Reports to: Wellness Program Manager
Job Type: Full time, Indefinite; includes benefits
Annual Salary : $75,00-$76,000
Job Description:
About Us:
The Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association (FRAFCA) is a rapidly growing Indigenous community-based organization, serving BC’s largest urban Indigenous population of children, youth, families & Elders. Our Vision is to build a community of strong, healthy, successful Indigenous people connected to each other and to their roots by fostering their health & well-being through culturally relevant services, support, and advocacy
Why FRAFCA:
- Opportunity to work alongside cultural knowledge keepers & Elders;
- Chance to obtain program specific certifications;
- Holistic, culturally safe, approaches to serving our clients and community;
- Freedom to share and observe own cultural practices (i.e. smudging in the office);
- Parking available on-site;
- Extended Health Benefits Package (Medical, Dental, Travel) and Employee Assistance Plan after 3-month continuous employment;
- Paid sick/personal leave days;
- Paid vacation days;
- Offices located along main transportation routes; main office by the Skytrain station.
while gaining valuable experience in the field of life skills training. If you are compassionate, patient, and dedicated to helping others reach their full potential, we encourage you to apply for this rewarding position.
Job Summary:
In accordance with established vision and values of FRAFCA, as well as within a client and family centered care model, the Counselling & Treatment Clinician functions as a member of the larger Complex Care Housing team and as a member of a specific multi-disciplinary team whose purpose is to ensure that persons with ongoing mental health difficulties and /or problematic substance use issues have access to timely, responsive, evidence-based short term treatment and clinical supports across the continuum of available services. The Counselling & Treatment Clinician provides the advanced practice level, assessment, treatment, service coordination, and as required, urgent response to the most complex clients, frequently with co-occurring disorders, who may also have serious functional exceptionality in the domains of physical health and personal, family, financial, occupational, and social life. The Counselling & Treatment Clinician functions as a primary clinician utilizing a variety of specialized treatment modalities/therapies for individuals, groups of clients and/or their families.
Role and Responsibilities:
- Provides comprehensive bio/psycho/social services that include a continuum of services designed to optimize clients’ recovery and ability to function, including but not limited to:
- providing intake, orientation, crisis stabilization, and comprehensive mental health and substance use in-depth diagnostic assessments using the DSM V Diagnostic Criteria, including those for the most difficult and complex presentations (such as high co-occurring substance use, post-trauma, severe personality disorders, and chronic medical illness or disability);
- bringing advanced practice to the team through case conferencing, modeling and team education in areas such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectal Behavioral Therapy), psycho-dynamic individual therapies, family therapy, group psychotherapy, supportive counseling, psycho-educational interventions or other evidence-based treatment modalities, in accordance with professional standards and clinical policies and practices to promote client self-determination, strengthen readiness for change, and improve the client’s overall psychosocial functioning;
- interpreting the results of the assessment to identify the primary issues and stage of change; collaboratively planning therapeutic treatment goals with the client;
- implementing treatment plans and evaluating treatment outcomes;
- applying a holistic and evidence-based approach to clinical problem solving on an ongoing basis and applying approved research findings in clinical practice; evaluating the results in collaboration with the multidisciplinary FRAFCA CCH team;
- encouraging ang guiding clients use of appropriate community & cultural resources by staying up-to-date about relevant services;
- offering consultation, support, and education to families, informal supports, community agencies, and other health care providers involved with CCH clients;
- advocating for clients by providing assistance in accessing community assets that contribute positively to the social determinants of health;
- responding to risk indicators that identify a need for clinical or legal intervention to ensure safety and well-being of an individual or others;
- providing assertive or planned outreach services as required by the client population or an individual client;
- utilizing a variety of interpersonal skills, engages with each client in order to build a therapeutic working relationship.
- Arranges access to specialized services such as substance-use, forensic/criminal justice, developmental disability, and acquired brain injury.
- Identifies the need for, and ensures or arranges transition plans are in place for clients transferring between levels of care, including involvement in the client’s admission to acute care and discharge planning; and follow-up after an admission to a hospital unit or emergency department.
- Works with any client who presents asking for CCH services by providing the assistance directly or through linking the client to the appropriate service and staying involved until the relationship is made.
- Documentation of assessments, treatment formulations, care plans and progress notes according to professional standards and established guidelines, policies and procedures which may include computerized records and databases. Collects information for specific client groups and/or clinical areas and prepares summary reports as required/directed.
- Provides expertise for program planning by identifying gaps in service delivery and contributing to the development and revision of standards of care, policies and procedures, advocating for improvements in clinical practice, health care services using a best practice approach. Participates in research studies, surveys, and focus groups as required / directed for improved service.
- Maintains broad knowledge of developments in their profession and clinical area by methods such as reviewing relevant clinical literature and consulting with other clinical and community experts within the field; uses clinical expertise to act as an educator to others; develops and delivers internal services for staff, students, families, caregivers, and the general public regarding complex mental health conditions; uses outcome measures to evaluate and improve effectiveness.
- Contributes to and carries out quality assurance activities and projects, analyzing and acting upon information received through incident reports, evaluations and other data, including collecting and compiling statistical data for research and evaluation purposes and contributing to the development of outcome measures for mental health and substance-use services. Identifies opportunities for improved efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery. Establishes effective working relationships with all pertinent service providers such as community agencies, hospitals, long-term care facilities, primary care physicians, and psychiatrists, to maximize treatment resources for clients.
- Provides consultation and shares information with community agencies and the public about mental illness and mental health and/or substance-use services, promoting and facilitating efficient and cooperative relationships. Represents the program to other relevant clinical programs and agencies.
- Identifies and assesses potential emergency situations and develops short-term strategies to handle appropriately, including actions such as applying suicide alertness and prevention skills, responding to overdose in accordance with established procedures, using first aid, assisting a client to access drug checking services, and assisting a client to access overdose prevention services.
- Participates in committees and attends meetings related to job duties, as required, in order to provide and receive information as a member of the community mental health and substance use service.
- Demonstrates an awareness of the overall needs of the service/assignment by:
- planning, organizing and establishing priorities,
- using resources effectively and efficiently, and
- responding to unanticipated events and changing client or service/assignment needs.
- Delivers and participates in in-service and other educational programs as required. Identifies learning needs, develops goals, and maintains and updates current clinical competence and knowledge within area of practice.
- Actively participates in orientation and mentoring of new health professionals; participates in the review of clinical cases and provides input to the Program Manager / CCH Coordinator as requested on an individual’s progress in achieving established standards of care.
- Performs other related duties as assigned using an indigenous approach in a culturally safe space
QUALIFICATIONS:
Education, Training and Experience:
- Masters degree from an accredited educational institution in an Allied Health, Behavioural, or Social Science field relevant to the position.
- Two years’ recent related experience in a mental health and substance use environment or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
- Current valid B.C. driver’s license.
Skills and Abilities:
Assessment and Treatment: Demonstrated ability to complete initial and ongoing client assessments (clinical and diagnostic reasoning) through appropriate/prescribed technical, therapeutic, safety type interventions.
Teaching: Ability to teach clients and others both one-on-one and in groups.
Knowledge Integration: Integrates best practice and current research evidence to support professional practice decisions and actions.
Communication: Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with clients, families, the public, medical staff and members of the interdisciplinary team using verbal, written, computer communication means. Ability to effectively apply conflict resolution skills.
Critical Thinking: Demonstrated ability to integrate and evaluate pertinent data (from multiple sources) to problem-solve and make decisions effectively. Applies the problem solving process demonstrating critical thinking and decision making skills using a systems approach.
Human Caring and Relationship Centered Practice: Ability to promote client-focused care that demonstrates care for and with clients and significant others, sensitivity to diverse cultures and preferences, client advocacy and social justice concerns.
Management: Demonstrated ability to organize work, set objectives and establish priorities. Manages time and resources, implements activities to promote cooperation among the interdisciplinary team and collaborates across disciplines.
Leadership: Promotes staff morale, engagement and empowerment. Demonstrates creative planning for change and innovation, implementation of organizational policies or other protocols, and ongoing professional development of self and others.
Teamwork: Demonstrated ability to foster teamwork and a commitment to excellence in the provision of client care. Equipment: Demonstrated computer skills including the use of CHR and Windows based programs. Demonstrated data analysis skills including appropriate data analysis and reporting tools. Demonstrated ability in the use of e-mail and word processing. Ability to operate other related equipment as required in the specific practice area. Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.
“Indigenous applicants strongly encouraged to apply- *****Pursuant to S. 41 of the BC Human Rights code, preference will be given to Aboriginal Applicants**”
We are committed to the National Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. FRAFCA is engaged primarily in promoting or serving the interests of Indigenous peoples, FRAFCA prioritizes employment to Indigenous peoples. Preference will be given to Indigenous applicants, unless that preference or employment would constitute a discriminatory practice under the Canadian Human Rights Act