Counsellor

**Counsellor**:
Competition #

7521

Job Title

Counsellor

Department

Behavioural Escalation Support Team

Status

Permanent

Work Type

Part-time

Affiliation

ONA Paramedical

Shift Assignment

As assigned

Bilingualism Required

Yes

Police Check Requirement

Vulnerable Sector Check

Site

RLHC-ONA Nursing

Salary Information

$39.17 - $50.76 / hour

Application Closing Date

February 26, 2025

**KEY FUNCTION**:
Provide direct and indirect support to staff, patients and physicians within the Emergency Department and inpatient units across HSN for the management of behavioural risk interventions. Complete risk assessments, crisis counselling and ensure connections to services for individuals presenting with behavioural concerns.

**REPORTING**:
Under the general direction of the Coordinator, Urgent Response and Care Transitions.

**DUTIES**:

- Respond to individuals likely to demonstrate or have identified high risk behaviours requiring support.
- Support the completion of behaviour risk assessments for high risk individuals.
- Provide Behavioural Intervention services utilizing various techniques of care (i.e. motivational interviewing, brief solution focused therapy, recovery model, stages of change, harm reduction, trauma informed care).
- Provide preventative interventions with individuals and other members of the health care team.
- Recommend comfort support plans based on clinical assessment of risk to service recipients and inpatient team.
- Work in collaboration with hospital staff, physicians, community partners and others as required.
- Foster and promote positive change and independence in those individuals served.
- Provide support and education to caregivers and/or the service recipients’ personal support network.
- Provide encouragement, emotional support and motivation to service recipients.
- Respond in a professional and therapeutic manner to various incidents and emergencies.
- Participate in active response to code white situations and debriefing of staff and individual post events.
- Survey workforce to understand concerns, frequency of incidents, perceptions of security, and suggested actions to improve workplace violence situations.
- Support the development and review new or existing policies, procedures and practices related to high risk behaviours, monitoring (i.e. zero tolerance policy) and expectations for reporting (i.e. safety, incident reports).
- Develop and teach education/training curriculum for all HSN employees related to the management of behavioural escalations.
- Work with existing protocol partners.
- Determine and align improvement projects with HSN’s Strategic Plan; monitor and adjust to achieve goal outcomes.
- Participate in education and training specific to current, relevant federal and provincial health and safety legislation, standards and guidelines.
- Educate and promote health, safety and wellness in the work place.
- Represent the department or program on various committees and in meetings as required.
- Perform other duties as required.

**QUALIFICATIONS**

**EDUCATION AND TRAINING**:

- Minimum of a four (4) year Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from an accredited college/university.
- Current Certificate of Registration in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers is required.
- Current certificate in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention is required.
- Completion of Critical Incident Stress Debriefing training, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills training, Trauma Informed Care training, Violence Threat Risk Assessment training, and Brief Solution Focused Therapy training is preferred.
- Ministry of Labour “Worker Health and Safety Awareness in 4 Steps” training certificate is required.

**EXPERIENCE**:

- Minimum of five (5) years full-time equivalent experience working on an adult inpatient psychiatric unit or Crisis Intervention Program.
- Minimum of two (2) years full-time equivalent experience (within the last five (5) years) in community mental health or addictions setting.
- Experience working with people with mental health and addictions issues who have experienced conflicts with the law and exposure to the criminal justice system is preferred.

**KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES**:

- Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the Criminal Justice system.
- Demonstrated knowledge of Medical Terminology, Mental Health Act, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), the Ontario Human Rights Code, Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA), and other relevant legislation.
- Demonstrated knowledge of trauma-informed care (e.g. understanding the impacts of physical, psychological and emotional trauma).
- Demonstrated ability to educate others to support effective strategies for supporting those affected by trauma.
- Demonstrated knowledge and ability to navigate Ontario’s mental health and addictions, developmental services and community support service sectors.
- Demonstrated strong relation