Crisis Intake Counsellor

We are seeking a dedicated and compassionate individual to join our team as Crisis Intake Counsellor at Family Transition Place. Reporting to the Counselling Supervisor, the Crisis Intake Counsellor plays a pivotal role ensuring the effective handling of crisis calls, service inquiries and the appropriate direction of referrals. The Crisis Intake Counsellor provides crisis support and brief counselling to women and sexual abuse clients via telephone or email, individual sessions and groups; as well as individual advocacy when needed.

Responsibilities:

Providing crisis response service and information via telephone/email or individual sessions to clients who are experiencing or who have experienced woman abuse and / or sexual abuse, as well as group counselling by:

• • Answering the 24-hour support/crisis line and ensuring coverage during business hours
  • Supporting with walk-ins in need of crisis support and/or referrals
  • Managing the accessible community client shower during business hours. This may include coordinating, providing clients with a shower bundle and cleaning the shower after use
  • Offering crisis support as needed to other internal programs (i.e., Shelter, Transitional Support)
  • Conducting a preliminary assessment of the client's needs and triaging clients waiting for service while providing crisis support as needed
  • Facilitating and supporting safety planning by clients
  • Responding to requests for information and services related to women and/or sexual abuse and the impact on children and family; connecting with internal services or provide external referrals as required
  • Administering program related assessment tools/screeners as appropriate (i.e: Danger Assessment, GAIN-SS)
  • Referring urgent and emergency referrals to the appropriate agency or service
  • Coordinating and facilitating program specific groups
  • Entering intake information into the Client Data base system, documenting crisis calls and entering clients into agency programs at intake
  • Providing individual counselling for immediate crisis needs up to a maximum of 6 sessions
  • Facilitating transfer sessions to other counselors, programs or services (internal and external) as required
  • Maintaining and prioritizing counselling waitlist

Maintaining electronic data recordings (i.e. service events, referral sources) according to agency and funders' requirement

Collaborating and advocating with referral sources and other community response systems

Providing occasional education / information presentations and some committee work

Participating in and assisting with the planning and organization of services by:

• • Maintaining appropriate client service-related documentation (progress notes, assessment reports, service summaries)
  • Supporting students and volunteers, reporting on their performance to the Student Placement Supervisor or the Supervisor
  • Actively participating in weekly team meetings
  • Working with the Supervisor to ensure proper safety and health standards are met
  • Being knowledgeable of, and informing team members about local community resources
  • Engaging fully and openly in supervision, keeping the Supervisor informed of any issues
  • Assessing the effectiveness of services based on women's feedback and evaluations

Committing to the agency's core values of: Compassion, Integrity, Equity and Social Responsibility

Adhering to FTP policies and procedures and compliance with required legislative and regulatory requirements such as OHSA, AODA, etc.

Performing other duties or responsibilities as negotiated or assigned

Qualifications and Core Competencies:   

• Completed undergraduate level training in relevant social service discipline or completed Community College level training with experience in a closely related field
• No previous violations of breach of professional practice standards
• More than 1 years' experience providing violence against women or trauma focused crisis support, brief counselling and group work
• Familiarity with the links between violence, trauma, addictions and mental health issues
• Ability to incorporate into counselling an anti-oppression and women-centred framework using a trauma focused lens/approach
• Knowledge of issues of violence against women and children, including the intersection with mental health and addictions
• Knowledge of crisis intervention strategies
• Strong written and oral communication, case management and report writing skills
• Ability to work well under pressure and within the context of a team structure and atmosphere
• Demonstrate empathy while maintaining objective analysis of client circumstances
• Decision Making, including dealing with job related stress, guided by professional standards of practice
• Ability to identify risk related to client services and taking appropriate action in consultation with the Supervisor
• Maintain a current understanding of feminist philosophy
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries
• Works from an ARAO/Intersectionality lens

Employment Requirements:

• Vulnerable Sector Police Clearance Certificate and maintaining of clearance requirements during course of employment
• CPR and First Aid Certification

Physical / Mental Effort:

Based on work schedule/flow the frequency of the following tasks will vary according to need:

• Changing priorities and workflow to accommodate needs of others, and imposed deadlines
• Working with individuals in crisis situations
• Providing active listening, empathy, counselling and support to service users via telephone or in person
• Sitting for long periods of time at a desk or counselling room
• Answering crisis line in an environment with unavoidable distractions and activity

Working Conditions:

• This role requires in-person attendance
• Open concept work area
• Individual counselling / meeting room
• Some activities occurring in community settings
• May be required to work off-site at FTP satellite locations

Salary:

• $52,047 - $61,040 + Benefits

The successful candidate will join a compassionate, caring and forward-thinking family of professionals. We provide an attractive benefits package that includes vacation, sick and personal time.

Our steadfast feminist and family-first approach guides the work we do. We are committed to ensuring that FTP continues to boast strong staff retention and satisfaction through consistent collaboration, communication, skills and culture development opportunities throughout our organization.

Our commitment to our internal agency values of compassion, respect, inclusion, continuous learning and integrity is unwavering, and we are striving to create a culture rooted in inclusiveness. We are committed to unlearning biases and working towards undoing systemic racism and oppression towards, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, 2SLGBTQ+ and all marginalized identities.

We are focused on innovation and enhancement of our services for our clients; we are equally focused on creating a workplace that 'works' with our staff. We are deeply proud of the culture we have developed, and the staff who continue to help us shape it. We'd love to have you join us

Family Transition Place is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of employment. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including those with diverse backgrounds and those with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates in all aspects of the selection process.

Family Transition Place is dedicated to achieving a workplace that reflects the diversity of the community it serves and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates. We thank all applicants, however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.