Job Description

The salary range for this position is CAD $42.27/Hr. - CAD $52.81/Hr.
Job Summary
Come work as a Social Worker with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)!
Vancouver Coastal Health is looking for a Social Worker to join the Specialized Substance Use (SSU) Engage team in Vancouver, BC. Apply today to join our team!
About the Specialized Substance Use (SSU) Engage:
Specialized Substance Use (SSU) Engage is an interdisciplinary substance use transition team that provides low-barrier access to recovery-based supports for clients accessing care within Specialized Substance Use Services. SSU Engage offers short term support for clients navigating recovery across the substance use continuum, providing Access Central waitlist support, residential treatment application completion, and transition support between WDM, stabilization and treatment centers, and recovery community connection. The SSU Engage Social Worker is responsible for providing transitional support, advocacy, and advanced psychosocial services to clients with variety of substance use, who have high levels of service utilization, and/or experience barriers connecting to substance use services.
As a Social Worker with Vancouver Coastal Health you will:

• Work as a member of an interdisciplinary mental health team.
• Conduct comprehensive social and psycho-social assessments and collaborates with the client and interdisciplinary team to facilitate transitions through the continuum of services for clients with complex discharge and/or intake/referral needs. Provides individual, family and group counselling services.
• Attend clinical/case conferences as a member of an interdisciplinary team for client reviews, admissions and discharges.
• Provide consultative and direct services to clients, families, staff and community health professionals regarding issues such as Adult Guardianship, advanced directives, domestic violence, abuse and/or neglect, immigration, housing, financial concerns, or matters concerning government agencies (i.e. Public Trustee) and authorities (i.e. courts, police).
• Prepare and maintain client records in accordance with established standards, policies and procedures.

Qualifications
Education & Experience

• Current full registration with the British Columbia College of Social Workers.
• Master's degree of Social Work from an accredited School of Social Work.
• Three (3) years' recent, related experience working in a psychiatric setting providing treatment services to individuals with complex mental health, substance use and chronic medical concerns, or equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Valid BC Drivers License and access to a personal vehicle for business-related purposes, as required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of the principles of recovery in mental illness.
• Knowledge of Psychosocial Rehabilitation methodology.
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act as it applies to the rights and obligations of clients and staff.
• Knowledge of community, social and mental health resources.
• Ability to identify emotional, social, or environmental barriers and intervene to eliminate stigma.
• Ability to effectively manage conflict situations and aggressive behaviour and use non-violent crisis intervention and behavioural management techniques.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing with clients, families, team members, other groups and community agency personnel.
• Broad knowledge of mental illness and substance use treatment.
• Broad knowledge of systems thinking as it related to social work process.
• Broad knowledge of other health disciplines and their role in healthcare.
• Broad knowledge of research methodology, counselling skills and clinical practice models.
• Broad knowledge of family, group and change therapy.
• Broad knowledge of legislation and government policies and procedures that relate to the client.
• Demonstrated ability to apply systems theory to practice in Social Work assessment and intervention.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct social and psychosocial assessments.
• Demonstrated ability to understand and influence group and inter-group processes, decision making and problem solving.
• Demonstrated ability to establish rapport with clients and families
• Demonstrated ability to adjust to new or unexpected events and deal effectively with conflict.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Skilled in the use of equipment, and in the techniques appropriate for treatment.
• Basic understanding of trauma-informed care
• Ability to operate related equipment including applicable software applications.
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.

Closing Statement
The hours of work including days off and work area may be subject to change consistent with operational requirements and the provision of the Collective Agreement and applicable statutes.
As per Ministry of Health policy, all health care workers working in publicly-funded health care facilities are required to report their past receipt of certain vaccines or history of certain infections. Collecting these records will allow for offering of any missing vaccines, and for appropriate actions to be taken in the event of any future exposure to a communicable disease or during outbreaks. For all new hires and appointments to Vancouver Coastal Health, you will be asked to provide this information as part of the onboarding process.
WHY JOIN VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH?
VCH is a world class innovator in medical care, research and teaching, delivering service to more than one million BC residents. At VCH, we embrace thinking boldly, taking smart risks, and "going first" when we believe it will lead to the best possible outcomes for patients and their families. We invite you to join us in creating healthy lives in healthy communities by showcasing our passion for care, connection to the communities we serve and our culture of teamwork that makes VCH a great place to work.

• Comprehensive health benefits package, including MSP, extended health and dental and municipal pension plan
• Grow your career with employer-paid training and leadership development opportunities
• Wellness supports, including counselling, critical incident and innovative wellness services are available to employees and their immediate families
• Award-winning recognition programs to honour staff, medical staff and volunteers
• Access to exclusive discount offers and deals for VCH staff

At Vancouver Coastal Health, our vision of healthy lives in healthy communities inspires us and our values and pillars guide us. We support equitable practices, diverse teams and inclusive environments, which are vital to creating welcoming spaces where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and feel supported. We encourage applications from equity-deserving communities, including Indigenous Peoples and members of racialized groups, people with disabilities and people of all gender identities and expressions and sexual orientation.
Vancouver Coastal Health is proud to be recognized as one of BC's Top Employers, Canada's Best Diversity Employers and Canada's Top Employers for Young People in 2025.
Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for this posting.
***Employees of VCH must apply online via the Internal Career Portal on CareerHub, you are currently viewing the External Career Portal. Refer to the https://my.vch.ca/working-here/job-postings site for instructions on how to view internal job postings and how to apply as an employee. Current VCH employees who apply to this posting using this external site will be considered as an external candidate. Seniority will not apply.***
Thank you for your interest in Vancouver Coastal Health.

Skills Required