Social Worker; MSW), Mental Health & Substance Use Services, Timber Creek

Position: Social Worker (MSW), Mental Health & Substance Use Services, Timber Creek

Detailed Overview

Reporting to the Manager, Clinical Services, or designate, for administrative and daily operational issues and to the Professional Practice Chief, Social Work for professional practice issues, provides clinical social work services to clients and their families in the Timber Creek mental health program. Provides clinical counselling services and conducts comprehensive social work and psychosocial assessments of clients suffering acute episodes of serious and persistent mental illness 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. Initiates, develops and carries out research activities in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team.

Responsibilities Provides comprehensive therapeutic clinical counselling services to clients and their families, community supports, and interdisciplinary treatment teams to coordinate services, manage cases, and facilitate meetings. Maintains an active role in planning for care during the hospital stay, and facilitating optimal discharge planning by interviewing the client and/or family to assess and determine a care plan and type of service required, as a member of an integrated, interdisciplinary team.

Articulates analysis and decision to members of the interdisciplinary team. Conducts comprehensive social work and psychosocial assessments of clients, and families by interviewing the client and/or family, obtaining relevant information, gathering social data regarding the client and/or family and interpreting the data using a variety of modalities, in accordance with professional standards and clinical policies and practices. Educates and provides consultation and support to clients, families, and healthcare professionals on issues related to high risk factors, recovery and current community practice in the field of mental health, child protection, adaptation to illness and disability, protection of vulnerable adults, chemical dependency, community living and support services.

Maintains client records by documenting client assessments, charting client information, preparing progress notes and reports in accordance with established standards, policies and procedures to meet regulatory requirements and documenting for future reference. Arranges meetings to develop and coordinate care plans and community services for clients requiring facility placement and/or community support and collaborates with hospital and community services from a social work perspective to determine appropriate levels of care and the effective utilizations of client resources.

Communicates/collaborates with mental health and related community service agencies and family physicians by collaborating in the assessment and management of individuals at risk, making referrals to appropriate resources when follow up is required and exchanging relevant information. Accompanies and transports clients to pre-placement visits at residential facilities as required. Acts as resource to clients and their families by providing information for clients and families regarding community, resources and access to these resources, suggesting contacts to facilitate optimal planning, arranging referrals, and facilitating the development of community resources to strengthen families.

Participates as a member of the mental health program and local committees and planning bodies by engaging in program/practice evaluation, identifying opportunities for change, assessing available resources, initiating solutions, analyzing outcomes and identifying areas for improved efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery to enhance client care services and reduce service gaps in the community. Maintains a…