Social Worker, Outpatient
Job No:
CSH142
Location:
Toronto
About Us
Founded in 1988, Casey House is a sub-acute specialty hospital providing a continuum of care in a comfortable environment for adults living with HIV/AIDS and those at risk of HIV/AIDS, through a comprehensive range of inpatient, outpatient and community care services. Casey House is committed to providing compassionate care by an extensive inter-professional team. If you have a passion and interest in joining an organization focused on supporting people with complex medical and psychosocial needs, and enjoy working in a dynamic environment, consider this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our clients!
Position: Social Worker, Outpatient
Reports to: Director of Outpatient Services
Status: Permanent, full-time (OPSEU bargaining unit)
Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday, with the potential for evening and weekend work.
Position Overview:
The Outpatient Services social worker develops and implements innovative approaches to address the diverse needs of Casey House clients. The social worker will utilize best available evidence and promising practices to ensure that groups, interventions, and services are available to Casey House clients who identify modifying, examining, or addressing aspects of their health, including substance use, as part of their goals.
Working from an explicit harm reduction framework, the social worker collaborates with clients and colleagues to provide services uniquely tailored to the complex and intersecting needs of our clients. Through a combination of group activities, one-on-one supports and participation in team-wide activities, the social worker will ensure that wrap-around care exists to support clients in achieving their individualized health and wellness objectives.
The social worker will lead the creation, implementation, and evaluation of responsive services that address substance and other health determinants in alignment with client needs. Liaising with internal and external stakeholders, the social worker will support to clients to navigate external services, foster connections to care, and provide guidance to colleagues in managing complex health presentations, including those involving substance use.
Responsibilities:
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In collaboration with clients, assists in identifying strengths, resilience, and wellness goals while participating in outpatient services.
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Provide interventions to support clients in achieving their goals, including individual counselling and group-based programming, with a focus on addressing the diverse needs of clients living with or at risk of HIV, including substance use and other health challenges.
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Explore, develop and implement innovative approaches to address complex health challenges, including substance use, through a harm reduction and trauma-informed care perspective.
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Act as an approachable, accessible resource for colleagues to support clients with multi-faceted challenges related to substance use and mental health.
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Collaborate with external providers to assist in building and strengthening networks of support for Casey House clients, facilitating seamless access to external care.
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In collaboration with the interdisciplinary team , work closely with mental health clinician(s) to ensure services are complimentary and address priority areas of mental health, substance use, and overall health and wellness programming.
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Provide individual support to clients to engage with internal outpatient services.
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Provide staffing, support, and expertise to harm reduction initiatives, including safe consumption services and safer supply programming.
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Support clients through warm referrals to engage with external services, fostering connections and continuity of care.
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Respond to crisis situations in the outpatient services program through de-escalation, conflict resolution strategies, and community engagement skills.
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As a member of the outpatient services program team, participate in team-wide programming activities, such as the lunch program.
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Maintain accurate and up-to-date comprehensive documentation and statistics, centralized files and electronic database records.
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Assist in the preparation of statistical and written reports, and other documentation as required.
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Perform other duties as assigned to meet the evolving needs of Casey House clients.
Qualifications
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Master’s degree in Social Work or equivalent education and experience.
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Current Registration in Ontario with relevant regulating body.
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Demonstrated ability to take initiative, with a strong level of personal motivation.
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At least 3 years direct experience working within a harm reduction framework with clients using substances.
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Proficiency in current assessment, psychotherapy and psychosocial counselling modalities and techniques for working with individuals, couples, families and communities.
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Strong knowledge of evidence-based therapeutic approaches.
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Experience developing and facilitating psychotherapeutic groups related to substance use and harm reduction.
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Demonstrated ability to work with and within multi-disciplinary teams.
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Demonstrated commitment to and knowledge of harm reduction, anti-oppressive frameworks of practice.
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Comprehensive understanding of community based services and supports which address issues of poverty, gender equity, homelessness, marginalization, mental health and substance use.
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Extensive knowledge of the issues arising from disabilities, deteriorating mental/physical health and of the conditions which contribute to social isolation, discrimination and racism.
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Experience working and supporting clients living with HIV/AIDS.
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Experience working in safer consumption services and/or safe supply programs a strong asset.
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Demonstrated strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
At Casey House, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible environment. We are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community in which we live and serve, including those living with HIV/AIDS. Casey House is committed to providing accommodation in all parts of the hiring process. If you require an accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs.
Please be aware that Casey House has adopted a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, which requires all staff to be fully vaccinated, or for those not able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, provide medical documentation and undertake point of care antigen testing no later than 48 hours prior to the start of each shift.
This posting will remain open until 11:59 PM on Monday, January 06, 2025.