Outpatient Mental Health Services Counsellor

at  Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Auth

Nodin Mental Health Services provides mental health counselling, support, and intervention services to First Nation children, youth, adults and families from communities served by SLFNHA. The majority of these 33 communities are remote, not road accessible and only reachable by air transportation. Nodin has several services: counsellors travelling to First Nation communities to see clients, a crisis response program, community-based counsellors, and an Outpatient Mental health Service based in Sioux Lookout.
The Mental Health Counsellor position is one of the team members of the Outpatient Mental Health Service responsible for providing counselling to children, youth, adults (families as required), support/guidance, intervention, crisis management, group work and case management services. This counsellor also may have to travel to First Nations communities depending on departmental needs.
The Outpatient Mental Health Service provides intensive brief counselling, crisis intervention and safety planning to individuals demonstrating very “high risk” behaviours, serious emotional/behavioural disorders, and trauma symptoms that cannot be responded to at the community level. If meeting eligibility criteria, individuals travel from the communities for a short stay in Sioux Lookout to receive mental health support from a multi-disciplinary team.
The salary for the position is $85,985 – $110,682/annually.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Persons of First Nations ancestry will be given preference (OHRC, Part II, Special Employment)
• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree with a major in Counselling Psychology, Social Work or related field
• Diploma related to the area of Social Work will be considered (e.g. Social Service Worker, Human Services Counsellor)
• Registration with College of Psychotherapy or College of Social Workers or another recognized professional counselling college
• At least 2 years’ experience working with children, adolescents and/or families in a clinical capacity
• Knowledge of techniques and principles of the family systems theory, crisis therapy intervention, individual/family/group therapy, trauma response, child abuse and family violence, cognitive behavioural therapy, suicide intervention
• Must have experience with assessing high risk clients and responding appropriately
• Knowledge of mandatory reporting requirements
• Experience developing presentations and facilitating group work/therapy
• Can approach work holistically using a wellness model (as opposed to an illness one) which highlights and encourages client’s strengths
• Support system and self-care strategies in place to maintain own wellbeing
• Strong set of interpersonal skills to establish and maintain rapport effectively with clients and partners
• Excellent written, verbal and computer skills
• Strong interviewing, analytical, problem-solving, organizational and time management skills
• Self-starter to work independently with initiative and highly adaptable
• Knowledge of First Nations culture, history, community-based services, geographic realities and social conditions within remote First Nations communities
• Previous experience working with First Nations communities is an asset
• Ability to communicate in one of the First Nations dialects of the Sioux Lookout region is an asset
• The ability to perform the requirements of the position on a regular basis.

• Provide counselling, support/guidance, intervention, crisis management, family counselling as required, group work and case management
• Conduct mental health assessments, help clients define goals and develop treatment plans
• Assessment of risk factors, clinical management of risk, stabilization, development of safety plans
• Develop therapeutic processes to guide clients in the development of skills and strategies for dealing with their problems
• Focus sessions on recovery, modification of behaviours or better management of conditions
• Evaluate client’s progress on a regular basis and adjust interventions as necessary
• Coordinate care, collaborate and refer to community/regional resources or specialists
• Maintain accurate, factual, and objective typewritten records in a timely manner on all aspects of clinical care
• Monitor files closely to ensure there is active care, and close inactive files without delay
• Protect client confidentiality, secure all records, and maintain integrity of client record
• Follow duty to report requirements as necessary
• Lead group therapy sessions and preventive mental wellness workshops/groups
• Participate in regular supervision meetings to review all cases/issues, receive education and direction, and for debriefing
• Prepare 3-month work plans in advance to ensure communities receive services in a timely and effective manner
• Participate in ongoing education on mental health issues and team meetings
• Develop and deliver presentations and group work in-house and in communities as requested
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with community-based mental health workers and provide mentoring support
• Other duties that may be deemed necessary by your immediate Supervisor
• May have to travel with future development of Nodin