Wellness Navigation Advisor

**Date Posted**:11/06/2024
**Req ID**: 40584
**Faculty/Division**: Vice-Provost, Students
**Department**: Health and Wellness
**Campus**: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
**Position Number**: 00051163

**Description**:
**About us**:
Student Life connects life to learning. We believe every student should have the opportunity to participate in university life actively and find connection and community while discovering new ways of thinking and being in the world. We provide resources, support and engagement opportunities that are inclusive and accessible, ensuring every student can build experiences that set them up for a lifetime of success.

Consisting of an interdisciplinary team of health professionals and support staff, Health & Wellness at the University of Toronto aims to support graduate and undergraduate students in reaching their academic goals, engage students in their development and learning, and support their health and well-being by providing health education, clinical and consultation services. Health and Wellness (HW) provides counselling to students with a wide range of concerns ranging from relationship problems to debilitating depression and anxiety, suicidal and/or homicidal ideation, post-traumatic stress, and eating disorders.

**Your opportunity**:
The Wellness Navigation Advisor is a Registered Health Professional and is an integral member of the mental health care team in HW. As a member of the mental health care team, and under the direction of the Director, Professional Practice & Quality Assurance, Health & Wellness, the incumbent is responsible for providing single session counselling and/or navigation appointments (same-day), relationship building with campus and community supports and resources, initial screening and referrals to appropriate resources and services, risk assessment and safety planning in accordance with the University of Toronto Health and Wellness, vision, mission, and strategic plan, and is expected to demonstrate quality and effectiveness in work habits. In addition to single session counselling, the incumbent will act as a consultant to faculty, staff, and students on counseling and relatedmatters, conducts workshops and relevant training. Inherent in this role are the knowledge, skills and attitudes specific to critical thinking and decision making, ability to analyze and assess presenting mental health concerns and collaborate with the medical team in the management of these mental health concerns, and flexibility and decision making in fluid situations with unpredictable outcomes.

**Your responsibilities will include**:

- Providing clinical counselling and psychotherapy to individual students and/or groups of students, including distressed students in crisis, and making referrals to appropriate resources.
- Screening and making referrals to appropriate resources and services
- Screening students to determine suitability for short-term counselling
- Fostering positive relationships with campus resources and community health services providers
- Establishing priorities when booking appointments and drop-ins
- Assessing the mental health of clients
- Determining the appropriate level of clinical intervention

**Essential Qualifications**:

- Master's Degree in social work or counselling/psychotherapy or acceptable combination of equivalent experience. Must be a current member, in good standing, within a Regulated Health Profession.
- Minimum five years of independent clinical experience, after completion of graduate degree requirements.
- Prior experience working within a single-session or 'one-at-a-time' model, with same-day or walk-in services
- Prior experience with crisis counselling and/or management
- Prior experience with case management, discharge planning, and broad knowledge of community resources and building relationships
- Prior training and focus of practice in working with individuals who have experienced trauma or have been diagnosed with PTSD
- Familiarity and experience with short-term, goal-oriented, focused therapeutic interventions
- Experience providing multi-cultural counselling required
- Familiarity with the Stepped Care 2.0 model of mental health care
- Strong counselling, communication (written and verbal), and interpersonal skills
- Experience working within brief or short-term counselling model
- Good judgement and reliability
- Non-judgmental attitude
- Excellent time management and organizational skills
- Strong computer skills (e.g., MS Office, Internet, Outlook), and comfortable with virtual presenting and technology

**Assets (Nonessential)**:

- Experience with the emerging adult population (17-25 year-olds)
- Prior experience with mental health or medical navigation (e.g., hospital-based setting, community-based resources or clinics)
- Prior experience working in a multi-disciplinary clinic or team
- Prior cultural competency training an asset
- Familiarity with electronic medical record keeping

**To be successful in this