MHSU Clinician, Masters - Community Mental Health & Substance Use Services

Fraser Health is responsible for the delivery of hospital and community-based health services from Burnaby to Fraser Canyon on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Coast Salish and Nlaka’pamux Nations, and is home to six Métis Chartered Communities.

Our team of nearly 45,000 staff, medical staff and volunteers is dedicated to serving our patients, families and communities to deliver on our vision: Better health, best in health care. Learn more.

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Fraser Health is proudly recognized as a BC Top Employer. Joining our team offers you opportunities to work in a rapidly growing organization with health professionals who are excellent in their respective fields, career growth and advancement, a competitive compensation package (including four weeks of vacation to start, comprehensive health benefits, and pension plan), and the rewarding opportunity to make a difference every single day in health care.

Effective October 26, 2021 all staff for all positions across health care in British Columbia are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (have received a full series of a World Health Organization “WHO” approved vaccine against infection by SARS-COV-2, or a combination of approved WHO vaccines). Please note this applies to all postings, and there are no exceptions.

Fraser Health values diversity in the work force and strives to maintain an environment of Respect, Caring and Trust. Fraser Health’s hiring practices aspire to ensure all individuals are treated in an inclusive, equitable, and culturally safe manner.

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In accordance with Fraser Health's Vision, Mission and Values, Mental Health & Substance Use program mandates and clinical practice guidelines, with an emphasis on recovery and rehabilitation and reducing barriers to re-enter the system of care, supports individuals and families with and affected by acute/episodic mental illness and substance use disorders, such as those with complex, unpredictable and/or multi-faceted therapeutic needs, to focus on provision of intensive individual and group therapy, liaison regarding complex situations, and care coordination support within the local service area across the care continuum, to ensure delivery of consistent, relevant and timely treatment, rapid re-engagement, and access to information where appropriate and feasible. Contributes to the development of programs and provides community mental health education. Services may be provided on an outreach basis when required in order to assess and/or engage with clients within their own environment and community.

As a clinician in a shared-team model, provides intake, screening, and assessment services, treatment recommendations and plans, determines referral needs, provides follow-up support, group education, liaison with community resources for specialized services, counsels clients, provides outreach as required, and is assigned as the �most responsible clinician� to specific clients dependent on the client's primary needs. Provides client and family-centered care through a trauma-informed approach and evidence-informed practice. Establishes a dignifying, purposeful and trusting relationship with clients, promoting self-determination and independence. Encourages knowledge exchange in day-to day activities, empowers clients and natural supports to engage and connect within their communities, and ensures they are supported in navigating the health care system.

1. Provides treatment and support for complex situations to clients and natural supports including people in crisis, collaborating with them to develop and implement recovery-oriented treatment options and plans; provides comprehensive case consultation and follow-up support on treatment decisions in collaboration with other interdisciplinary team members; supports the development/maintenance of abilities related to activities of daily living, discharge and transition of care.


2. Provides short term brief interventions, follow-up, monitoring, and evaluating treatment outcomes as required.


3. Provides individual and group therapy, 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. 


4. Supports the intake process and assesses client needs by performing initial screening of referrals from other health care providers/agencies, family members, physicians and other sources. Determines priority of care, client eligibility, availability of resources, service priorities, type and level of care required and appropriate treatment based on client needs, urgency of request and best practices. Gathers client information/history including seeking additional background information via phone interviews or other methods to assess client mental health status and risk to themselves or others. Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to determine best approach to care, and assesses the need for emergent crisis intervention.


5. Makes necessary arrangements for clients to be admitted to hospital when required, including on an involuntary basis, by acquiring background information, making initial assessments, ensuring completion of appropriate forms, and making necessary phone calls to appropriate parties, including general practitioners, psychiatrists and the police; makes transportation arrangements, including providing clients transportation to the hospital as required.


6. Facilitates client utilization of appropriate community services and rehabilitative programs through activities such as considering the client's motivation and their stage in the treatment process, researching available services, liaising with service and program providers, reviewing type and level of care required which may include assisting clients with their housing needs/arrangements, providing advice and consultation to colleagues, and/or referring to other community resources as required including linking clients who do not have a primary care provider to nurse practitioners., and completing necessary referrals and forms.


7. Coordinates services with police, hospitals, crisis lines and suicide prevention programs. Identifies gaps and problems with service and recommends solutions to assist in the development and maintenance of a coordinated mental health care system within the community.


8. Facilitates family and lived experience involvement activities such as client and family information sessions in order to promote knowledge exchange. Provides education to clients and families in accordance with theoretical models grounded in evidence-based practice by exploring identified problems that may have resulted in substance use and mental health symptoms; identifying goals, expectations, and support resources; assisting with understanding of mental health and substance abuse issues, the interaction of both, and the recovery process; suggesting positive behaviour modifications; examining motivations for change; and, teaching relapse prevention strategies.


9. Provides information and guidance to other caregivers, health providers and the general public regarding the Mental Health & Substance Use Services, intake policies, procedures and processes, availability of both Community Health Services and Mental Health & Substance Use Services.


10. Maintains client records by recording information such as client assessments, charting client information via PARIS and/or other clinical information systems, preparing progress notes and reports in accordance with established standards, policies and procedures to meet regulatory requirements, documenting for future reference and ensuring that access to and disclosure of information and records are in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act.


11. Provides advocacy for clients by providing information about appeal processes, access to information, and availability of client representatives, and ensuring that basic human needs, such as food and shelter, are met through various Ministry programs.


12. Provides follow-up care and services as required, including providing referrals to other healthcare professionals, such as Vocational Counselors, Recreational Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Psychiatrists. Updates the Clinical Coordinator on the status of client treatment and progress, as well as significant and unusual issues, developments, and circumstances.


13. Promotes quality improvement through recommendations on policies, processes and procedures that streamline and provide for more efficient and effective client/family centred practices; develops and evaluates clinical protocols, identifies service needs and provides input and recommendations to the Clinical Coordinator and Manager.


14. Participates actively and collaboratively in team planning and team meetings, as well as local committees, advisory boards, and/or corporate initiatives as delegated by the Manager/Coordinator through presenting relevant material, participating in discussions, and receiving information as a representative of the team acting as an advocate for the goals and objectives of the program, and to promote optimal support for clients, families and caregivers.


15. Maintains relevant data and statistics on information such as intakes, requests, referrals in/out, priority, sources and nature of requests, and provides input to Coordinator and Manager.


16. Carries out responsibilities in accordance with health and safety requirements. Immediately reports unsafe situations by notifying supervisor or other appropriate personnel.


17. Develops linkages with other facilities and community resources, and advocates on behalf of the client and others to improve access, integration and coordination of mental health services, by way of establishing, maintaining and enhancing relationships/communication with community physicians, consulting psychiatrists, colleagues, community mental health services, acute hospitals, community services agencies, and other healthcare professionals.


18. Maintains current and relevant mental health and substance practice through methods such as reviewing literature and research, consulting with clinical and community experts within the field, evaluating clinical practice and participating in professional development activities, ongoing clinical education, in-services, and/or case conferences in order to improve care through new practices.


19. Participates in clinical research and program evaluation activities relevant to the needs of clients, families, hospitals, and the community, as requested.


20. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Master's Degree in Social Work, Counselling Psychology or other relevant social or health sciences discipline. Two (2) years' recent, related experience working with clients and families with, or affected by, mental illness and substance use disorders, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Eligible for registration with relevant professional association.

Valid Class V British Columbia driver's license and access to a personal vehicle for business related purposes.

• Demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of mental health psychiatric assessment skills, crisis intervention techniques, de-escalation techniques, brief/short-term therapy skills and interventions, psycho-pharmacology used in psychiatric treatment, abnormal psychology, general counseling theory/principles, current DSM multi-axial diagnosis or International Classification of Diseases (ICD), community response procedures, and community resource utilization.


• Demonstrated ability to deal with others effectively, including establishing and maintaining rapport with psychotic, crisis-prone, non-compliant people, and working collaboratively and co-operatively with other care providers to facilitate and enhance interdisciplinary, inter-departmental, and interagency communication and problem solving.


• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.


• Demonstrated ability to plan, problems solve, organize and prioritize workload, including setting clear clinical priorities in relation to identified risk factors in a continuously changing environment.


• Working knowledge of violence de-escalation and conflict resolution skills.


• Ability to work independently and in a self-directed manner.


• Ability to facilitate group therapy and educational sessions.


• Demonstrated ability to operate related equipment. Basic computer literacy to operate a computerized client/family information system, word processing and e-mail.


• Working knowledge of the Mental Health Act, and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPP).


• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.