The Rexdale Community Health Centre (RCHC) is a multi-service centre providing primary health care, health promotion and community support services, including settlement and community development activities for families, children, youth, adults and seniors of diverse backgrounds.

Rexdale Community Health Centre is looking for a Mental Health Therapist for the newly funded Northwest Community Crisis Support Service (NW CCSS). This service provides 24/7 support to people experiencing a mental health and/or addiction crisis in northwest Toronto.  This pilot program is part of a City of Toronto police reform initiative that is evaluating the effectiveness and impact of non-police-led responses to people experiencing non-emergency crises.  This program aims to reduce the harms experienced by people who have mental health and addictions challenges as well as Black, Indigenous, racialized, LGBTQ2+ and other marginalized individuals.

The NW CCSS is in partnership with a Collaborative, which includes the following organizations:

• Addiction Services Central Ontario
• Black Creek Community Health Centre
• Black Health Alliance
• Canadian Mental Health Association Toronto
• Caribbean African Canadian Social Services
• Jane Finch Centre
• Rexdale Community Health Centre
• Yorktown Family Services

The Mental Health Therapist-Crisis Response will assess and support community members who are at risk of experiencing a crisis and/or are currently experiencing a crisis in the community, with the goal of providing culturally appropriate support, such as system navigation and timely referral to appropriate services, as well as providing short-term crisis intervention work such as counselling and case management.

Responsibilities:

• Devise and deliver goal-focused, trauma-informed assessments and treatment in partnership with youth, and at times their families, and other supports working toward improving functioning in the community and overall wellbeing
• Engage with clients in order to develop a trusting, supportive and sustained long-term relationship
• Utilize a strengths based approach, provide support, encouragement, information and feedback that enable youth and family members to realize their goals
• Develop and deliver programs and organize groups for identified priority populations
• Ensure appropriate treatment is delivered by maintaining client records and assessment notes and correspondence within the safeguard of confidentiality
• Use an anti-oppressive and Afrocentric practice
• In collaboration with the NW CCSS Crisis Case Manager, develop working relationships and rapport with community service providers
• Assist clients (and families) in identifying and advocating for their civil and legal rights
• Link clients and family members to supports and services that will promote their well-being, enhance their ability to meet their mental health needs and which aid in the exhibition of adaptive behaviours that address problematic substance
• Identify and coordinate community services to support mental health needs of affect community members
• Utilizes strong case management and advocacy skills, with extensive knowledge of resources within the community
• Prioritizes demands effectively to balance the complex needs of youth
• Conducts risk assessments in the community
• Provide culturally responsive counselling and information to reduce the incidence, duration and intensity of crisis
• Provide one-one counseling including psychosocial assessments by gaining an understanding of health risks based on the Social Determinants of Health framework (e.g. socio-economic position, housing, educational, financial and legal needs)
• Coordinate, implement and evaluate treatment plans as well as implement group support programs.
• Collect data relevant to program evaluation and quality improvement
• Inform clients (and their family/network) about services available and assist them in choosing potential service providers/partners that are most likely to have culturally adaptive services
• Support and assist community members to outline options; provide education and counseling necessary for them to make informed choices.
• Initiate joint programming and communication with other team members and with other Centre wide programs to ensure comprehensive treatment for clients of the Centre.
• Carry out evaluation of group and program work and provide reports as required.

 Qualifications and Assets:

• Masters Degree in Social Work from a recognized university
• Membership in good standing in the provincial regulating body of either the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers or the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario is required
• Minimum Three counseling/therapy experience, preferably in community based health setting with youth and their families
• Proven skills in psychosocial assessment, counseling/therapy, crisis intervention, case management and referrals
• Demonstrated skills and experience in working with racialized communities
• Demonstrated commitment to and lived experience of racialized communities
• Knowledge of community resources
• A deep fundamental and comprehensive knowledge of the unique challenges faced by racialized communities across the social determinants of health.
• A commitment to interdisciplinary team approach to coordination of health and social services
• Proficiency in current assessment, counseling/therapy and psychosocial counseling techniques for working with individuals, groups and communities
• Demonstrated skills and experience in the assessment and treatment of substance abuse and/or mental health treatment inclusive of individual and group counseling.
• Strong communication skills (verbal and written) combined with computer literacy are required.
• Ability to negotiate, communicate and maintain a supportive, trusting relationship with those being served.
• Experience in program development, implementation, and evaluation.
• Knowledge of community-based health services
• Strong and demonstrated ability to form relationships with individuals while maintaining healthy boundaries
• Caseload management skills, including developing action plans for clients, monitoring client progress and maintaining records
• Working knowledge of the Ontario Mental Health Act
• Knowledge of Personal Health Information Privacy Act, Consent of Information / Records of Information and Medical Records Management
• Knowledge of the Rexdale community
• Bilingual in French and English considered a strong asset
• Must be able to provide a vulnerable sector security clearance

NOTE:

• A criminal record check will be a required
• Rexdale Community Health Centre has a mandatory vaccination policy in place

Salary Range: $61,559 to $74,165 annually (based on experience

Hours per week:  35

Starting date:  ASAP

Contract Length: 12 months with the possibility of extension

Application Due Date: March 20,2023

Please apply in confidence to:

Stephanie McQueen, Human Resources Generalist

Via email: stephanie.mcqueen@rexdalechc.com

Please quote “Crisis Mental Health Therapist” in the subject line.

 We would like to thank all applicants for their interest; only those selected for interviews will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

Rexdale CHC strives to create a respectful, accessible, and inclusive work environment. Upon individual request, hiring processes will be modified to remove barriers to accommodate those with disabilities. Should any applicant require accommodation through the application, interview, or selection processes please contact Human Resources at stephanie.mcqueen@rexdalechc.com for assistance.

Please note this is a unionized environment-UFCW Locals 175 and 633