Counsellor, HART Hubs (Oxford)
Direct Service - (OPSEU)
Full-Time, Contract (End Date: March 31, 2028) *Four positions available*
Woodstock, Ontario (Oxford Zone)
- Application Deadline: September 4, 2025 -

We believe that change is possible, for those who are concerned with their substance use and ready to explore options of support.

As a Counsellor within the Oxford Wellness Centre, you will support by providing high quality care that is respectful, trauma-informed, culturally appropriate and compassionate in nature. You will support individuals accessing services by developing and maintaining therapeutic relationships, providing addiction treatment planning, increasing client motivation, providing addiction counselling, both individual and group, to support in client wellness and improvement of their bio-psycho-social-spiritual health.

This position will be located at the Oxford Wellness Centre, and will provide support to other HART Hub sites within Oxford County. These programs provide care under the Terms & Conditions outlined by the Ministry of Health for Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub care providers.

Consider revitalizing your career and making a difference in your community by joining our team!

WHAT WE'RE OFFERING:

• What you'll be making - Starting rate for this role is $27.14 per hour (Level 1 – Direct Service), with a wage differential, based on regulation ($30.01 per hour for Level 1 – Direct Service, Regulated):
  • Successful candidates who are registered with one of the designated professional colleges (e.g. OCSWSSW, CNO, COTO, CRPO, CPSO, or CPO) will receive the wage differential for regulation
  • Successful external applicants will start at Level 1, with grid progression based on seniority up to Level 8 ($34.41 per hour for non-regulated, and $37.26 per hour for regulated); for internal applicants, grid level placement will occur as per the Collective Agreement
  • Premiums of $2.00 will be applied for eligible Evening/Night and Weekend Shifts
• When you'll work - 70 hours biweekly; rotating days, afternoons, evenings and weekends
• Your pension plan –Immediately eligible for optional enrolment in the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP)
• What your benefits will be – 9% in lieu of benefits

HOW YOU WILL BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE:

Intake, Screening, Crisis:

• Provide Intake Services, as scheduled
• Select, administer and interpret evidence-informed screening tools as a part of a standardized screening process to determine program eligibility and level of care required
• Recognize and respond effectively to an individual/group/community in crisis
• Provide crisis intervention and de-escalation
• Make an active effort to adapt services to clients’ social and cultural needs, and provide accessible options for communication where clients have varying needs
• Assess client’s transportation needs upon intake and provide bus passes and other forms of travel assistance, while leveraging existing funding supports

Assessment:

• Utilize standardized provincial assessment tools to determine a client’s suitability for services and level of care
• Adhere to the quality assurance measures for the provincial standardized assessment tools
• Provide clinical interpretation of assessment tools and utilize skillful motivational interviewing techniques for the purpose of informing the development of a client-centred treatment plan
• Provide re-assessment on an on-going basis for individuals to assess treatment progression and adjust treatment plan as appropriate

Counselling and Treatment:

• Develop and maintain therapeutic relationships with clients to maximize the benefits of engagement through high ethical standards
• Actively increase client motivation by utilizing a Stages of Change paradigm and motivational interviewing
• Apply a comprehensive range of evidence-informed counselling styles and techniques aimed at improving the client’s overall bio-psycho-social-spiritual health
• Use best practice, promising practices and evidence-informed models and treatment modalities when working with clients in individual or group settings
• Develop a formalized treatment plan including preliminary case management, goal setting, individual and/or group counselling, referrals, advocacy and education as appropriate in collaboration with the client to improve their social determinants of health
• Evaluate and update the treatment plan as appropriate
• Actively participate in clinical supervision, i.e. engage in both individual and group clinical supervision to improve client care and increase staff confidence and clinical competence

Case Management:

• Demonstrate the knowledge and skill required to match clients with the most appropriate available services as determined through the screening, assessment, referral and treatment planning process
• Manage and meet targets for a clinical caseload and maintain direct service requirements.
• Participate in the facilitation of community treatment groups as needed and appropriate

Service Coordination/Navigation and Advocacy:

• Facilitate successful service navigation for clients through empowerment and/or advocacy
• Participate and lead client centred case conferences

Information and Referral

• Demonstrate a knowledge of best practices and provide support in regards to addiction treatment, including a basic understanding of all types of addiction, the treatment continuum and the continuum of use
• Provide services in person, on the phone or another means of communication about addiction and mental health services and supports
• Provide education to clients and concerned others regarding a variety of coping techniques and strategies

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO APPLY:

Police Vulnerable Sector Check Requirements
Successful candidates must have a Police Vulnerable Sector Check completed in the last six months. Interested applicants who reside in the City of London and are in need of a Police Vulnerable Sector Check (PVSC) are encouraged to apply for one as soon as possible as PVSCs in the City of London are currently taking approximately 2 weeks to be processed and offers of employment cannot be made without receipt of a PVSC.

We require the following qualifications:

• Post- secondary education in a related field, such as BSW, psychology, or post-graduate diploma in addiction or equivalent (primary proof of credentials will be required during the hiring process i.e. original degree/diploma or official transcript)
• Current, satisfactory Police Vulnerable Sector Check (PVSC)
• Valid G Drivers licence and access to a vehicle with at least $2 million in liability insurance to transport clients
• Registration with an appropriate college (OCSWSSW, CNO, COTO, CRPO, CPSO, or CPO)
• Demonstrated ability to attend work regularly

We prefer the following qualifications:

• Current certification in First Aid & CPR or willingness to complete within the first 3 months of employment
• ASSIST Training
• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training
• Experience working with individuals with addiction or problematic substance use
• Experience working with individuals with no fixed address
• Experience in crisis intervention/management and crisis resolution
• Experience with, and detailed knowledge of, mild, moderate & serious mental illnesses, usually gained by several years of working with this population
• Knowledge of Psychosocial Rehabilitation
• Knowledge of community resources
• Knowledge of computerized documentation methods
• Crisis intervention and prevention
• Ability to recognize and diffuse potential conflict situations
• Applied Suicide Interventions Skills and Training
• Knowledge of WHMIS, fire, health and safety procedures
• Bilingual both official languages, preferred; préférence sera accordée aux candidats qui sont compétents dans les deux langues officielles du Canada

INTERNAL APPLICANTS: To be considered as an internal applicant, current staff members are reminded to apply using their @cmhatv.ca or @slwar.ca email address.

Get your application in by – September 4, 2025

Our recruitment process allows us to learn about your previous work experience, your qualifications and your commitment to fulfilling our vision. While we appreciate the interest of all applicants, only those individuals being considered for a position will be personally contacted by someone from the interview team.

We welcome and encourage applications from all members of our community including persons of any gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation, persons with disabilities, Indigenous persons, and members of visible minorities. If you require accommodations related to a disability at any point during the recruitment process, please contact Human.Resources@cmhatv.ca

Legal Notifications:

• For legal purposes our full business name is: Canadian Mental Health Association Thames Valley Addiction and Mental Health Services
• Artificial Intelligence is not currently employed in our recruitment processes

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