Social Worker I, MSW, Red Fish Healing Centre

BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services

Coquitlam, BC

Effective December 6, 2024, as negotiated in the latest collective agreement, a classification system will be implemented for the HSPBA roles in PHSA, effectively transitioning to a profile-based system. As a result, it may have impact to this job posting’s job title, job description, and wage range.

θəqiʔ ɫəwʔənəq leləm’ (the Red Fish Healing Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, or Red Fish Healing Centre) is a 105-bed facility that treats individuals from across the province who live with the most severe concurrent and complex mental health and substance use disorders. Clients admitted to the Red Fish Healing Centre have both a mental illness and a substance use disorder; many clients also have other chronic health problems. Clients may be admitted voluntarily, or involuntarily under BC’s Mental Health Act. Check out what it means to be apart of the Red Fish Healing Centre’s team HERE. To learn more about belonging to BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services means, click HERE. Please indicate in your cover letter why you are interested in joining our team at Red Fish Healing Centre!

What you’ll do

• Conduct comprehensive concurrent disorder, mental health and psycho-social and family assessments and substance use assessments as necessary by methods such as interviewing the client and/or family, obtaining relevant information, gathering social data regarding the client’s family, environment, living situation, and financial status, and interpreting the data to therapeutically impact the client's and family's coping abilities. Formulate assessment and plan of intervention and intervenes in cases of complex social-emotional or family issues.
• Provide clinical intervention in the context of evidence-based care to clients and their families through individual, family, and group therapy. Provide individual, family and group counselling services by exploring emotional responses to illness/injury, identified problems, personal concerns and treatment objectives in order to facilitate change in coping style, behaviour, attitude, feelings and adaptive responses to an adverse life event. Refer to community services for follow-up as necessary.
• Collaborate with designated care management personnel to facilitate the management of cases with complex discharge needs. Receive referrals from care management personnel and other members of the interdisciplinary team to assist patients/families with complex emotional or social presentations, as well as facilitate care through the continuum.
• Establish and maintain effective collaborative and constructive liaison relationships with a variety of individuals and groups, including clients and families and others, such as community providers, MCFD social worker, schools, hospitals, and other agencies in order to coordinate services across the continuum of health care.
• Support clients and their families by providing education, short-term counselling and crisis interventions during adjustments to the assigned health care setting, new diagnosis of health, concurrent disorder, mental health and/or substance use issues, child welfare and custody proceedings and change or loss in health functioning.
• Attend and/or lead clinical/case conferences as a member of an interdisciplinary team for client reviews, admissions, and discharges as per program requirements by methods such as providing input from a social work perspective on a variety of care issues related to the client, and to ensure proper and effective treatment of the client.
• Provide consultative and direct services to clients, families, staff and community health professionals regarding issues such as adult guardianship, child welfare, advanced directives, domestic violence, abuse or neglect, immigration, housing, financial concerns, or matters concerning government agencies (public trustee) and authorities (courts, police). Advocate for the client and family for resources within the healthcare setting and the community by determining financial and other material needs through assessment and working in coordination with community resources to meet these needs.

What you bring

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work from an accredited School of Social Work.
• Minimum one (1) year recent, related experience working in a health care setting with the designated population group in the applicable program area/setting, such as individuals with complex concurrent psychiatric disorder and/or substance use issues and/or individuals who have a developmental disability and concurrent mental health and/or behavioural issues, or an equivalent combination of education, training or experience.
• Current full registration with the British Columbia College of Social Workers.

Skills & Knowledge

• Broad knowledge of complex mental health and concurrent disorders/issues, such as substance use or developmental disability, including current trends, best practices and modalities of treatment.
• Broad knowledge of systems thinking in relation to social work process.
• Broad knowledge of other health disciplines and their role in healthcare.
• Broad knowledge of research methodology.
• Broad knowledge of counselling skills and clinical practice models.
• Broad knowledge of Trauma-Informed Practice and its application to the defined population of clients
• Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to provide crisis intervention, short term counselling and individual, family and group therapy.
• Broad knowledge of legislation and government policies and procedures, including the Mental Health Act, that relate to the client and their family
• Commitment to develop knowledge and understanding of legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents – including Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study – and how they intersect across the health care system.
• Commitment to upholding the shared responsibility of creating lasting and meaningful reconciliation in Canada as per TRC (2015) and BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019).
• As a strong asset for consideration, we are looking for our successful candidate to have: Knowledge of social, economic, political and historical realities of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples and familiarity with addressing Indigenous-specific anti-racism, anti-racism and Indigenous Cultural Safety and foundational documents and legislative commitments (The Declaration Act, the Declaration Action Plan, TRC, IPS, Remembering Keegan, etc.).

What we bring

Every PHSA employee enables the best possible patient care for our patients and their families. Whether you are providing direct care, conducting research, or making it possible for others to do their work, you impact the lives of British Columbians today and in the future. That’s why we’re focused on your care too – offering health, wellness, development programs to support you – at work and at home.

• Join one of BC’s largest employers with province-wide programs, services and operations – offering vast opportunities for growth, development, and recognition programs that honour the commitment and contribution of all employees.
• Access to professional development opportunities through our in-house training programs, including +2,000 courses, such as our San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training course, or Core Linx for Leadership roles.
• Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including municipal pension plan, and psychological health & safety programs and holistic wellness resources.
• Annual statutory holidays (13) with generous vacation entitlement and accruement.
• PHSA is a remote work friendly employer, welcoming flexible work options to support our people (eligibility may vary, depending on position).
• Access to WorkPerks, a premium discount program offering a wide range of local and national discounts on electronics, entertainment, dining, travel, wellness, apparel, and more.

Job Type: Casual
Wage: $42.27 – $52.81 per hour
Location: 2745 Lougheed Hwy Coquitlam, BC V3C 4J2
Hours of Work: Monday – Friday; 0800-1600
Requisition # 174616E

What we do

BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS) cares for people with complex mental health and substance use challenges.

BCMHSUS is part of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA).

The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include: Respect people – Be compassionate – Dare to innovate – Cultivate partnerships – Serve with purpose.

Learn more about PHSA and our programs: jobs.phsa.ca/programs-and-services

PHSA and BCMHSUS are committed to equity in our hiring and employment practices. With learning and compassion, we are addressing existing inequities and barriers throughout our systems. PHSA is seeking to create a diverse workforce and to establish an inclusive and culturally safe environment. We invite applications and enquiries from all people, particularly those belonging to the historically, systemically, and/or persistently marginalized groups identified under the B.C. Human Rights Code.

One of PHSA’s North Star priorities is to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism, which includes dismantling barriers to health care employment at every level. We welcome Indigenous individuals to apply and/or contact the Sanya'kula Team (Indigenous Recruitment & Employee Experience) for support at indigenous.employment@phsa.ca.

Indigenous-specific anti-racism initiatives are rooted in addressing the unique forms of discrimination, historical and ongoing injustices, and marginalization faced by Indigenous peoples. These initiatives align with an Indigenous rights-based approach, recognizing the inherent rights and self-determination of Indigenous communities. PHSA must uphold legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents such as including Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study.