Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor

**CMHA Northern BC**

**Job Title: Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor (with LINKS to Employment Program)**

**Union: Hospital Employees Union**

**Classification: Grid 34**

**FTE: 3.0 FTE (Full Time, 37.5 hours per week) Monday to Friday**

**Reports To: Program Manager**

**Start Date: TBD**

**Application Deadline: Until filled**

**MISSION STATEMENT**:
As the nation-wide leader and champion for mental health, CMHA facilitates access to the resources people require to maintain and improve mental health and community integration, build resilience, and support recovery from mental illness.

**POSSION SUMMARY**:
The vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor provides the full continuum of support to clients seeking competitive, paid employment in an integrated community setting. Specific responsibilities include engagement, continuous assessment and the development and implementation of vocational rehabilitation plans. The Counsellor provides any, or all, of a full range of supports to individual clients including one-to-one counselling, direct job marketing to potential employers, independent job search support, liaison with employers and on-site job coaching. The Counsellor also facilitates ongoing one-to-one and group support sessions as required.

**DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- Responsible for assigned caseload of clients linked to an integrated health centre.
- Liaison with referring clinical staff, coordinates individual client intake into the program ensuring the timely assessment, entrance, and orientation of participants.
- Engages clients and establishes trusting collaborative relationships directed toward the goal of competitive employment in an integrated community setting.
- Responsible for making clinical decisions in collaboration with clients and stakeholders and in adherence with evidence-based best practice reflective of professional designation.
- Works within an interdisciplinary team and as part of a broader integrated system to deliver services to clients experiencing mental health and/or concurrent conditions.
- Provides treatments which restore and/or improve employment outcomes of adults with mental health and/or concurrent conditions through independent mental health and substance use screening, suicide risk assessment, comprehensive holistic assessments, care planning.
- In conjunction with the client and other appropriate professionals, assesses client’s vocational functioning on an ongoing basis and facilitates the setting of appropriate vocational rehabilitation plans.
- Works to develop networks and links with community employers.
- Conducts job development, direct marketing and job search activities directed towards position that are consistent with the needs and interests of the client.
- Provides education and support to employers as agreed upon by the client which may include negotiating job accommodations, workplace agreements and ongoing contact with the employer.
- Provides on-site job coaching to ensure orientation and training to clients.
- Provides ongoing support and training at the job site, by telephone, through one-to-one counselling and by facilitating group support meetings.
- Ensures close and ongoing communication with appropriate health care professionals through regular contact (e.g. attending case and team meetings as agreed).
- Ensures the coordination of participant’s departure from the prog4ram, including file closures and referrals to further community, educational and training resources as needed.
- Provides education to mental health service providers regarding the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model and employment in general.
- Maintains up to date information on labour market trends and job marketing techniques to facilitate support cover during staff absences.
- Ensures that employment team colleagues are kept up to date on clients’ progress in order to facilitate support cover during staff absences.
- Maintains written and computerized vocational plans, progress notes, program information and records of communication with external mental health and personal supports.
- In conjunction with Team Supervisor, recommends and documents program operation procedures, policies and curricula.
- In conjunction with the Manager of Employment Services, sets service goals and objectives and ensures that he program is reviewed and evaluated on an ongoing basis against such criteria.

**GENERAL**:

- Attends monthly staff meetings, committee meetings and others as required.
- Submits regular activity reports, timesheets, expense forms, etc. as required.
- Reinforces and models work-related behaviour and interpersonal skills.
- Represents CMHA in a professional manner.
- Provides cover for other program staff as appropriate and requires.
- Other related duties as appropriate and requires.

**QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE**:

- A certificate in Vocational Rehabilitation.
- Minimum 1 year vocational counselling or job marketing/development experience.
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