Substance Use Clinician, Indigenous Health - Bachelors

Detailed Overview

The Substance Use Clinician, Indigenous Health supports care coordination and system navigation across substance use services, local service areas, and regional and provincial services, with an emphasis on reducing barriers to re-enter the system of care and facilitating timely treatment and rapid re-engagement of clients where appropriate and feasible. This position provides focused support to Indigenous clients and their natural supports, as a member of the assigned team.

Provides culturally appropriate client and family-centered care through a trauma-informed approach and evidence-informed practice to Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals and families with and affected by serious and persistent mental disorders and alcohol and drug addictions. Working from a framework of cultural safety and humility, provides initial screening, client assessment, treatment recommendations and plans, determines referral needs, provides case management and follow-up support.

Maintains respect for client dignity and maximum client self-determination and independence in provision of services. Participates in local committees and internal and external case conferences. May develop and deliver in-services, presentations and training to clients, families and caregivers. Participates in process improvement activities, follows clinical, and customer best practices. May be required to work at more than one location and/or on an outreach basis in order to assess and/or engage with clients within their own environment and community.

Responsibilities Performs initial screening of referrals of individuals with a focus on those who identify as Indigenous from other health care providers/agencies, family members, physicians and other sources to determine appropriate treatment based on client needs, urgency of request and best practices. Supports the intake process and assesses client needs by gathering client information/history via phone interviews or other methods;

seeking additional background information to perform initial assessment of client mental health and substance use status and risk to themselves or others and to determine priority of care, client eligibility, availability of resources, service priorities and type of level of care required; collaborating with the interdisciplinary team to determine best approach to care, and assessing the need for emergent crisis intervention.

Provides individual, group, and family support using a variety of interviewing, supportive counseling, and assessment methods. Shares responsibility amongst the team for distributed workload to manage cases, formulate recovery plans and goals, crisis intervention, assist with home visits, run groups, and outreach to clients as required. Provides first level intervention and support until formal treatment or further assessment can be conducted, such as short-term brief interventions, follow-up, monitoring, and evaluating treatment outcomes.

Provides treatment/support and case management for complex situations including people in crisis through provision of services such as delivery of individual and group therapy to clients and families; developing and implementing recovery-oriented treatment options and plans through collaboration with clients and natural supports; providing comprehensive case consultation and follow-up support on treatment decisions in collaboration with other interdisciplinary team members.

Facilitates client utilization of appropriate community services and rehabilitative programs through methods such as considering the client’s motivation and their stage in the treatment process, researching available services, liaising with service and program providers, providing advice and consultation to colleagues, and/or referring to other community resources as required. Provides referrals to appropriate community treatment alternatives and services, including residential programs, family therapy, marital and separation counselling, alcohol and drug treatment, victim assistance, employee assistance programs, clubhouses, transition homes, vocational programs, and other agencies.

Utilizes available…