Mental Wellness Counsellor

Adams Lake Indian Band is seeking a .75-1.0 fte Mental Wellness Counsellor to support individuals who have ongoing challenges that are impacting their ability to achieve health and wellness. The Mental Health Counselor will work under the direction of the Senior Health Officer. The Mental Wellness Counsellor will provide holistic therapeutic support that is rooted in trauma-informed culturally safe practice to clients who have experienced the myriad of colonial violations & assault.

They will act as an advocate and liaison for their clients struggling with a range of challenges including acute episodic trauma, i.e. sexual assault, deeply rooted trauma, i.e. racism, and early childhood traumas, i.e. disruption in parental attachments.

• Provide client-centered, trauma-informed mental health therapeutic counseling;
• Screen referrals and assess clients to determine a treatment plan with eligibility for services in collaboration with primary physicians and other health care professionals;
• Utilize interpersonal skills, engage with each client in order to facilitate the building of a therapeutic working relationship;
• Respond to risk indicators that identify a need for clinical or legal intervention to ensure the safety and wellbeing of an individual or others;
• Respond to issues of concern and advocate on behalf of the client/family and/or caregiver to support their choices and needs while utilizing practices that align with current and recognized care management competencies. Identify problems and seek creative solutions or approaches that maximize client autonomy and choice;
• Identify the need for transition plans and ensure they are arranged) and in place for clients transferring between levels of care, including involvement in discharge planning and follow-up after admission to hospital or emergency department;
• Respond to urgent trauma events (i.e. sexual assault; overdose, sudden death)
• Support clients as an advocate and liaison through the continuum of acute trauma (i.e. Work directly with victims of sexual assault in providing support, the full realm of advocacy, referrals and work with first responders and Victim Services assist with files (emergency room, police, court, etc.)
• Support the preparation of appropriate documents relevant to coordinate trauma healing plan (i.e. treatment center applications, social documents, protection orders, and other paperwork including victim services assistance and compensation)
• Network with and make referrals to partnering agencies;
• Facilitate care conferencing to review client care plans in collaboration with the inter-disciplinary /inter-sectoral team to determine timing and referral to services and interventions to improve client outcomes;
• Complete thorough, standardized documentation to be done in a timely fashion. It will be completed in the appropriate electronic medical record for each patient and will be used for record-keeping, sharing information with other team members, and evaluation purposes;
• Participate in the development of a comprehensive community care plan in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team. The care plan indicates the most responsible Clinician at any given time. This plan is to be shared with the client, family, primary care provider, and referring clinics. Identify system barriers and potential solutions;
• Responsible for monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting of all grant activity including statistics relating to services provided, the numbers served and gathering and classifying other relevant data and statistics.

Successful proponents' practice should be grounded in the values and principles and operate in alignment with the:

• United Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
• United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child;
• Truth and Reconciliation Commissions Calls to Action;
• Canadian Human Rights Tribunal Rulings;
• BC Counsellors Association Ethical Guidelines for Counsellors;
• BC College of Social Workers Ethical Guidelines; and
• Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Ethical Guidelines Counsellors.

• Master's degree from an accredited educational institution in an Allied Health, Behavioural, or Social Science field relevant to the position (or related field)
• Current or eligible for full registration with the BC Association of Clinical Counselors or other relevant associations/colleges.

• Past and/or current counseling experience within a First Nations context;
• General…