Social Worker HIV & HCV Programs

Position Title: Social Worker

HIV & HCV Programs

The Opportunity

Are you a Social Worker (SW) who believes that healthcare should meet people where they are without judgement without barriers and with compassion at the center of every interaction

The Gilbert Centre is looking for an experienced SW to join our HIV and HCV Clinical Services this role you will provide comprehensive psychosocial assessment and therapeutic support to individuals living with or at risk of HIV and hepatitis C many of whom experience complex intersecting challenges related to mental health substance use trauma stigma and broader social determinants of health.

This role has a particular responsibility to support people living with HIV people newly diagnosed with HIV people affected by HIV and people at increased risk of HIV including those experiencing HIV-related stigma disclosure concerns treatment access barriers and challenges remaining engaged in care.

You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team that practices harm reduction centers client autonomy guided by a deep commitment to health equity and delivers integrated client-led care across clinical and community settings.

This hands-on psychosocial support role integrates short-term counselling crisis and acute support system navigation advocacy and community engagement to improve health outcomes and reduce inequities for underserved populations.

Why the Gilbert Centre

We are a justice-informed harm reduction organization that does things differently and we are proud of that. We walk alongside people rather than leading them. We believe in the dignity and autonomy of everyone who comes through our doors. And we are building something meaningful.

• Comprehensive benefits through Canada Life including health dental vision and drug coverage.
• Generous paid time off: 3 weeks vacation 3 weeks sick leave and 1 week of float time to start.
• The security and protections of a unionized workplace (CUPE Local 1813.14).
• A workplace culture rooted in autonomy hope courage and compassion not just for clients but for staff.
• The chance to practice relational community-based client-centred social work in an integrated HIV/HCV/STBBI program.
• Opportunities for professional developmentwithin a collaborative multidisciplinary team.

About Us

The Gilbert Centre for Social and Support Services is a registered not-for-profit charitable organization incorporated in 1995 in response to the HIV epidemic in Simcoe County and Muskoka Region. Our mandate extends to supporting people at risk of living with and affected by HIV and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) as well as supporting and celebrating the lives of the 2S-LGBTQ communities in our regions.

We take a broad social-determinants-of-health approach to our work grounded in social justice health equity and human rights. Weseekto engage individuals families organizations institutions and communities as partners and collaborators. Weoperatefrom a value system of harm reduction sex positivity queer and trans inclusion and work towards greater anti-oppressive practices. Wehope to see a future that does not criminalize sex work or narcotics use.

Scope of the Position:

The Social Worker provides psychosocial assessment short-term counselling crisis and acute support advocacy care engagement and system navigation services to individuals living with affected by newly diagnosed with or at increased risk of HIV and/or Hepatitis C. Working within an interdisciplinary clinical team the Social Worker uses trauma-informed anti-oppressive and harm reduction approaches to support individuals experiencing complex challenges related to mental health substance use stigma and the social determinants of health.

As an MOH-funded role with a primary focus on HIV support the position maintains a particular focus on people living with affected by newly diagnosed with or at increased risk of HIV while contributing to integrated HIV HCV and STBBI care where needs intersect. The role plays an important part in supporting systemically underserved communities including 2S-LGBTQ communities people who use drugs sex workers and individuals experiencing homelessness.

Through counselling advocacy care coordination and community engagement the Social Worker helps improve access to care reduce barriers and support positive health and wellbeing outcomes. The role is intended to provide time-limited psychosocial and therapeutic support and does not replace longer-term psychotherapy specialized mental health treatment or psychiatric care where those services are clinically indicated.

Responsibilities and Related Tasks

Psychosocial Assessment & Therapeutic Support

• Conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments including mental health substance use trauma stigma treatment adherence challenges and social complexity
• Provide short-term counselling psychosocial stabilization crisis/acute support and brief structured interventions to support emotional processing coping behavior change and adaptation to living with or being affected by HIV/HCV.
• Support clients in processing diagnosis disclosure identity relationships and the broader life impact of HIV/HCV
• Providetargetedsupportaround HIV-related stigma disclosure diagnosis adjustment treatment access treatment adherence re-engagement in care and barriers experienced by people living with affected by newly diagnosed with or at increased risk of HIV.
• Conduct risk assessments and lead psychosocial crisis intervention de-escalation and safety planning as appropriate
• Facilitate or co-facilitate therapeutic and/or psychoeducational groups
• Stay informed about current best practices and regulatory changes in HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C care.
• Makeappropriate referralsfor longer-term psychotherapy specialized mental health care addiction medicine psychiatric care or other services when client needs exceed the intended short-term counselling and acute support scope of this role.

Collaboration and Professional Integration

• Work in close collaboration with the Health Program Manager and interdisciplinary team to support engagement in care and address barriers to treatment
• Lead navigation of complex social systems including housing income supports legal systems and community resources
• Support clients in accessing mental health and addictions services financial supports and community-based care
• Participate in case conferences team huddles and coordinated care planning
• Lead the delivery of mental health related professional development opportunities for Gilbert Centre staff
• Support clients in navigating complex provincial and federal systems including income supports disability benefits (ODSP) and identity documentation processes; complete required documentation such as the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Index and serve as a guarantor for Ontario birth certificate applications in accordance with applicable legislation and where eligibility criteria are met.
• Work collaboratively with the Linkage to Care Coordinator to support people living with HIV who are newly diagnosed re-engaging in care experiencing treatment access barriers or requiring coordinated support across HIV HCV STBBI primary care and social service systems.

Advocacy Equity & Social Determinants of Health

• Advocate alongside clients to address systemic barriers including poverty housing instability stigma discrimination criminalization and healthcare access challenges
• Promote client autonomy rights self-determination and informed decision making.
• Contribute a psychosocial and social determinants lens to interdisciplinary care planning and service delivery
• Support underserved populations including 2S-LGBTQ communities people who use drugs sex workers newcomers and individuals experiencing homelessness
• Support clientsexperiencing stigma related toHIV HCV substance use sex work homelessness incarceration sexuality gender identity race migration status and other intersecting forms of marginalization.

Community Engagement & Outreach

• Participate in outreach initiatives including pop-up clinics and community-based service delivery in settings such as shelters and community agencies.
• Build andmaintainpartnerships with community organizations to improve access to HIV/HCV care and support services.
• Contribute to education and capacity-building related to harm reduction stigma reduction and HIV prevention for staff volunteers and community partners.
• Support testing and care pathways by helping clients understand access and follow up on HIV HCV HBV and STBBI testing treatment and referral options in collaboration with clinical staff outreach staff and the Linkage to Care Coordinator.

Documentation Quality & Professional Practice

• Maintainaccurateandtimelydocumentation in the electronic health recordin accordance withprofessional and legal standards
• Adhere to the standards of practice of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives program evaluation and team-based learning
• Stay current with best practices in HIV/HCV care harm reduction and trauma-informed social work
• Complete documentation and service trackingrequiredfor organizational and funder reporting including relevant HIV/HCV program reporting systems such as OCASE/OCHART/TREAT or other applicable tools.

Qualifications

• MinimumBachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from an accredited university
• Registration in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
• Minimum of three (3) years of SW experience preferably in HIV and/or HCV services.
• Strong understanding of:
• Harm reduction principles
• Trauma-informed and anti-oppressive practice
• Social determinants of health
• Suicide Risk Assessment preferably ASIST trained
• Experience working with diverse and underserved populations including 2S-LGBTQ communities people who use drugs individuals experiencing homelessness sex workers and newcomers.
• Strong interpersonal communication and engagement skills.
• Proficiencyin electronic health record systems.
• Valid Ontario drivers license and willingness to travel within the region.
• Maintenance ofadditionalprofessional liability insuranceappropriate tothe scope of services.
• Demonstratedunderstanding of HIV-related stigma diagnosis adjustment disclosure treatment access adherence retention in care and the psychosocial needs of people living with affected by newly diagnosed with or at increased risk of HIV.
• Demonstratedability to provide short-term counselling crisis/acute support safety planning advocacy and system navigation whileidentifyingwhen referral to longer-term or specialized mental health care isrequired.

Compensation and Benefits

Hourly Rate:$32/hour

Hours:1.0 FTE

Benefits:Canada Life Health Dental Vision and Drug coverage

Paid Time Off:3 weeks vacation 3 weeks sick leave and 1 week float (starting entitlements)

Schedule:Flexible scheduling to support work-life balance

Bargaining Unit:CUPE Local 1813.14

Working Conditions

• Frequent computer use.
• May involve walking or standing for periods of time during community-based activities events partner-agency visits or collaborative outreach activities.

How to Apply

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and we encourage early submissions.

As an equal opportunity employer we value diversity and welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We encourage applications from people with all lived or living experiences. Accommodation is available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

We recognize that the perfect candidatedoesntexist. If this role excites you and you meet most of the qualifications we encourage you to apply. We are committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve.

Disclosure: This position is currently being reviewed by the CUPE bargaining unit. The terms and conditions of this position may change based on this review.

Required Experience:

Senior IC

Employment Type : Full-Time
Experience: years
Vacancy: 1