Child & Youth Counsellor, Secure Unit

**JOB OPPORTUNITY - Child & Youth Counsellor, Secure Unit - Full-Time Permanent**

**Position Summary**

The Child & Youth Counsellor is responsible for providing a therapeutic and safe environment for the children and young people in Youthdale’s programs on a day-to-day basis. A member of an inter-professional team, the Child & Youth Counsellor is responsible for carrying a primary care caseload.

Reporting to the Clinical Operations Manager - Secure Unit, the Child & Youth Counsellor, is responsible for ensuring a therapeutic and safe environment on a day-to-day basis. Assessment and milieu therapy is provided in accordance with individual client treatment plans, evidence based practices, Youthdale’s policies and procedures and guidelines established by the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) and the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care (MOH).

**Location**: Inpatient Unit (227 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario)

**Hours**: 40 hours per week

**Status**: Full-time Permanent

**Union/Non**: This is a unionized position

**Rate of pay**: $27.3433 per hour

**Accountability**

This position reports directly to: Clinical Operations Manager - Secure Unit

Works collaboratively with the inter-professional team, client families/guardians, and community resources

**Corporate Responsibilities**
- Fosters positive interpersonal relationships with the staff, clients, visitors, outside agencies, government officials and related professional associations.
- Maintains and adheres to organizational policies and procedures.
- Maintains and adheres to all relevant legislation.
- Maintains and adheres to security protocol of program.
- Attends work on a regular and consistent basis.
- Works safely in compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Agency Health and Safety Manual.
- Demonstrates experience in clinical practices, which are consistent with the mission, vision and philosophy of Youthdale Treatment Centres.

**Responsibilities**:
**Client Assessment and Mental Health Support**:

- Assess and understand acute client mental health needs through a developmental and trauma-informed lens.
- Formulate methods of intervention in collaboration with the team.

**Intervention and Support**:

- Implement evidence-informed treatment interventions tailored to the unique needs of high-acuity patients.
- Provide highly individualized and intensive therapy for youth with severe mental health challenges, addressing issues such as self-harm, suicidal ideation, and aggression.
- Recognize stages of behavioral escalation and respond appropriately to deescalate behavior.
- Develop strategies to reduce concerning behaviors and support academic/vocational activities.

**Crisis Management**:

- Assess the need for crisis/physical intervention in collaboration with the team.
- Support clients and the team during crisis situations.
- Maintain clear and thorough documentation related to incidents.
- Facilitate debriefing with clients and staff following crisis/physical intervention.
- Understand and adhere to strict CYFSA regulations regarding the use of physical restraints, using them only as a last resort.

**Suicide Risk Assessment**:

- Conduct thorough and ongoing suicide risk assessments for high-acuity patients.
- Develop and implement safety plans.

**Client Care**:

- Assist with normal activities of daily living.
- Recognize physical signs and symptoms of health conditions and report concerns to the nurse, physician, or on-call manager as per program procedures.
- Provide an assessment of a client in accordance with the Plan of Care goals.
- Provide behavior support.

**Documentation and Reporting**:

- Write client progress reports.
- Ensure that client records are maintained according to agency standards and privacy policies.

**Shift Change Communication**:

- Communicate verbally and in written logs significant and pertinent information regarding each client at shift change.

**Life Skills and Recreational Programming**:

- Develop, implement, evaluate, and fully participate in life skills and recreational programming.

**Medication Management**:

- Prescribe and monitor regular scheduled psychotropic medications.
- Administer regular scheduled medications and treatments as prescribed by a physician or Nurse Practitioner.
- Follow Youthdale's Medication Procedure.

**Therapeutic Relationship**:

- Establish a therapeutic relationship with assigned clients from intake to discharge.
- Provide direct client care and supervision, including:

- Welcome and orientation to the physical space and program at admission.
- Provision of individual care as per the treatment plan.
- Development and support of client engagement in programs.
- Highly individualized and intensive therapy for youth with severe mental health challenges.
- Booking annual health care, clothing, and personal needs inventories.
- Supporting the client to express their needs.
- Regularly reassess and adapt treatment pla