Social Worker, Specialized Services Mental Health & Substance Use Outreach

Position Summary

Are you a registered Social Worker looking to highlight your knowledge, skills, and abilities in a new and dynamic environment? We currently have an opportunity for you to bring your excellent work ethic to our Specialized Services department.

In accordance with the established mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities of Northern Health, and under the general supervision of Manager or designate, this position provides clinical social work counselling services to clients and families with serious, persistent mental illness and substance use in the clinical specialty area within the Specialized MHSU Outreach and/or Substance Use Stabilization Services program. Conducts comprehensive social work and psychosocial assessments of clients with mental illness and substance misuse/dependence using a variety of modalities and in accordance with professional standards and clinical policies and practices.

Educates and provides support and consultation to clients, families, and healthcare professionals. As a member of an integrated, interdisciplinary team, takes a key role in discharge planning and ensuring optimal continuity of care through activities such as liaison, referral, advocacy, coordination, brokerage, and pre-placement visits. Develops, coordinates, and delivers in-services, presentations, psycho-educational and support groups.

Monday to Friday, Days - 08:00 to 16:00

• Bachelors or Master's degree in Social Work from an accredited school of Social Work depending on needs of the program.
• Two (2) years' recent, related experience in a mental health and substance use treatment setting or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Current full registration with the BC College of Social Workers.
• Valid Class 5 BC driver's license with access to personal vehicle for business purposes.
• CPR and First Aide

• Comprehensive knowledge of Social Work theory and practice.
• Ability to conduct and document a comprehensive psychosocial assessment.
• Ability to work with marginalized and culturally diverse populations including those with chemical dependency, mental illness, and homelessness.
• Ability to establish rapport with clients and families to explore issues that are beyond the initial presented concerns.
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of emotional issues related to mental illness and addictions and client and family cultural dynamics.
• Comprehensive counseling skills including crisis counseling, brief therapeutic interventions and group work applicable to clients and families.
• Ability to organize and prioritize workload in a complex environment.
• Ability to educate and provide consultation to clients, families, and healthcare professionals.
• Ability to provide leadership to the interdisciplinary team in care planning for the effective utilization of client resources.
• Ability to make effective referrals, reflecting in-depth knowledge of community resources and strong collaborative skills in working with community health and social agency personnel.
• Crisis prevention/intervention and conflict resolution/de-escalation skills.
• Working knowledge of harm reduction principles
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment as well as capacity to work in partnership with other community agencies.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with clients, families and staff and community agency personnel.
• Ability to develop, coordinate and deliver in-services, presentations, psycho educational and support groups.
• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position.

Community:

Information about living, working, and thriving in the area is available through Fort St. John

Northern Health (NH) boasts the most affordable communities in BC to live, work, and play. NH covers an area of nearly 600,000 square kilometres and offers health services in 26 communities, 55 First Nations communities, 11 Métis chartered communities, and Inuit families. We provide both hospital and community-based care to a population of approximately 300,000…