REGULAR PART TIME – 17.5 HOURS/WEEK

Pay Scale
$ 35.87 /hour to $ 43.22 /hour
Pension and Benefits
Excellent benefits package including Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP)
Application Deadline

DESIRED:

• 
  Additional language(s) commonly spoken by individuals seeking services, e.g. Arabic, Spanish, Kirundi, Swahili or Somali; spoken
• 
  Lived/living experience as a racialized individual (please self-identify on your application)

The Mental Health Counsellor works within an integrated care model with primary care and allied health professionals internal and external to CCHC to support the health journeys of clients in the CCHC Newcomers Clinic.
The Mental Health Counsellor assists clients to cope with the challenges of migration and resettlement, work towards their goals and integrate into their communities. This is achieved through the assessment, counselling, group education and support, advocacy, information and referral. The clinic primarily serves asylum seekers and refugees in the Ottawa area who face systemic barriers in the process of seeking safety in Canada.
The Counsellor, working from an anti-oppression, trauma informed and harm reduction framework, assesses client needs and goals, and tailors the care approach required based on acuity of need. The Counsellor will provide short-term counselling related to migration and settlement stressors, life cycle and family issues, decision-making, problem solving, depression, grief, isolation and anxiety, among other things. As longer-term counselling is needed, for example related to trauma and other more complex issues, the Counsellor will bridge to ongoing, culturally appropriate services. The Counsellor may also engage in crisis intervention, advocacy, case conferencing and leading psychoeducational groups.
The Counsellor ensures excellent client care, exercising sound clinical judgment, coupled with a deep understanding of global migration, informed by lived experience, professional expertise, or community engagement. The Counsellor is skilled in therapeutic modalities, has a high level of knowledge of the key resources and services available to support the health goals of clients, and is skilled at advocating with and for clients to ensure equitable access to care and support. Excellent collaborative and relationship building skills ensure the ability to engage allied health professionals and community partners where appropriate, in the client’s circle of care.
Mental Health Counsellors primarily work from the Centre and may work remotely if virtual care is requested by the client. They may provide outreach and home visits in exceptional cases.