Child Youth Worker

**Job Description**:
Child and Youth Mental Health is an 8 bed regional Child and Youth Mental Health Inpatient Unit that opened December 2017. It is the only unit in North Simcoe Muskoka. Acute Outpatient Services provides urgent consultation for mental health services for children and youth up to age 18. As part of the Child & Youth Mental Health Inpatient team, the Child & Youth Worker provides direct care to patients and families experiencing acute psychiatric conditions with a focus on social skill, strength, development and functioning in the context of the family and the milieu; provides emergent/urgent support of psychiatric concerns as necessary throughout RVH; develops and implements a plan of care in collaboration with the child/family and other health care team members; maintains clinical competence and knowledge through continuing education and life-long learning.

**Responsibilities include but are not limited to**:
**Patient Care**:

- As part of the interdisciplinary team, participates in a comprehensive (bio psychosocial) assessment to identify patient/family strengths, dynamics, behaviours, interactions, attitudes, feelings development, and cultural issues in relation to the patient/family’s presenting concerns.
- As part of the interdisciplinary team, collaborates to develop individualized, comprehensive plans of care to achieve mutually agreed goals.
- In collaboration with the health care team, plans and implements milieu intervention and programming through individual, group and/or family interventions.
- Maintains contact with patients’ teachers in order to work closely with and assist the teacher during classroom hours.
- Implements and role models effective behavior management strategies, and manages aggressive patient situations.
- Organizes and leads therapeutic and psych-education groups as appropriate.
- Evaluates and revises the interdisciplinary plan of care in collaboration with the patient/family and health care team to ensure patient/family needs are met.
- Initiates and/or participates in discharge planning activities, including linking with community agencies/other Health Centre programs as appropriate.
- Develops strong, collaborative working relations with members of the interdisciplinary team.
- Ensures safety of unit.
- Communicates necessary clinical information to team.

**Collaboration, Communication and Outreach**:

- Advocates for the needs of the patients and families.
- Acts as a role model and mentor for Child & Youth Worker colleagues and students.
- Participates in unit/program/Health Centre/interagency committees as requires.
- Participates in unit Quality Improvement activities as required.

**Research and Education**:

- Provides education to patients/families and health care team members, focusing on effective behaviour management, milieu interventions and programming.
- Engages in evidence-based practice and may initiate changes to improve the quality of Child & Youth Worker interventions as appropriate.
- Shares new knowledge and best practices with colleagues.
- Participates in ongoing professional development.
- Certified Child and Youth Worker 3-year diploma from an accredited Community College required.
- Baccalaureate Degree in Health Sciences or Social Sciences or related field from an accredited University preferred.
- Current CPR certification required.
- Certification in Non-violent Crisis Intervention required.
- Membership in OACYC preferred.
- 3-5 years’ work experience in mental health care setting for children and adolescents and their families required.
- 3-5 years’ work experience in an acute psychiatric setting preferred. - Experience leading therapeutic and psychoeducational groups required.
- Experience either working in or working with a school program preferred.
- Experience working knowledge of the Mental Health Act, the Personal Health Information Protection of Privacy Act, and the Public Hospitals’ Act.

**You are ideal for this position if you have**:

- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Excellent problem-solving skills.
- Proven team player in an interdisciplinary care setting.
- Proven commitment to continuing education.