Clinical Counsellor, Mental Health & Substance Use Services

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Fraser Health is responsible for the delivery of hospital and community-based health services to over 1.9 million people in 20 diverse communities from Burnaby to Fraser Canyon on the traditional territories of the Coast Salish and Nlaka’pamux Nations. Our team of nearly 45,000 medical staff and volunteers is dedicated to serving our patients, families and communities to deliver on our vision: Better health, best in health care.
Effective October 26th, 2021, all new hires to Fraser Health will need to have full COVID 19 vaccination (have received a full series of a World Health Organization “WHO” approved vaccine against infection by SARS-COV-2, or a combination of approved WHO vaccines). Please note this applies to all postings, and individual medical exemptions must be approved by the Provincial Health Officer.
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Detailed Overview
Reporting to the Manager, Clinical Operations and under the direction of the Coordinator, the Clinical Counsellor provides consultation, assessment, short term case management and clinical counselling services on complex cases to individuals and families, who present at outpatient clinics, with and affected by serious and persistent mental disorders and/or substance misuse. Assesses referred clients, arranges for them to be seen by the Psychiatrist and/or accepts the client for short term case management or makes referrals to other community services where appropriate. As part of the interdisciplinary team assists in the development of shared care plans and provides comprehensive case consultation and follow-up support on treatment decisions in collaboration with members of the interdisciplinary team. Assists in the evaluation of the program and in monitoring quality improvement activities, standards of practice, policies and procedures; collects data and maintains clinical records.
Responsibilities

• Screens referrals from the interdisciplinary team by gathering background information, determining service priorities and providing rapid response to urgent referrals, providing outreach, crisis intervention, and short-term treatment stabilization, and referral.
• Provides referral to appropriate agencies and collaborative information sharing of psychiatric situations including substance abuse/dependence.
• Provides education on mental health issues to interdisciplinary shared care team in conjunction other MH&SU team members or with Psychiatrist, community groups and agencies; presents information/education sessions to professional colleagues and other government/non-government agencies.
• Delivers group therapy and education sessions to clients and their families by using various group processes and theory.
• Provides comprehensive clinical counselling and psychotherapy to clients affected by mental illness and/or addictions, chronic disease or complex cases including people in crisis, utilizing a variety of clinically sound psychotherapeutic techniques.
• Identifies gaps and problems with service and recommends solutions to assist in the development and maintenance of a coordinated mental health care system within the community.
• Facilitates clients' utilization of appropriate community services by keeping knowledgeable about other services and liaising with them; collaborates with key agencies in order to ensure clients receive appropriate and timely service delivery and continuity of care.
• Assesses client needs and available services and contributes to the shared care plan with the clients input. Facilitates clients' utilization of appropriate community services and rehabilitative programs through methods such as researching available services, liaising with the service and program providers and providing advice and consultation to colleagues.
• Carries out treatment plans and interventions, provision of support and crisis intervention, including facilitation of hospitalization where necessary.
• Facilitates the process of cognitive, emotional and behavioral change utilizing crisis intervention and short-term psychotherapy based on treatment goals.
• Provides short term brief interventions, follows-up, monitors, and evaluates treatment outcomes.
• Performs other related duties as required.
• Communicates and consults with psychiatrists and interdisciplinary shared care team regarding client care and progress.
• Maintains written reports and statistics and prepares written reports according to established polices and procedures.
• Identifies gaps in service in order to offer more comprehensive care in the Physicians office.

Qualifications
Education and Experience
Masters in Counseling Psychology, Social Work or other related discipline from an accredited educational institution.
Two (2) years of recent related experience in community and/or hospital settings providing programs for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
Skills And Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to deal with others effectively, including establishing and maintaining rapport with psychotic, crisis-prone, non-compliant people, and working collaboratively and co-operatively with other care providers to facilitate and enhance interdisciplinary, inter-departmental, and interagency communication and problem solving.
• Ability to work on interdisciplinary teams.
• Ability to deal with others effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to network with other services and agencies.
• Demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of mental health psychiatric assessment skills, crisis intervention techniques, de-escalation techniques, brief/short-term therapy skills and interventions, abnormal psychology, general counselling theory/principles, DSM IV multi-axial diagnosis, community response procedures, community resource utilization and knowledge of psycho-pharmacology used in psychiatric treatment.
• Demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of substance misuse, relapse prevention and harm reduction.
• Ability to undertake client assessment tools.
• Comprehensive clinical counselling and therapy skills including crisis counselling.
• Ability to work independently under the direction of physicians and/or psychiatrist.
• Demonstrated clinical skills in working with the seriously mentally ill.
• Ability to operate related equipment including computers.
• Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work.
• Thorough knowledge of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a therapeutic modality.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position.