Job Description

Company : IWK Health

Req ID: 172193
Department/Program: AIS Trauma Day Stream, Mental Health & Addictions Program
Location: Halifax
Type of Employment: Temporary Hourly FT long-assignment (100% FTE) for 1 year x 1 position(s)

Start Date: February 2024
Union Status: NSGEU Hlthcare, Healthcare Bargaining Unit
Compensation: $37.3118 - $50.7666 /hour
Closing Date: January 12, 2024 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)

IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across . People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other\'s talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our , and enjoy access to enhanced and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients, families and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.

Promoting an anti-racist environment, and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care, is important to us. We are located in Mi\'kma\'ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi\'kmaq people. Working in Mi\'kma\'ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportions of transgender and non-binary people than any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.

The Opportunity

Accountable to the Manager of Adolescent Intensive Services, the Social Worker works with adolescents and families as part of an inter-disciplinary treatment team. The Social Worker will work with youth and families from a multi-systemic framework approach based on attachment principles. This is done in accordance with the mission, philosophies and vision of the IWK Health Centre. Interventions and follow up may be provided on a direct, consultative or supervisory monitoring approach. Responsibilities include clinical work with youth and their families, providing both individual and family therapy as well as delivering group-based interventions.

The Mental Health and Addictions Program at the IWK Health Centre provides a full spectrum of mental health and addictions services that includes mental health addictions, day treatment and inpatient services of children and adolescents, acute inpatient hospital care and forensics. The Adolescent Intensive Services (AIS) Program has both ambulatory and non-acute inpatient services for adolescents aged 13 up to 19 years old with mental health and/or substance abuse disorders. The youth admitted to the non-acute inpatient services attend day services with AIS Day Treatment. Ambulatory Services include AIS Day Service and AIS Aftercare Service. Day Services means that the patient attends programming Monday to Friday and participates in therapeutic school, individual family and group-based interventions that target their treatment goals. Services at AIS include two phases of treatment (onsite and community) that span approximately six to seven months combined.

The successful candidate will require solid training and experience with a variety of mental health populations, and must have the capacity to adapt well to new clinical demands, work collaboratively with interprofessional teams, and have excellent leadership skills.

Hours of Work

7.5 hours per day, 5 days per week Monday to Friday - occasional evenings if necessary.

Your Qualifications

• Masters Degree in Social Work required.
• Registered, or eligible to be registered/licensed with the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers (NSCSW) required.
• Minimum two (2) years of experience in Mental Health and Addictions treatment required; preference for experience working with adolescents and their families.
• Experience in individual, family and group therapy required.
• Previous experience in a combination of the following considered an asset: CONNECT Model; child welfare; addictions; trauma.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with DSM 5 diagnostic classification system.
• Demonstrated organizational, time management and coordination skills.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple competing workload demands.
• Excellent critical thinking, communication (verbal & written) skills required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of child/youth development, cultural competence and a strong understanding of how the social determinants of health impact on mental/physical health.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively consult and bridge care with other health, social service and community agencies.
• Excellent problem-solving and conflicts resolution skills.
• Demonstrated awareness of IWK Health Centre and community resources.
• Demonstrated commitment to patient and family centred care required.
• Non-violent crisis intervention certification required.
• An understanding of the Choice and Partnership approach (CAPA) will be considered an asset.
• Demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills and the demonstrated ability to work as part of an interdisciplinary team providing intensive-based care.
• Demonstrated experience in case management and community liaison.
• Competencies in other languages an asset.

Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.

Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.

This is a Healthcare bargaining unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units or employment status, are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position.

An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials. Additionally, as per Nova Scotia\'s COVID-19 Vaccine mandate, any offer of employment will be conditional upon submitting proof of full vaccination status. Medical exceptions or any other kind of requested exception based upon the Health Centre\'s obligations pursuant to the Nova Scotia Human Rights Code will be considered on a case-by-case basis

If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.

Nova Scotia Health Authority