Occupational Therapist, Shared Care Clinic

Req ID:
Department/Program: Shared Care Clinic, Mental Health And Addictions 
Location: Halifax  
Type of Employment: Permanent Hourly FT (100% FTE)  x 1 position(s)
Start Date: January 2026
Union Status: NSGEU Hlthcare, Healthcare Bargaining Unit
Compensation: $ $ /hour
Closing Date: January 05, 2026 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)

This position is a designated position for applicants who identify as Immigrants/Newcomers. You must self-identify at the application stage.

IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia. People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other's talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values, and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients, families and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.

Promoting an anti-racist environment, and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care, is important to us. We are located in Mi'kma'ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi'kmaq people. Working in Mi'kma'ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportions of transgender and non-binary people than any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.

Reporting to the Manager of Community Mental Health, this Occupational therapy position will be positioned within a Community Mental Health Clinic setting.  Working alongside multidisciplinary MHA team members, the Occupational Therapist will have responsibilities dedicated to the provision of occupational therapy services, with an intended focus on children, youth and families new to Canada (newcomer).  

The Occupational Therapists works with children, youth and families with acute mental health problems as part of an inter-disciplinary team to assess and direct program components aimed at assisting the client to achieve health and quality of life through participation in a balance of meaningful occupations. Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to: conduct, interpret and utilize standardized assessments of occupational function; to use functional assessments to establish occupational identities and roles; to assist clients with occupational choices; to contribute with remediating the impairments associated with illness; to assess for and recommend assistive technology as appropriate to enhance occupational performance; providing individual and/or group intervention on a direct, consultative or monitoring basis; providing input into discharge and/or follow-up planning and initiates referral to other care providers; attending and participating in services, clinical rounds, clinics and client conferences; carries out home and school visits where feasible.

Monday to Friday; 7.5 hours per shift; 8:30 am to 4:30 pm (Some evening hours may be required). Travel between sites as needed is required.

• Graduate of a World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT) approved Occupational Therapy Program required.
• Registered or eligible to be registered with the College of Occupational Therapists of Nova Scotia (COTNS) required.
• Membership with the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) required.
• Minimum two (2) year experience as an Occupational Therapist with child and adolescents required. Experience working in a mental health setting strongly preferred.
• Minimum (2) year experience working with newcomers preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of mental health disorders and needs specific to newcomer populations. 
• Demonstrated understanding of experiences of migration and settlement.  
• Demonstrated ability to practice with cultural humility and competence in practice.
• Experience working with children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Mood and Anxiety Disorders  and trauma preferred.
• Experience assessing motor skills and sensory processing issues in children.
• Experience in delivering evidence-based group treatment required.
• Demonstrated ability to work both as a member of a multi-disciplinary team and independently in a family centred atmosphere.
• Demonstrated ability to network with and/or familiarity of community agencies servicing a similar population.
• Demonstrated knowledge of mental health disorders and treatment modalities.
• Demonstrated excellent communication, organizational, problem solving and administrative skills.
• Lived experience as a newcomer preferred. 
• Competency in other languages an asset.

Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.

Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.

This is a Healthcare  bargaining  unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units or employment status, are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position.

An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials.

If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.