Mental Health Clinician, PCFY

at  Phoenix Youth

Posted on: August 30, 2024
Contact Email:
careers@phoenixyouth.ca
Job Location:
6035 Coburg Rd, Halifax, Nova Scotia

TERM DATE(S): SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2024 – APRIL 30TH, 2025

Since 1987, Phoenix has been dedicated to supporting youth and contributing to a vibrant community. Phoenix’s eleven locations in Halifax, N.S. provide a continuum of care for youth ages 11-24 and their families. We offer important services and programs including shelter, food, housing support, health care, parenting support, recreation, education and employment services, and clinical therapy. Our team of caring professionals recognizes that each person who comes to us has individual needs as well as strengths. People are the leaders in their own lives; Phoenix is a leader in supporting them.
A staff group that represents the diversity of the people and communities we serve is of the utmost importance. Phoenix is committed to reducing barriers that have traditionally impacted access to employment and career growth. As such, we encourage those interested to self-identify their ethnicity, and or race, gender, sexuality, ability, etc. We also invite you to share your pronouns in your cover letter or resume.

Job Summary: Integral to Phoenix’s continuum of care, the Mental Health Clinician will work out of the Phoenix Centre for Youth and Phoenix’s residential programs to provide a flexible and responsive mix of on-site same-day, brief, and ongoing counselling to youth between the ages of 16 and 24. Challenges faced by youth in these programs include the impact of homelessness and discrimination; mental health and substance use; trauma - including historical and generational; grief and loss; family relationships; navigating systems; and access to meaningful opportunities such as education, employment, arts, and recreation.
The Mental Health Clinician will help to build capacity within staff teams to provide responsive youth mental health support, including effective crisis intervention. They will offer expertise and guidance, assist in the development of relevant mental health protocols and practices, cultivate partnerships with community partners, and contribute to the development of a collective case management framework.
Phoenix is seeking a skilled clinician whose work is led by principles of social justice and anti-oppressive practice who will be both challenged and inspired by the youth and families they serve. They will have access to professional development and to clinical peer consultation with a team of caring and passionate clinicians at Phoenix who value critical reflection, understand that problems always have a social context, and believe that advocacy is an integral part of therapy.
Compensation: A base salary of $80,000, pro-rated for the term, comprehensive group medical insurance plan, Employee and Family Assistance Program, RRSP contribution, three weeks annually of vacation (pro-rated for the term), generous sick leave, a generous paid holiday schedule, in-house trainings, and professional development opportunities.
Hours of Work: 40 hours per week, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., with some flexibility for evening work.
Location: Phoenix Centre for Youth, 6035 Coburg Road, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Screening Requirements: Due to the sensitive nature of our work with youth, this position is subject to a satisfactory criminal record check including a vulnerable sector search, a child abuse register check and proof of education.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master of Social Work degree or equivalent.
• Current Registered Social Worker or candidacy status, or current registration with the appropriate professional governing body.
• Minimum of three (3) years experience as a clinical therapist (preferably with youth/young adults).
• Experience providing coaching, consultation, leadership in team environment.
• Experience working in a residential, communal setting, or non-profit organization is an asset.
• Experience using an anti-oppressive, social justice, trauma-informed, and harm reduction approach.
• Experience using various therapy models, including Narrative Practice, Trauma-informed and Trauma-specific Practices, Crisis Intervention and Critical Incident Response, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
• Standard First Aid or a commitment to secure certification within six months of being hired.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Personality and skills to form meaningful therapeutic relationships with youth and families/caregivers.
• Leadership skills and confidence needed to develop relationships and provide mental health-related guidance to Phoenix senior management team and program teams.
• Ability to advocate with skill and confidence with/for youth and families/caregivers.
• Commitment to ongoing learning and critical reflection. Passion for social justice and cultural responsiveness.
• Ability to translate and apply a social justice lens and relevant therapeutic approaches to daily practice. Ability to guide staff teams in this translation.
• Sound knowledge of risk and protective factors that contribute to adolescent/young adult mental wellness.
• Familiarity with risk assessment and effective crisis response.
• Familiarity with community resources and social service systems.
• A valid driver’s license is an asset.
  TO APPLY: * Please note that interviews may take place during the posting period.
  Please forward a resume and a cover letter (in Word or as a PDF document) with pertinent information about your qualifications as well as any accommodations you would like us to consider by at 11:59pm (ADT) Friday, September 13th, 2024, to: careers@phoenixyouth.ca with the subject line “Mental Health Clinician”

• Provide same-day, brief, and ongoing therapeutic services for youth referred internally by Phoenix programs.
• Provide clinical expertise and consultation to program teams.
• Provide guidance regarding mental health crisis intervention, critical incident protocols and navigation, and debriefing supports for youth and staff.
• Identify mental health training needs for staff.
• Develop relationships, collaborate, and advocate with other agencies and community partners on behalf of youth and Phoenix.
• Assist in the development of program protocols/practice regarding mental health practice, including a framework for collective case management.
• Commitment to the development of Phoenix Youth Programs and participation in internal activities, committees, and/or projects.
• Use the Phoenix database for client records management, program development and evaluation purposes.
• Work in accordance with the professional governing body’s code of ethics and standards of practice and Phoenix’s policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Ensure the program delivery is congruent with Phoenix’s mission, vision, guiding principles, and Framework of Practice.