Social Support Counsellor

**Aboriginal Health & Wellness Centre**

**JOB DESCRIPTION**

**IDENTIFYING INFORMATION**:
Program: Primary Care Clinic

Position Title: Social Support Counsellor

Immediate Supervisor: Director of Primary Care

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Working under the general direction of the Director of Primary Care, in conjunction with and in support of the medical and clinical staff of the Clinic, the Social Support Counsellor is responsible for providing a broad range of assessment, intake and short-term or interim support services to constituents through an inter-disciplinary approach to service provision and information exchange.
The Social Support Counsellor will take the initial lead on providing the acute, comprehensive and intensive case management, treatment, community, systems navigation, and counselling for individuals. Drawing from the Aboriginal Health & Wellness Centre’s mission statement and values, working as a member of a diverse, inter-professional team, this person will be welcoming, kind and compassionate front-line person for community members when they visit the Clinic to access supports during their healing journey. It is expected that the Social Support Counsellor have the ability and skills to work safely with constituents who may be hostile, oppositional and volatile, while at all times maintaining composure and behave in a professional and dignified manner. The Social Support Counsellor shall ensure that all activities are undertaken in a manner that is consistent with, and complementary to, the Vision Statement, the Principles and Values and the policies and procedures of the Aboriginal Health & Wellness Centre.

**DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- Welcomes and supports all Indigenous - First Nations, Inuit & Metis - and non-Indigenous community members entering the Clinic, including people who identify as part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and persons who live with disabilities; and sees to their immediate comfort
- Emphasize culturally sensitive, culturally relevant, person-centered care
- Administer initial assessment instruments and case management techniques to both internal and external referrals
- Utilizing the Medicine Wheel as a culture-based tool, for the purpose of identifying the immediate and short-term needs of the individual / family, developing a contract / action plan to address the situation, and establishing referral and access to appropriate health services, traditional healing resources, community agencies and other appropriate supports.
- Acts as a primary facilitator and provide secondary support, establish contracts with external service providers / agencies for the purpose of the effective transfer of the provision of long-term treatment plans to those appropriate agencies and service providers.
- Act as an advocate, on behalf of constituents, with other agencies, organizations and individuals for the purpose of addressing immediate needs as well as assisting in the development of skills to facilitate self-sufficiency and independence.
- Maintain detailed case files, records of all communications, referrals, transactions and interactions with constituents and associated support services, in order to ensure effective case management using SOAP format in the EMR database.
- Maintain an awareness of agencies, programs and supports providing community and culturally based health, wellness and lifestyle supports to members of the Indigenous community, for the purpose of promoting and providing appropriate constituent referrals in order to ensure an effective integration of programs so that a comprehensive service delivery model can be developed on an individual constituent basis.
- Facilitates & participate in service support planning and effectiveness reviews with individuals / families and other service providers within the Aboriginal Health & Wellness Centre to determine the optimum combination of support(s) and service(s) for constituents, and the overall effectiveness of these strategies.
- Provide timely, effective crisis intervention, de-escalation and stabilization services to constituents, in response to an unforeseen crisis or emergency situation.
- Assist other staff members and Elders, in the design and delivery of Sharing, Healing and Teaching Circles with particular emphasis on healthcare and lifestyle.
- Possess a detailed knowledge of applicable legislation and/or regulations governing the rights and obligations of individuals / families seeking support from the Centre.
- Adhere to the definition of, and reporting procedures for, suspected instances of child abuse as set forth in the Child and Family Services Act.
- Other related duties that may be assigned.

**QUALIFICATIONS**:

- Completion of a recognized Social Services or health discipline degree or diploma
- Possess detailed knowledge of applicable legislation and/or regulations governing the rights and obligations of individuals & families seeking support from the Centre
- Thorough understanding of evidence-based practic