Intake Worker

**Job Posting**

**INTAKE WORKER**

**1-year full-time contract (35 hours /week)**

Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic offers trauma-informed legal services and representation, counselling and multilingual interpretation, and drives system transformation to support women and gender-diverse people who have experienced violence. Rooted in the foundations of intersectionality, innovation, and a client-centered approach, we foster the skills and resilience of the people we serve and amplify their voices to create individual and collective change.

**We are seeking a dedicated Intake Worker to join the Clinic’s Central Intake Team for a 1-year contract.**

The Intake Worker will ensure immediate and effective communication with individuals contacting the Clinic for assistance. They will implement various risk assessment tools to determine the level of potential imminent risk and conduct safety planning accordingly. They will complete intake forms and gather the necessary information to assess the legal and non-legal needs of the clients. Based on the information collected and the needs of the client they will engage in short-term interventions on behalf of the clients and provide information as well as internal and external referrals.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

All duties and responsibilities will be conducted in accordance with Barbra Schlifer Clinic's Mandate, Mission and Values Statements.

1. CLIENT SUPPORT
- Perform intakes with an elevated level of efficiency, accuracy, and competence
- Identify limits or exceptions to confidentiality
- Implement containment and de-escalation interventions
- Assess safety, level of risk, and identify when the client is in high-risk and initiate protocols
- At times, assist the client in developing a safety plan to address imminent risk
- Assesses if the client has any housing needs and refer the client internally or externally to the Transitional and Housing Support Program
- Assess if the client needs counseling and provide the appropriate internal or external referrals
- Assess the client’s legal needs
- Provide information of a general nature in the areas of family, immigration and criminal law
- Provide referrals to lawyers, community agencies and others as per the Clinic’s referral protocols
- Book appointments with internal staff (lawyers, counselors, transitional and housing support workers, court support workers, case managers)
- At times communicate with police officers to advocate for enforcement or protection orders or charges to be laid
- Communicate with representatives of the Victim Witness Assistance program to obtain bail conditions or identify the stage of criminal matters
- Follow up with clients to make sure they are connected and get feedback on the referrals provided

2. SUPERVISION, TRAINING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Ongoing professional development as determined, to ensure proficiency in all areas of responsibility
- Ongoing supervision and periodic performance evaluations

3. COLLABORATION AND RELATIONSHIPS
- Work collaboratively and respect the diversity of women within the context of a diverse agency
- Assess and respond to requests for information from other service providers
- Identify gaps in service and recommend achievable solutions to Management and Team
- Consult with internal and external service providers and other professionals to exchange information
- Communicate with Team Members to share information, provide debriefing opportunities and resolve problems
- Initiate consultation with the Manager of Client Services and Intake or her designate on complicated, high-risk cases
- At times, co-facilitate counseling groups or trainings to staff and external agencies
- Participate in Team and staff meetings

4. ADMINISTRATIVE /OTHER
- Maintain up-to-date client records and accurate notes on our Client Management System (EMHWare)
- Book interpreters for clients with language barriers
- Perform other tasks as assigned by management

KEY RELATIONSHIPS
- The Intake Worker is a member of the Clinic’s Central Intake Team and will work collaboratively with other staff, as appropriate
- The Intake Worker will report to and be supervised by the Manager of Client Services and Intake

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Post-secondary degree or diploma in law, social work or counselling or other equivalent education
- Minimum 2 years fulltime experience working with women survivors of gender-based violence
- Strong understanding of feminist, anti-oppression and anti-racist frameworks
- Knowledge of legal and counselling services within the violence against women sector
- Familiarity with Ontario Family Law, Criminal, Immigration and Refugee and Child Welfare processes/systems generally and the experiences of survivor involved in navigating legal systems and social welfare systems
- Ability to conduct a brief, fact finding focused interview, while containing and deescalating client is a compulsory skill for the position
- Ability to have compassion for and co