborates with care and service partners to identify/plan for community and regional development needs.
-Participates and actively contributes to program evaluation and research base activities as appropriate.
-Knowledgeable of service availability and gaps in service, working with health and social service planning bodies to address service needs. Demonstrates awareness of changes in social and health policies and related legislation and the impact on the target population
-Provides competent, professional care through the development and use of a therapeutic relationship with patients and/or families.
-Identifies, develops and implements a plan to work toward achieving team and personal learning and development goals
-Participates in activities that enhance the quality of care including but not limited to clinical and administrative team meetings, special projects, continuous quality improvement activities, research and program development, accreditation teams and corporate committees, as required.
-Communicates with all relevant care providers within the circle of care to ensure integration of care plans and enhance quality coordinated client care.
-Encourages and challenges other team members in the pursuit of continued learning and quality improvement. Works collaboratively with other team members demonstrating creativity, flexibility, respect and enthusiasm.
-Provides clinical teaching, mentoring and supervision to mental health and addictions care students. Participates and creates interprofessional education experiences for students of all health disciplines.