Social Worker

Are you a registered Social Worker looking for an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in your community? Do you thrive in a collaborative environment where you can advocate for clients and connect them with essential services?? If so, we’d love to hear from you!

What We Do

The Alex is a beacon of hope for Calgary’s most vulnerable citizens, offering wrap-around health care, housing, social, and wellness programs. With a patient and client-centered approach, we envision a community where every individual is valued and empowered to thrive. Our mission is to improve quality of life through accessible and integrated health, housing, and social services. With five decades of experience, we have earned a reputation for tackling tough health and social issues, guiding individuals on their journey from crisis to wellness, and from challenge to change.

Pathways Assertive Outreach (PAO) is an evidence-based Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program that operates within the Homeless-Serving System of Care. PAO supports participants with a primary psychotic illness and a history of homelessness. Our multi-disciplinary team collaborates to support program participants to achieve mental health stability, pursue greater holistic health and wellness, reintegration into community, and to move towards recovery.

Reporting to the Clinical Team Lead, the Social Worker is a key member of the PAO Team and is responsible for utilizing a variety of approaches to support program participants in achieving stability and wellness while reintegrating into the community. Responsive to ACT Team duties, Social Workers offer advocacy, skill development, supportive counselling, referrals, and system navigation, and assist participants in meeting basic and housing needs.

This is a full-time, contract term position for 12-months.

What You Will Do

Program Philosophy

• Offer culturally supportive services, where indicated.
• Uphold the principles of the ACT Model, Harm Reduction, and Trauma Informed Care.
• Understand and adhere to the Mental Health Act and Community Treatment Orders.
• Understand and follow program policies and procedures.

Administrative

• Complete regular evidence-based assessment tools with program participants and required data entry.
• Complete, collect, and assist with data collection and entry as directed.
• Create, implement, and update participant-centered treatment plans, service plan goals, and safety planning.
• Complete required documentation and charting with excellence within electronic medical record system, in accordance with agency policy and procedures, and respective of professional college requirements, and relevant legislation.
• Complete team schedule, as required.

Participant Care

• Support program participants who experience acute, severe and persistent mental health and substance use disorders.
• Provide single-staff, assertive outreach services to program participants.
• Connect participants to appropriate services in the community and assist in facilitating referrals as needed.
• Teach, support, and assist participants in their homes and community settings with activities of daily living skills.
• Help identify risk factors that could lead to eviction and work alongside program participants and housing first partner agencies to reduce the likelihood of eviction.
• Accompany and/or provide transportation support to external appointments.
• Advocate for the rights of program participants, upholding their dignity and autonomy.
• Empower participants to be engaged and participate in their care.
• Assist participants with systems navigation, including justice, financial, and health care while maintaining continuity of care.
• Provide services to assist participants with needs such as housing, housing location, entitlements, employment, education, community integration, etc.
• Understand and support participants with medication assistance as required
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of the impact of trauma on mental health and addiction issues.
• Work collaboratively with program participants, families, and partner agencies to assist participants in achieving treatment and recovery goals.
• Nurture professional relationships with other service providers to ensure a high quality of service for our participants.
• Complete mental status examinations, risk assessments, and supportive counselling informed by Social Work theory.
• Complete intake assessments, manage the triage list, and facilitate program entry.
• Collaborate with and participate in regular care conferencing/consultation with partner agencies and hospitals.
• Facilitate the Needs and Services Questionnaire as a Housing Strategist.
• Provide ACT services as outlined in participant Community Treatment Orders.
• Provide a provision of psychoeducation within groups, individual visits, partners, and natural supports.
• Complete applications and documents using professional designation.
• Maintain client confidentiality and clear boundaries.

Team

• Actively participate in daily team meetings and treatment planning meetings.
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to the interchangeability and flexibility required of a transdisciplinary ACT (Assertive Community Treatment) team member, actively contributing across roles to support participant care.
• Represent the program and the agency in the community in a professional manner.
• Work collaboratively with all team members to provide excellent service and achieve program outcomes.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work.
• Active registration with the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) is required.
• Authorization to perform restricted psychosocial interventions is an asset.
• Demonstrated experience in a social service, healthcare, or clinical setting is preferred.
• Commitment to data collection.
• Experience working with vulnerable populations with significant mental health and substance use issues is preferred.
• Strong knowledge base of local resources for housing, mental health, addiction, community support, finances, etc.
• A demonstrated understanding of Housing First, Mental Health Act, Community Treatment Orders, ACT Fidelity, and Harm Reduction is an asset.
• Demonstrated comfort meeting individually with participants in a broad variety of settings, with a safety-first mindset.
• Knowledge of evidenced-based interventions is required.
• Strong crisis management and communication skills with the ability to engage clients.
• Exceptional organization, advocacy, teaching, and rapport-building skills.
• Ability to receive direction and collaborate with others to achieve agreed upon goals.
• Ability to work in a changing, sometimes demanding, work environment.
• Strong initiative in times of limited supervision
• Knowledge or familiarity with Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and electronic medical records is an asset.
• Training in any of the following is considered an asset: Applied Suicide Intervention Training, Mental Health First Aid, Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, and Motivational Interviewing.
• Class 5 driver’s license, personal vehicle for business use, clean 3-year drivers abstract, and $2 million liability coverage are required.
• Minimum age of 21 years old and three years of driving experience is required to drive an Alex fleet vehicle.
• First Aid (Basic or Intermediate) – Level C CPR & AED within 30 days of hire date; certification must be valid for a minimum of 6 months upon hire.
• A satisfactory vulnerable sector criminal record clearance is required.
• Demonstrated knowledge, understanding and commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action is preferred.

Work Environment and Hours

• Predominantly outreach, with single staff visits in program participant homes, or at The Alex Community Health Centre: -2 Ave SE, Calgary, AB.
• Standard hours are 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday; some flexibility in crisis situations may be required.
• 24-hour on-call services on a rotating schedule is required.
• 1.0 FTE (37.5 hours per week)
• This is a full-time, contract term position for 12-months.
• Continuous extended periods of sitting, with some standing and walking (sometimes up and down stairs).
• Frequent driving as part of work duties.
• Occasional physical action requires the ability to bend/crouch, reach above shoulder height, kneel/crawl, climb and carry objects (up to 20 lbs.) throughout shift.
• Occasional time outside in all weather conditions.

What We Offer

Some of the great benefits The Alex has to offer include:

• 3-weeks’ vacation
• Medical and Dental Coverage
• Health / Wellness Spending Accounts
• RRSP, Student Loan Repayment Program and/or Mortgage Accelerator Payment Program (up to 5% match)
• Personal Days
• Floating Holiday
• Sick/Wellness Days
• Employee Family Assistance Plan (EFAP)
• Professional Development