Job Summary:

In accordance with the Purpose, Vision, Values and Coast Salish Teachings, and strategic direction of PHSA, safety, including both patient and employee safety, is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at PHSA. As such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.

The Addictions Counsellor reports operationally to the Health Care Manager and for practice general supervision to the Mental Health & Addictions Supervisor and works as part of an interprofessional health care team providing counselling services to patients (inmates) with substance use dependence, concurrent disorders and chronic disease. The Addictions Counselor performs individual psychosocial assessments, provides individual therapeutic counselling, conducts family and group counselling sessions, and delivers education seminars.  The Addiction Counsellor plans, implements and assesses individualized client treatment programs for patients with substance use, mental health trauma issues and chronic disease through the lens of Indigenous cultural competency within a trauma informed framework.

Duties/Accountabilities:

1.    Provides individualized therapeutic counselling services including crisis intervention and stabilization, according to a variety of theoretical models and best practices including comprehensive assessment, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational therapy, social skills training and relapse prevention.

2.    Facilitates psycho-educational, process group therapy, and family sessions with an assigned number of patients for the duration of their involvement in the Addictions Counselling program by methods such as reviewing learning needs; assisting with understanding of illness(es); teaching containment skills, relapse prevention and coping strategies; suggesting positive behavior modifications, encouraging socialization, social skill development, and behavioural modeling; providing education regarding health care for immune compromised and disadvantaged clients to maintain physical well-being; and supporting patients and their families to take responsibility for their health through education, collaboration, and goal setting.

3.    Participates in the development and implementation of individualized treatment plans by methods such as working with the patients to develop their goals for treatment and the criteria to measure progress towards these goals, collects the data from these criteria, meeting with the patients on a regular basis to review progress, and evaluating the treatment plan if required.

4.    Prepares for discharge planning and continuity of care through referrals to community resources, which will assist the client in their ongoing recovery and treatment. Meeting with clients, families and referring agencies to advance discharge and continuity of care planning. Liaises with referring agencies (addiction clinics, residential treatment and recovery providers, professionals, and private practitioners) to facilitate treatment planning and continuity of care planning.

5.    Acts as a client advocate during the care management meetings to evaluate and change the treatment plan, completes forms relevant to ongoing and after care planning and gathers information from addictions and mental health resources, and refers clients to other services as required to assist clients in reaching their treatment goals.

6.    As a member of the correctional health services team, assists in the development and presentation of seminars about complex mental health, substance use and trauma on and other related issues to clients. Participates in orientation and continuing education of counselling and health care professions and students by preceptoring and role modeling. Contributes as a member of the interprofessional team through contributing information in rounds, committees and staff meetings.

7.    Maintains accurate client files, referral and assessment forms, and other relevant statistical information.  Prepares discharge summaries for referring sources for assigned clients.

8.    As a member of the correctional health care team, participates in collegial support, supervision of practicum students and consultation on a daily basis. Maintains an updated knowledge of current developments in substance use and mental health issues particularly related to incarcerated persons, chronic disease, counselling therapy, indigenous persons, and trauma by reviewing relevant literature, consulting with clinical and community experts within the field, evaluating clinical practice, and participating in professional development activities in order to improve care through new practices.

9.    Performs other related duties as assigned

Qualifications:

Education, Training and Experience

•    Bachelor’s Degree in an allied health discipline or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
•    Three (3) years’ of recent related clinical experience, including at least one (1) year’s experience in a substance use and mental health program providing therapeutic individual and group counselling.  


Skills and Abilities

•    Comprehensive knowledge of substance dependence and concurrent disorders.
•    Broad knowledge of psychopharmacology (indications and side-effects), trauma informed care, and chronic disease such as HIV and Hepatitis C.
•    Demonstrated skill in and experience with motivational therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy.
•    Broad knowledge of adult education principles, methods and tools.
•    Comprehensive knowledge of and experience in group dynamics, individual counselling and family therapy.
•    Demonstrated ability to teach, demonstrate and coach patients.
•    Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; and good interpersonal communication and public relation skills.
•    Demonstrated ability to establish rapport with multi-barrier patients and a positive attitude toward patients with substance dependence and concurrent disorder.
•    Demonstrated ability to collaborate on substance use program evaluation.
•    Demonstrated ability to work well as a member of an interprofessional team and to use initiative and function independently.
•    Demonstrated ability to adjust to new or unexpected events, problem solve, establish priorities, and to deal effectively with conflict situations.
•    Ability to operate related equipment including basic computer literacy to operate a computerized clinical information system and word processing, spreadsheet, Internet and e-mail software.
•    Physical ability to perform the duties of the job.