Job Summary

Come work as a Social Worker with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)! Vancouver Coastal Health is looking for a Social Worker to join the Access and Assessment Center team at Joseph and Rosalie Family Health Centre in Vancouver, BC. Apply today to join our team!

As a Social Worker with the Vancouver Coastal Health, you will:

• Work from a harm reduction, culturally safe, trauma informed, recovery oriented, and client-centred model of care.
• Conduct comprehensive social and psycho-social assessments.
• Collaborate with the client and interdisciplinary team to facilitate transitions through the continuum of services for clients with complex discharge and/or intake/referral needs across multiple sites, clinics, services, This includes: clients, family members, primary care/mental health/ substance use service providers, private General Practitioner (GP) partners, community care partners and services.
• Provide consultative and direct services to clients, families, staff and community health professionals regarding issues such as adult guardianship, advanced directives, domestic violence, abuse and/or neglect, immigration, housing, financial concerns, or matters concerning government agencies (public trustee) and authorities (courts, police).
• Prepare and maintain client records in accordance with established standards, policies and procedures.
• Use health management and/or self-care management principles to identify problems, address issues or variances from the plan of care in collaboration with the entire interdisciplinary team and any other health care services involved.
• Establish, maintain and enhance therapeutic relationships based on respect.

About the Access and Assessment Centre (AAC): The AAC provides a range of Mental Health & Substance Use (MHSU) services for City of Vancouver residents (ages 17+) for non-urgent, urgent, and non-emergent intervention. AAC is the central point of access for all referrals for VCH Community MHSU Services in Vancouver. Services include referral intake, on-site assessment, crisis intervention, and short-term treatment. The goal is to connect a person to the right services and resources at the right time, striving to provide low-barrier access to client-centered care and support.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Current full registration with the British Columbia College of Social Workers.
• Master’s Degree of Social Work from an accredited School of Social Work.
• Two (2) years experience working in a health care setting providing assessment and treatment services to individuals with complex mental health, substance use and chronic medical concerns or equivalent.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of the principles of recovery in mental illness.
• Knowledge of Psychosocial Rehabilitation methodology.
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act as it applies to the rights and obligations of clients and staff.
• Knowledge of community, social and mental health resources.
• Knowledge and experience in providing culturally safe and competent care, specifically pertaining to Indigenous peoples.
• Demonstrated ability to identify emotional, social, or environmental barriers and intervene to eliminate stigma.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage conflict situations and aggressive behaviour and use non-violent crisis intervention and behavioural management techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing with clients, families, team members, other groups and community agency personnel.
• Demonstrated ability to assess clients at risk and knowledge of appropriate acts; e.g. Mental Health Act, Adult Guardianship, Public Health Act as it relates to the rights and obligations of clients and staff.
• Broad knowledge of mental illness, substance use and addictions treatment.
• Broad knowledge of systems thinking as it related to social work process.
• Broad knowledge of other health disciplines and their role in healthcare.
• Broad knowledge of research methodology, counselling skills and clinical practice models.
• Broad knowledge of family, group and change therapy.
• Demonstrated ability to problem solve and use critical thinking skills.
• Broad knowledge of legislation and government policies and procedures that relate to the client.
• Demonstrated ability to apply systems theory to practice in Social Work assessment and intervention.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct bio-psycho-social-spiritual assessments.
• Demonstrated ability to understand and influence group and inter-group processes, decision making and problem solving.
• Demonstrated ability to establish rapport with clients and families
• Demonstrated ability to adjust to new or unexpected events and deal effectively with conflict.
• Demonstrated ability to establish workload priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated understanding of health care ethics and ability to incorporate ethical decision making in practice.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct comprehensive risk assessments.
• Demonstrated ability to establish rapport with clients and caregivers in order to explore issues that are beyond the initial presented concerns
• Broad understanding of harm reduction and trauma-informed care.
• Basic computer literacy to operate a computerized client care information system and word processing, spreadsheet, Internet and e-mail software.
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.
• Skilled in the use of equipment, and in the techniques appropriate for treatment.