Mental Wellness Counsellor

PROGRAM: Payahtakenemowin Wellness Program

JOB TITLE: Mental Wellness Counsellor – Community Mental Wellness Team

 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Shibogama Community Mental Wellness Team (CMWT) is a specialized consultative team of professionals knowledgeable in the areas of social work, psychology, Indigenous knowledge and healing, and mental health and addictions.  The team works in collaboration with Chief and Council, Health Directors, and front-line workers of the Shibogama communities to meet the following objectives:

·         Improve access to needed specialized services where gaps exist

·         Enhance knowledge, skills, and capacities of community front line workers

·         Provide support via a team approach of consultation, clinical supervision, coaching and mentoring.

·         Build and/or strengthen bridges between traditional and mainstream approaches to community wellness

Services and activities to support these objectives will include:

·         Supporting community crisis prevention, through early intervention.

·         Addressing the needs of high-risk individuals with complex mental health issues by providing coordinated, multi-disciplinary mental health supports and interventions.

·         Providing pre-crisis surveillance to prevent and/or reduce the level of impending crisis and to ensure Health Directors, Chiefs and Councils and local and regional partners are informed and prepared to provide required responses.

·         Engaging and being a part of the broader network of supports that include treatment centers, mental health crisis intervention teams and relevant services, while working with federal and provincial governments to facilitate care coordination and improve access to culturally appropriate quality care.

·         Mobilizing the response team as requested from Shibogama communities affected by crisis.

·          Providing culturally appropriate, mental health services as directed by each of the communities.

·         Providing direct and indirect, culturally appropriate, crisis response support to develop the capacity of individuals and communities to respond to and manage crisis.

·         Developing criteria for crisis intervention and develop crisis protocol plans in collaboration with the member communities and other responsible agencies (e.g., provincial health services/emergency response, Health Canada (NIHB).

 

SUPERVISION

The Mental Wellness Counsellor reports to the CMWT Clinical Lead.

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Mental Wellness Counsellor (MWC) works closely with the assigned community’s resource team, receiving direction from the community-based health director and/or case manager or designate.

Duties of the position include the following:

 

1.       Client Supports

a.       Provide community-based mental health counselling regarding the cause, symptoms, and prevention strategies of various mental health diagnoses.

b.       Prepare needs and risk assessments for the purposes of determining client needs and treatment planning.

c.       Provide support for families dealing with mental health disorders and/or addictions and/or referrals for additional treatment.

d.       Respond appropriately and in a timely manner to crisis situations involving clients, including assessing and addressing high risk behavior (i.e., self-harm, suicide).

e.       Maintain strict confidentiality guidelines regarding all clients, conversations, and referrals.

 

2.       Documentation

a.       Complete all required documentation/statistical activities and reports, as required.

b.       Accurate and timely completion of progress notes, as per agency policy, on client record keeping systems.

c.       Complete Intake, screening, and referral forms as required.

d.       Accurate and timely completion of all other administrative documentation including service invoices, and expense claims.

e.       Completion of other documentation that may be required from time-to-time.

 

3.       Assist in the development, coordination and implementation of community-based culturally appropriate programs, workshops, activities, and presentations, increasing the awareness and understanding regarding issues such as:

o   Lateral kindness/lateral violence

o   Respectful relationships/domestic violence

o   Substance use and addictions

o   Healthy parenting

o   Life skills (employment, budgeting, healthy cooking, etc.)

o   Traditional land-based skills

 

4.       Other Activities Related to the Interprofessional Team

a.       Develop and maintain respectful, cooperative working relationships other services in the community, ensuring necessary collaboration with local resources to promote an integrated, seamless delivery of service.

b.       Participate in case management and /or client progress meetings while in community, as required.

c.       Participate in team meetings and debriefing as directed.

 

5.       Performance Management and Professional Development

a.       Adhere to organization’s policies and procedures.

b.       Stay current on relevant legislation and best practices, current research related to position.

c.       Participate in ongoing professional development and mandatory training.

d.       Actively engage and participate in supervisory process, including clinical supervision as determined by the Clinical Lead.

 

6.       Other duties as assigned:

a.       Participate in team meetings and debriefing as directed.

b.       Participate in agency activities, e.g., special projects, committee work, special events, etc.

c.       Participate in quality improvement activities at the team/program level.

d.       Participate in external committees as required.

 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Training and Qualifications

·         Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in Social Work, Psychology, or other Social Science field relevant to the position.  A combination of education, training and experience may also be considered.

·         Minimum two years’ recent related experience in a mental health and substance use environment, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

·         Training related to trauma-informed practices appropriate to Indigenous communities.

·         Membership or membership qualification in a recognized provincial regulatory body.

Demonstrated Skills and Abilities:

·         Counselling experience within a First Nations context.

·         General competency/knowledge in concurrent disorders.

·         Group facilitation experience in both traditional Indigenous and mainstream approaches.

·         Thorough understanding of Indigenous approaches to healing and wellness.

·         Excellent written and oral communication, and interpersonal skills.

·         Fluency in Oji-Cree is preferred.

·         Excellent computer knowledge, data base management and record keeping.

·         Professionalism in maintaining confidential case notes and files.

·         Ability to work independently, as well as a member of a team.

·         Regular travel to remote First Nation communities is a requirement of the position.

·         Successful candidate must provide a clean, current CPIC and VSS.