Indigenous Patient Navigator, Forensics

Enhanced Care Housing Team / Forensic Psychiatric Hospital

BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services

Coquitlam, British Columbia

 

Pursuant to section 42 of the British Columbia Human Rights Code, preference will be given to applicants of Indigenous Ancestry. We invite applicants to self-identify within their cover letter and/or resume. Indigenous applicants are encouraged to reach out to Sanya'kula (Indigenous Recruitment and Employee Experience) for support, advice, and guidance on the PHSA hiring process.

 

You are an Indigenous person with lived experience, and you believe in the possibility of a health care system that serves all people with dignity, care, and compassion. You’re known for your ability to communicate with strength, truth, and in a way that invites listening. In return, you sit, make space, and allow for others to share their own truths, experiences, and requests for support. Making an impact on the holistic health of Indigenous clients and families is a cause that motivates you to advocate, be involved, and work collaboratively in full support of providing equitable care in an environment striving for cultural safety.

 

About the BCMHSUS sites / service

 

The Forensic Psychiatric Hospital is a 190-bed secure facility located in Coquitlam, BC, on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded core territory of the kwikwəƛ̓əm First Nation (Kwikwetlem).

 

The Enhanced Care Housing Team is a multidisciplinary community team based in Kwikwetlem (Coquitlam) that supports forensic review board clients after discharge from the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital. It provides individualized supports to help clients integrate into community and develop independent living skills. Recovery oriented supports also include illness management skills, substance use supports, as well as supports and skill building related to enhance social networks, developing healthy habits and routines, assistance with education, finding and maintaining employment, connecting to community and engaging in holistic health. The program also builds relationships with external partners to improve housing opportunities for clients after discharge from the forensic system.

 

Watch this video to learn about working with BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services!

 

What you’ll do

 

 

Indigenous Patient Navigators (IPNs) support the provision of culturally safe, anti-racist health care for Indigenous patients and families, facilitating environments of eyhh slaxin (good medicine). Working at both Forensic Psychiatric Hospital and with the Enhanced Care Housing Team, this Indigenous Patient Navigator position will support Indigenous people who have been found not criminally responsible for a crime or unfit to stand trial due to a mental health disorder. The role focuses on transition planning and supporting individuals to live healthy lives in community after discharge from the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital.

 

In Forensics, we believe that people, when properly supported, can manage most aspects of their lives. We focus on people's strengths and resources instead of on symptoms and problems. We treat patients as key members of their treatment team and active participants in their own care. We help them get the care, support, and treatment they need. The IPN will be a core member of the clinical team and in their role they will:

• Provide emotional, spiritual, cultural, and navigational support for Indigenous patients and families.
• Act as a resource for health care providers to ensure the provision of care is person-led, trauma- and violence-informed, anti-racist, and culturally safe.
• Assisting with community reintegration including connecting with Indigenous community supports
• Travel locally to agencies and community supports and complete home visits
• Document in the electronic health record
• Attend review board hearings to support clients

 

What you bring

 

Qualifications

• An ideal candidate for this position will have Indigenous lived experience, including cultural knowledge of protocols, traditions, and ceremonies along with experience working with Elders and knowledge holders in a culturally appropriate manner.
• Demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of the historic and ongoing impacts of settler colonialism and systemic racism on Indigenous Peoples within social and health contexts. This includes understanding how these factors contribute to current health disparities and barriers to care.
• Show a clear commitment to identifying, challenging, and eradicating Indigenous-specific racism and all forms of discrimination impacting equity-deserving groups within health care settings. This involves familiarity and understanding Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility recognizing personal biases, institutional barriers, engaging in anti-racism education and training and advocating for systemic change.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of legislative obligations and provincial commitments within BCMHSUS contexts found in the foundational documents including Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study - BC Human Rights Code, BC Anti-racism Act and how they intersect across the health care system.
• The ability to connect and foster relationships between clients and various community supports and services.

 

Core Competencies

• Brings an understanding of the Indigenous specific racism and the broader systemic racism that exists in the colonial health care structure, and has demonstrated leadership in breaking down barriers and ensuring an environment of belonging. Embed Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility into all aspects of work. This means creating an environment where Indigenous patients feel respected, valued, and understood. Foster trust through respectful communication, active listening, and honoring equity-deserving people's perspectives on health and wellness. Commit to ongoing education and training on Indigenous health issues, cultural safety, and DEI principles. Participate in workshops, cultural immersion experiences, and continuous professional development to stay informed and responsive to equity-deserving groups. Provide patient-centred care that respects 
• Indigenous ways of knowing and healing, respects BIPOC experiences and world views ensuring that care plans are culturally relevant and holistic.
• Knowledge of social, economic, political and historical realities of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples and familiarity with addressing Indigenous-specific anti-racism, anti-racism and Indigenous Cultural Safety and foundational documents and legislative commitments (The Declaration Act, the Declaration Action Plan, TRC, IPS, Remembering Keegan, etc.).

 

Skills & Knowledge

• A strong ability to advocate for patients' needs, provide support and resources, and facilitate communication between patients, families, and health care providers.
• Familiarity with the Canadian health care system, or other large colonial system, and community-based resources, including the ability to navigate complex systems.
• Demonstrates a commitment to beginning and/or continuing their personal learning journey related to Indigenous-specific racism and dismantling systems of oppression, as well as addressing racism more broadly. Shows willingness to articulate and share their learning experiences to contribute to a culture of motivation and inspiration among peers.
• A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to diploma or degree in a related health discipline, health or social sciences, or a patient care/clinical related discipline, and one (1) to three (3) years’ recent related experience working in Indigenous healthcare.
• Ability to travel in local area. Valid B.C. Driver’s License is required.

 

What we bring

 

Every PHSA employee enables the best possible patient care for our patients and their families. Whether you are providing direct care, conducting research, or making it possible for others to do their work, you impact the lives of British Columbians today and in the future. That’s why we’re focused on your care too – offering health, wellness, development programs to support you – at work and at home.

• Join one of BC’s largest employers with province-wide programs, services and operations – offering vast opportunities for growth, development, and recognition programs that honour the commitment and contribution of all employees.
• Access to professional development opportunities through our 2,000+ in-house courses including a range of experience level, profession-specific, or other essential training on Indigenous Cultural Safety; Indigenous-specific anti-racism; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and accessibility, mental health and well-being, and more.
• Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including municipal pension plan, and psychological health & safety programs and holistic wellness resources.
• Annual statutory holidays (13) with generous vacation entitlement and accruement.
• PHSA is a remote work friendly employer, welcoming flexible work options to support our people (eligibility may vary, depending on position).
• Access to WorkPerks, a premium discount program offering a wide range of local and national discounts on electronics, entertainment, dining, travel, wellness, apparel, and more.

 

Job Type: Regular Full-Time
Salary Range: $74,618 - $107,264 per year. The starting salary for this position would be determined with consideration of the successful candidate’s relevant education and experience and would be in alignment with the provincial compensation reference plan.
Location: Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, 70 Colony Farm Road, Coquitlam BC V3C 5X9
Hours of Work: 0800-1600, Monday to Friday
Requisition # 194104E

 

What we do

 

 

BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS) cares for people with complex mental health and substance use challenges. BCMHSUS is part of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA).

 

PHSA plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include: Respect people – Be compassionate – Dare to innovate – Create equity – Be courageous.

 

Learn more about PHSA and our programs: jobs.phsa.ca/programs-and-services

 

PHSA is committed to anti-racism and equity in our hiring and employment practices. With learning and compassion, we are addressing existing inequities and barriers throughout our systems. PHSA is seeking to create a diverse workforce and to establish an inclusive and culturally safe environment. We invite applications and enquiries from all people, particularly those belonging to the historically, systemically, and/or persistently excluded groups identified under the B.C. Human Rights Code.

 

One of PHSA’s North Star priorities is to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism, which includes ongoing commitments to Indigenous recruitment and employee experience as well as dismantling barriers to health care employment at every level. We welcome Indigenous individuals to apply and/or contact the Sanya’k̓ula Team (Indigenous Recruitment & Employee Experience) for support at indigenous.employment@phsa.ca.

 

Indigenous-specific anti-racism initiatives are rooted in addressing the unique forms of discrimination, historical and ongoing injustices, and exclusion faced by Indigenous peoples. These initiatives align with an Indigenous rights-based approach, recognizing the inherent rights and title of BC First Nations and self-determination of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. PHSA is mandated to uphold legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents including the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study.

 

Attention current employees of PHSA:

You must apply via your internal profile at http://internaljobs.phsa.ca.

 

The internal job posting expires on February 2, 2026 and will no longer be accessible. If the internal job posting has expired, please e-mail internaljobshelpu@phsa.ca with the six-digit job requisition number and your PHSA employee ID number to be considered as a late internal applicant. Please do not apply for the external job posting.

 

If you have not yet set up an internal profile, please e-mail internaljobshelpu@phsa.ca with your PHSA employee ID number to obtain your temporary password. Our business hours are Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm, excluding Statutory Holidays and a Help Desk Representative will respond to you with 1-2 business days.

 

If you are not a current employee of PHSA and require assistance with your application, please contact the External Careers team at careers@phsa.ca.