Counsellor, Community Outreach and Support Team (COAST)

Direct Service - OPSEU
Full-Time, Permanent
London, Ontario (London Zone)

- Application Deadline: April 14, 2025 -

The Community Outreach and Support Team (COAST) is a collaborative partnership between CMHA TVAMHS, the London Police Services (LPS), St. Joseph's Health Care (SJHC), and the Middlesex London Paramedic Services (MLPS) which will provide a collaborative community crisis response strategy for participants experiencing mental health crisis.

The Counsellor will be work alongside the London Police Service to assist with de-escalation, diversion from medical intervention, and facilitation of transition to acute care, to help ensure positive outcomes for the participant.

Successful candidates must have a Police Vulnerable Sector Check completed in the last six months. Interested applicants who reside in the City of London and are in need of a Police Vulnerable Sector Check (PVSC) are encouraged to apply for one as soon as possible as PVSCs in the City of London are currently taking approximately 2 weeks to be processed and offers of employment cannot be made without receipt of a PVSC.

Consider revitalizing your career and making a difference in your community by joining our team!

 WHAT WE'RE OFFERING:

• What you'll be making - Starting rate for this role is $27.14 per hour (Level 1 – Direct Service), with a wage differential, based on regulation ($30.01 per hour for Level 1 – Direct Service, Regulated):
  • Successful candidates who are registered with one of the designated professional colleges (e.g. OCSWSSW, CNO, COTO, CRPO, CPSO, or CPO) will receive the wage differential for regulation
  • Successful external applicants will start at Level 1, with grid progression based on seniority up to Level 8 ($34.41 per hour for non-regulated, and $37.26 per hour for regulated)
  • For internal applicants, grid level placement will occur as per the Collective Agreement 
• When you'll work - 70 hours over two-week period; Rotating shifts consisting of days, afternoons, evenings and weekends
   
• What your benefits will be - After a 90-day waiting period, will be enrolled in Healthcare Benefits Plan
   
• Your pension plan - Immediately enrolled in the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP)
   

HOW YOU WILL BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE:

• Support a community led, therapeutic response – reducing law enforcement/justice response – leading to overall better outcomes for clients living with mental illness and/or experiencing crisis
• Work directly alongside LPS constables completing crisis and mental health assessments
• Engage in regular and routine outreach interactions with clients living in the community with serious mental health issues, participants who are in frequent crisis, and clients who are at risk of crisis
• Provide support and follow-up post crisis via telephone support or by connecting clients to appropriate follow-up agencies
• Recommend measures to help protect clients and others by developing safety plans
• Assess the adequacy of resources/support currently available to the client
• Assist clients in managing their life challenges through system navigation
• Work collaboratively with the client in preventing unnecessary apprehension or hospitalization by providing alternative solutions and ensuring the most appropriate response is provided to the participant experiencing a high-risk mental health crisis

• Facilitate access to secondary healthcare services and utilize sound working knowledge of resources, partnerships and working relationships and participate in ongoing professional development and supervision around crisis work
• Assist in identifying and developing goals towards understanding prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of participants with mental illness

• Form positive relationships and strong partnerships with Community Response Unit partners (LPS, SJHC, MLPS), hospitals, and mental health and social service agencies to build an effective delivery of crisis service in the community
• Participate in ongoing professional development and supervision around crisis work
• Participate as an active member of a multi-disciplinary team
• Actively contribute to the mission, vision and values of CMHA TVAMHS
• Contribute in a positive way to the overall success of the program and organization
• Participate in the establishment of program goals and objectives and set service priorities based on it
• Demonstrate a positive professional attitude when representing the organization in the community 
• Adhere to the privacy policies of, and privacy legislation respecting CMHA TVAMHS, LPS, LMPS, and SJHC collection and disclosure of information, understanding responsibility for and maintaining the unique awareness of differences between the privacy frameworks
• Complete required documentation related to participants as per CMHA TVAMHS standards
• Perform other duties as required

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO APPLY:

Police Vulnerable Sector Check Requirements

Successful candidates must have a Police Vulnerable Sector Check completed in the last six months. Interested applicants who reside in the City of London and are in need of a Police Vulnerable Sector Check (PVSC) are encouraged to apply for one as soon as possible as PVSCs in the City of London are currently taking approximately 2 weeks to be processed and offers of employment cannot be made without receipt of a PVSC.

We require the following qualifications:

• Degree or diploma in a health or social science discipline (primary proof of credentials will be required during the hiring process i.e. original degree/diploma or official transcript)
• Ability to attend work regularly

We prefer the following qualifications:

• Registration with a professional college (i.e. OCSWSSW, CNO, CRPO, CPSO, COTO, CPO)
• Experience in mental health and addictions
• Knowledge of and experience with trauma-informed practices
• Understanding of therapeutic approaches when working with an individual in mental health or addictions crisis, such as Crisis Intervention Practices; Brief Solution Focused Therapy; Motivational Interviewing; DBT and CBT strategies
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both oral and written
• Computer literate
• Current First Aid/CPR Certificate
• Bilingual both official languages, preferred; préférence sera accordée aux candidats qui sont compétents dans les deux langues officielles du Canada

INTERNAL APPLICANTS: To be considered as an internal applicant, current staff members are reminded to apply using their @cmhatv.ca or @slwar.ca email address.

Get your application in by – April 14, 2025:

Our recruitment process allows us to learn about your previous work experience, your qualifications and your commitment to fulfilling our vision. While we appreciate the interest of all applicants, only those individuals being considered for a position will be personally contacted by someone from the interview team. 

We welcome and encourage applications from all members of our community including persons of any gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation, persons with disabilities, Indigenous persons, and members of visible minorities. If you require accommodations related to a disability at any point during the recruitment process, please contact [email protected]