Mental Health and Harm Reduction Worker

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the Assistant Shelter Manager the Mental Health and Harm Reduction Worker will provide program support, leadership, and direction within a multi-disciplinary team while abiding by our Agency Code of Conduct. The successful candidate will be a role model for the youth that utilize the shelter.

The Kennedy House Youth Shelter is an emergency shelter in the City of Toronto for youth ages 16 to 24 that are homeless. Clients may self-refer in person or over the phone. The typical length of stay in an emergency shelter is intended to be of short duration and the majority of clients use this type of shelter only once before returning to permanent housing.

The annual salary for this role is $53,120.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides trauma-informed counselling to manage emotional distress and to assist clients to develop tools and skills to self-manage distressing emotions
• Ensures ongoing relentless engagement and relationship building with youth, with attention to substance use and harm reduction needs
• Works collaboratively with other multi-disciplinary professionals to ensure clients’ success
• Coaches clients to develop a wide range of independent living skills, including, cooking, household maintenance, shopping, tenancy management, money management, social and interpersonal skills
• Collaborates with youth and staff to assess immediate risk levels, support safety planning, and help coordinate proactive risk mitigation strategies
• Ensures all client and program documentation, data collection, and report writing are completed and maintained according to agency and professional standards
• Contributes toward an evidence-based model with a focus on Quality Improvement
• Documents clients’ interaction in reference to a client care plan through SMIS.
• Participates in staff meetings & training as per assignment
• Works from an Anti-Racist Anti-Oppressive, Harm Reduction, Person-centered, Strength-based lens, and Housing First approach
• Provides distribution and collection services of naloxone, and harm reduction equipment, and track it through NEO 360 database.
• Administers Naloxone and provides ongoing training to staff and clients
• Uses substantial knowledge of drug use, harm reduction, and overdose prevention to design and deliver educational workshops to service users and providers alike as needed to support the uniqueness of the shelter.
• Provides crisis intervention and individual support for youth with complex mental health and substance use needs; collaboratively review, resource, and reinforce youth’s well-being and harm reduction strategies
• Assists Shift Supervisors and Case Workers with debriefing, problem-solving, and integration of harm reduction perspectives into individualized client support plans and overall shelter practices
• Develops and facilitate educational opportunities, workshops, and peer leadership opportunities for youth, towards the prevention of overdose and other harms
• Enhances community partnerships and referral networks to support youth access to harm reduction and recovery options; assist youth in accessing community mental health, harm reduction, and addictions services.
• To maintain program support through a shared responsibility of on-call duties on a rotational basis.

EDUCATION

• Completion of a Social Service Worker Diploma, Child and Youth Worker Diploma, or a Community College Diploma/University degree with a focus on Social Services and Behavioral Science

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum 2 years in a similar role with additional 1+ years of front-line experience
• Previous experience working with vulnerable youth in a variety of social systems
• Previous experience working as a Program Facilitator is an asset
• Knowledge of Toronto Shelter Standards and applicable legislation (Mental Health Act, Child & Family Services Act, Youth Criminal Justice Act, etc.) (asset)
• Demonstrated knowledge of mental health and behavioral needs of youth
• Clinical skills, including experience and ability to work with and manage difficult behavior.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Cultural competency skills and the ability to be inclusive of diversity
• Current certification in CPR Level C and First Aid Level C is mandatory within 30 days of hire
• Current certification in CPI
• Valid Class G Driver’s License and clean Driver’s Abstract is required
• Current (within 6 months) Broad Record Check must be provided
• Advanced communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills with the ability to build positive relationships with youth
• Good interviewing, coaching, counselling, faci