Community Support Services Advisor

_Become an essential member of the EORC team _

Are you ready to have a positive impact on the lives of individuals of **seniors and adults with physical disabilities** in Ottawa’s east/south-east communities? We are looking for a reliable and detail-oriented individual to join our team as **Community Support Services (CSS) Advisor**. If you thrive in a collaborative environment and enjoy contributing to a larger purpose, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

**THE EASTERN OTTAWA RESOURCE CENTRE**

Are you seeking an exciting and fulfilling job in a warm and vibrant environment? Do you have a strong desire to make a difference in your community? At the EORC, we are proud to be a team of passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds, professions, and life experiences, all working together towards a shared objective: to provide client-centered services that promote well-being and enhance the quality of life in the East Ottawa community and its surrounding areas. As an employer, the EORC values respect, collaboration, accountability, and compassion, upholding the highest standards of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

**NATURE OF THE WORK**

The Champlain Community Support Network is a bilingual network of non-profit agencies that work together for a community where older adults and adults with disabilities have access to quality community health services that support and promote health, well-being, and independence.

The Community Support Services (CSS) Advisor is responsible for providing support, education, and coaching to targeted hospital patient populations within the hospital Emergency Department, staff and administrative services. This role directly supports the Ministry of Health’s Operational Directive: Home First (issued August 14, 2024).

Home First is an approach whereby every effort is made to ensure adequate resources are in place to support patients to remain at home whenever possible and ultimately return home safely upon discharge from hospital.

This position is an on-site in-person role at Montfort Hospital. One day per week (Wednesdays) will be out of the Aline-Chretien Health Hub for meetings and administrative tasks. The operational hours are 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday to Friday, with occasional flexibility required.

**RESPONSIBILITIES**

The CSS Advisor provides support, education and coaching to targeted hospital patients, staff and administrative services to:

- Enhance understanding of the full spectrum of Community Support Services (CSS).
- Build capacity and knowledge in utilizing existing tools and mechanisms (Caredove, Access CSS, Going Home, etc.) for referring patients to Community Support Services.
- Build capacity and knowledge within the Community Support Sector to support referrals of clients from hospital.
- Maintain and expand relationships across hospital and community organizations.
- Provide timely access to CSS resources and referrals for patients prior to discharge.

Duties include:

- Act as a resource to staff (including but not limited to the Emergency Department), physicians and managers in facilitating referrals to community support programs, and other community resources.
- Provide coaching to patients and their families to guide them through the initiation of Community Support Services and their transition to home.
- Foster relationships that facilitate a coordinated regional approach to the continuum of care; maintain linkages with acute care and sub-acute care partners, as well as Community Support Services.
- Coach staff on utilizing access mechanisms for patients to Community Support Services.
- Provide education through events, on the job coaching, and other strategies to share CSS information with the hospital team, including updates and changes to services, and supporting patient referral planning.
- Engage with other system access mechanisms (Going Home Program, Access CSS, Caredove, etc.) as well as CSS agencies to share experiences and opportunities based on observations in hospital, and to gather input and feedback from community services to inform hospital processes.
- Work with collaborative team including Geriatric Emergency Management (GEM) Nurse, Social Worker, Ontario Health at Home & Geriatric team to support navigating patients ready for discharge from the Emergency department through the transition from hospital to community.
- Identify opportunities to translate learnings into improvements to access and service models under the direction of the Champlain Community Support Network and the Ottawa Health Team
- Equipe Sante Ottawa (OHT-ESO) Ontario Health Team (OHT).
- Prepare regular, brief reports on activities, learnings, outcomes, and key performance indicators, to share with the steering committee and other stakeholders.
- Other administrative tasks as required.

**WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO FIND IN YOU**
- Regulated healthcare worker (RN, RPN, SSW, BSW, MSW RSW) with more than 3 years’ experience in a community or hospital care enviro