Choose Life Mental Wellness Counsellor

**Job Summary**:
Keewaytinook Okimakanak Health provides mental health counselling, support and intervention services to First Nation children, and youth from communities served by Keewaytinook Okimakanak. These are remote communities, generally only accessible by air transportation (some winter/ice road access). K.O. Health has many services with staff travelling to our communities to offer services from our offices in Thunder Bay and Balmertown.
This Choose Life Mental Wellness Counsellor (CLMWC) position is one of many travelling counsellors’ positions within the K.O. Mental Health Team. The CLMWC travels to First Nations communities, often by small aircraft to provide counselling to children, youth and families as needed to meet the holistic needs for wellness for our children. The CLMWC will offer support/guidance, intervention, crisis management, group work and case management services. The CLMWC along with all K.O. Mental Health staff works in close collaboration with community leadership, all community resources, and assists in capacity building. When not travelling, this position may also require staff to provide services to community members off-reserve, as well as offer virtual support. The CLMWC reports to and is immediately supervised by the Mental Health Coordinator.

**Qualifications**:

- Minimum Bachelor’s Degree with a major in Social Work, Counselling Psychology, or a related field.
- Registration with the College of Social Workers, College of Registered Psychotherapists or another recognized professional body is considered an asset.
- Prefer at least 2 years’ experience working with children, youth and/or families in a clinical capacity.
- Knowledge of techniques and principles of trauma-informed care, the family systems theory, crisis therapy intervention, individual/family/group therapy, trauma response, child abuse and family violence, addictions and harm reduction strategies, de-escalation strategies, suicide intervention strategies, and understanding of cognitive behavioral therapy and/or other relevant techniques.
- Must have experience in assessing high risk clients and responding appropriately.
- Knowledge of mandatory reporting requirements.
- Experience developing presentations and facilitating group work/therapy.
- Can approach work holistically using a wellness model, highlighting, and encouraging community members’ strengths.
- Support system and self-care strategies in place to maintain own well-being.
- Strong interpersonal skills to establish and maintain rapport and effectively communicate with community members and resource partners.
- Excellent verbal, written and computer skills.
- Strong interviewing, analytical, problem-solving, organizational and time management skills.
- Self-starter who can take initiative, work both independently and as part of a team and is highly adaptable.
- Knowledge of First Nation culture, history, community-based services, geographic realities, and social conditions within remote First Nations communities particularly in a regional context is considered an asset.
- Knowledge of traditional Indigenous healing, medicines or ceremonies is considered an asset.
- Previous experience working with First Nations communities is an asset.
- Ability to communicate in one of the First Nations dialects from the K.O. communities is an asset.

**Responsibilities and Duties**:
Under the direction of the Choose Life Mental Wellness/IDS Coordinator and Mental Health Lead, the CLMWC is responsible for:

- Regularly travel to K.O. communities to provide counselling, support/guidance, intervention, de-escalation, crisis management, family counselling as required, group work and case management. Often by small aircraft.
- Travel to other K.O. office sites as needed (i.e., Thunder Bay, Balmertown, Sioux Lookout, Dryden).
- Attend weekly meetings for K.O. Health and the Mental Health Team.
- Conduct mental health assessments, help community members define their goals and create their own holistic plans to meet their individual needs for service.
- Assessment of risk factors, clinical management of risk, stabilization and the developing safety plans with community members and their circle of care.
- Develop therapeutic processes to guide community members in the development of skills and strategies for dealing with their challenges. Uses trauma-informed best practices.
- Focus sessions on recovery, modification of behaviors or better management of conditions/challenges.
- Promote harm reduction strategies.
- Evaluate community member’s progress regularly and adjust interventions as necessary to meet their needs.
- Coordinate care, collaborate and refer to community/regional resources or specialists.
- Maintain accurate, factual, and objective records in the case management system in a timely manner on all aspects of clinical care.
- Monitor files closely to ensure there is active care, and close inactive files when necessary.
- Protect confidentiality,