Social Worker 2 - Youth Urgent Care

Job Description

CAMH is the largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital in Canada as well as one of the world's leading research centres in its field.

Our services are delivered to help transform the lives of people affected by mental illness and addictions. Our goal is to tailor treatment to each individual, providing client-centered, comprehensive, coordinated care.

As part of the Child, Youth, and Emerging Adult Program (CYEAP), the Child Youth and Family Services (CYFS) provides care and treatment to children and youth between the ages of 6 and 24.

Clients and their families served by CYFS are offered specialized services and customized care across an inpatient, day treatment / day hospital and outpatient continuum of care.

The Youth Urgent Care Clinic (YUCC) offers brief, time-limited treatment for youth aged 16 - 24 years in acute crisis related to mental health issues (with or without concurrent substance use issues).

The YUCC is an interprofessional clinic with social workers and psychiatrists working closely together to coordinate appropriate care in a timely fashion.

The service is seeking to fill a full-time, permanent, Social Worker who will report to the CYFS manager and work collaboratively with SAPACCY and other clinical services within CYFS and across CAMH.

The incumbent will provide services to youth (and their families) who are dealing with acute crises pertaining to mental illness (with or without concurrent substance use issues) and also provide consultation to other professionals working within the Urgent Care model of mental health service delivery.

The incumbent will deliver care within a model that recognizes the unique risks to youth mental health in a developmental context.

Clinical interventions include assessment, acute mental health stabilization, case management, and brief therapy. The incumbent will support program development and clinical evaluation and be an active participant in continuous quality improvement and research activities.

Candidates must be capable of providing supervision of Master of Social Work students, collaborating with faculties of social work on special projects related to the development of the social work field, contributing to the development of best practices unique to the social work field and teaching of other professionals.

Collaboration with internal and external stakeholders seeking support and shared care for complex clients is a significant part of this role.

You will support a healthy workplace that embraces diversity, encourages teamwork and complies with all applicable and regulatory requirements.

Some evening hours are required. Other duties as assigned. This position is located at 80 Workman Way.

Minimum Requirements

The successful candidate will have a Master’s of Social Work degree supported by formal training in addictions and / or mental health with three or more years of clinical experience in the treatment of concurrent disorders.

The candidate must show proof of registration and be a member in good standing with The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and be eligible for an adjunct faculty appointment with faculties of Social Work that have affiliation agreements with CAMH.

The candidate will also possess demonstrated skills and experience in working with African Canadian and Caribbean youth, in addition to lived experience as a member of the African Canadian and Caribbean community.

Demonstrated experience as a role model is essential. The successful candidate will possess demonstrated skills and experience in the assessment and treatment of substance abuse and / or mental health treatment inclusive of individual and group counseling.

Capacity to work with complex high-risk clients and demonstrated excellence in applying best practices to clinical care is required.

Experience working in a psychiatric / mental health setting and knowledge of DSM V diagnostic criteria, psychotropic medication, psychosocial rehabilitation principles, crisis intervention, case management and recovery is essential.

Further, skills / training within a harm reduction model of treatment as well as Motivational Interviewing skills are key assets for the incumbent.

Excellent documentation, organizational and interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in an integrated clinical research environment where standardized data collection is used to evaluate outcomes is essential.

The ability to work in a dynamic and changing interprofessional environment that supports best practices, innovation, accountability and team collaboration to improve quality of care is required.

Knowledge of community resources for transitional aged youth and, in particular, African Canadian and Caribbean youth in substance abuse treatment is essential.

Experience with black youth is an asset. Strong communication skills (verbal and written) combined with computer literacy are required.

The ability to work effectively as a team member within and across services in CYEAP and CAMH is necessary. Bilingualism (French / English) or proficiency in a second language would be an asset.