Patient Advocate

Are you passionate about human rights and social justice issues?

Working independently in a small team environment, you will demonstrate your knowledge of mental health issues and advocate for the protection of clients' rights.

**OPS Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Anti-Racism**: We are committed to build a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and to promote a diverse, anti-racist, inclusive, accessible, merit-based, respectful and equitable workplace.

Visit the
**OPS Anti-Racism Policy** and the
**OPS Diversity and Inclusion Blueprint** pages to learn more about the OPS commitment to advance racial equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion in the public service.

We offer employment accommodation across the recruitment process and all aspects of employment consistent with the requirements of Ontario's
**Human Rights Code**. Refer to the "How to apply" section if you require a disability-related accommodation.

**What can I expect to do in this role?**: Reporting to the Program Manager, you will:

- Advocate on behalf of patients within the health care delivery system.
- Promote their rights and quality of care/life.
- Empower them to speak for their legal and civil rights.
- Educate clients, families and hospital staff on mental health legislation and rights.
- Identify and address systemic issues.
- Liaise with and refer clients to hospital or community agencies.
- Maintain documentation by preparing reports and compiling statistics.

**How do I qualify?**:
**Mandatory**:

- You must possess oral French language skills at the advanced level. Your proficiency level will be confirmed before hire.

**Mental Health Care and Delivery Experience**:

- Understanding of mental illnesses, knowledge of mental health treatment modalities, familiarity with the roles and responsibilities of the treatment team members and familiarity with mental health delivery system in Ontario.
- Knowledge of and experience in providing individual and systemic advocacy services.
- Knowledge of quality of care and life issues and the ability to empower individuals to self-advocate and to speak for their legal and civil rights.

**Interpersonal and Influencing Skills**:

- Interviewing skills to conduct investigations.
- Negotiation, mediation and conflict resolution skills to resolve issues between clients and clinical staff.
- Interpersonal skills to manage clients with unique communications requirements.
- Persuasion skills to influence decision-makers when advocating changes to systems, programs or procedures within the facility.

**Analyzing and Problem Solving Skills**:

- Ability to determine nature, scope and options for resolutions based on investigation and analysis of situations.
- Ability to identify, investigate and define systemic quality of care/quality of life issues and formulate recommendations.
- Ability to prioritize and manage caseload.

**Communication and Computer Skills**:

- Communication and presentation skills to explain the purpose of the program, provide advice on issues and obtain support for the program.
- Computer literacy to use and maintain case management database.

**Decision Making Skills**:

- Ability to determine legitimacy of client complaints and threshold for intervention.
- Ability to determine which systemic issues to target for intervention within the facility.
- You can develop recommendations for changes to organizational policy, processes or structure.

**Additional Information**:
**Address**:

- 1 Bilingual Permanent, 500 Church St, Penetanguishene, Central Region

**Compensation Group**:

- Association of Management, Administrative and Professional Crown Employees of Ontario- Understanding the job ad - definitions**Schedule**:

- 6**Category**:

- Health and Social Services**Posted on**:

- Tuesday, June 20, 2023**Note**:

- This ad is also available in French.
- The information that you provide for the purpose of this competition and the results from this competition may be used to fill other positions. These positions may be of various tenures including short-term assignments. Your information and the results from this competition will be retained for the purpose of filling vacancies in accordance with the applicable collective agreement or policy provisions.
- T-HL-200675/23