Community Mental Health Worker

POSITION SUMMARY

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The Community Mental Health Worker (CMHW) provides mental health service to residents of Prairie Mountain Health, and may be based in both community and facility settings. As a member of the assigned interdisciplinary team, the incumbent provides a broad range of mental health services to clients and their families, and acts as the primary counsellor and/or case manager for all newly referred clients as well as those with long-term service needs. In collaboration and partnership with other health care providers, clients’ families and community stakeholders, the CMHW focuses on supporting individuals in their personal recovery where they live, learn, work and socialize.

The CMHW requires a diverse and comprehensive knowledge base about trauma informed psychiatric care as well as other adopted mental health therapies and the ability possess and integrate into practice crisis management and suicide intervention skills. Through the application of therapeutic skills that promote and build on client’s strengths, the CMHW assists the client/family to maximize independence, self-responsibility and promotes personal wellness, community integration and social justice. Depending on client needs and particularly when working with individuals with enduring mental illness, the CMHW applies case management functions that focus on functional assessment and skill development, relapse prevention, and rehabilitation.

In addition to being a valued member of the interdisciplinary team, the CMHW conducts a sound professional, autonomous practice, demonstrating effective problem-solving and organizational abilities. The CMHW has a working knowledge of the Mental Health Act and other legislation that protect their client(s) and the public.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Overview:

• Engages with clients and families to build trusting therapeutic relationships as well as developing case formulation, intervention plans and services.
• Collects and reviews initial clinical and psychosocial information, gathers and incorporates collateral information into initial screening and assessment.
• Assesses strengths, skills, capacities, resource needs, and readiness in relationship to the client’s primary goals and recovery plan.
• Develops case formulation and assists clients to establish service requirements and plans.
• Conducts risk evaluations for self-harm, violence and deterioration of mental status and intervenes in crisis situations.
• Provides mental health counselling as indicated using recognized evidenced based counselling models and methodologies with clients and families.
• Performs an intake role as assigned.
• In collaboration with the client, identifies the service conditions required to ensure that fundamental human needs are met. Assists to establish effective linkages to resources, agencies and service providers, advocating when required.
• Respects and values cultural healing practices in collaboration with client, family and cultural practitioners.
• Participates with related health providers and allied social service staff to assist with case management planning as it relates to mental health issues.
• Conducts a standard mental status examination, a comprehensive psychosocial assessment, a Co-Occurring Disorder (COD) screening, a Suicide Assessment (SAG), as well as other age related assessments as required.
• Provides assessment information, diagnostic impressions and treatment recommendations to other health service providers following PHIA and FIPPA requirements.
• Assists the client to attain and maintain optimal mental and physical health.
• Engages family as important contributors to care planning as defined and chosen by the client. Provides emotional support and education to family members within the following of privacy legislation.
• Ensures that the individual or community receives appropriate and effective service, including crisis planning and intervention for safety and protection.
• Collaborates with family members, other agencies, organizations and individuals from hospital and community to facilitate a well-coordinated, recovery-oriented service system for clients with chosen follow up systems.
• Provides follow-up services and monitoring of mental health status as required.
• Provides individual, group and public education to promote awareness of mental health problems, mental illness, mental wellness, and resiliency.
• In collaboration with the client, coordinates comprehensive care planning meetings that may involve family, multiple disciplines, agencies and programs to ensure communication among all parties.
• Documents assessments, interventions and results/recommendations in an approved format in accordance with professional and regional standards.
• Advocates for service improvement including mobilizing existing services and/or creating new services.
• Coordinates admissions, discharge planning, closures or transfers with other mental health services within Prairie Mountain Health, other regions, community agencies and/or informal supports.
• Practices in accordance with legislation relevant to community health practice ( Mental Health Act including Public Guardian and Trustee legislation, Vulnerable Persons Act, Child Welfare Act, Personal Health Information Act, etc.)
• Provides collaborative case management as mandated for clients with orders with the Criminal Review Board, with delegated authority under the Public Trustee, or through a Service Purchase Agreement.
• Understands group dynamics and effectively uses facilitation skills to support group development and delivery.
• Supervises/orientates in collaboration with the Proctor Supervisor and Managers, Mental Health Proctors, Activity Instructors, and Community Support Workers as applicable.
• Provides orientation, supervision and evaluation of new staff, students and physicians/ medical residents as appropriate.
• Other duties as assigned.