Description
Under the authority of the Executive Director the incumbent exercises their responsibilities as entrusted by the Province of Quebec Youth Protection Act and the Government of Canada Youth Criminal Justice Act. The incumbent ensures the application of these laws within Eeyou Istchee Territory, reporting to the Assistant Executive Director Pimuhteheu for the administrative aspect of their mandate.
The incumbent ensures the definition, planning, and development of the services’ programs, policies and protocols, as well as ensuring the activities related to the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay (CBHSSJB) Youth Protection, Youth Criminal Justice, Foster Resources, and Legal Services.
Special Note:
The Youth Protection Direction differs from any other CBHSSJB directions by the fact that the Act grants exclusive responsibilities to the Director for which she/he is accountable and which cannot be delegated. The Act also provides for a rigorous process regulating and limiting the framework of their exclusive responsibilities. The Director is responsible from an administrative, clinical, and legal perspective for the application of the Act and the YCJA in the nine (9) communities of Eeyou Istchee.
Notwithstanding that the Director of Youth Protection is located within the Pimuhteheu Group for purposes of program planning, delivery linkage, continuity and management responsibility delegation, the incumbent meets in a direct linkage manner regularly and in cases of need with the Executive Director for reasons found in the rationale of the Youth Protection Act.
SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS
Strategic Responsibilities
• Ensures the legal role of Director of Youth Protection for the Youth Protection Act (YPA), and Provincial Director for the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) for the jurisdiction of the CBHSSJB in Eeyou Istchee, according to the applicable laws, in a way that respects Indigenous cultural practices, values, approaches, and knowledge around raising healthy and thriving children and youth.
• Ensures the safeguarding of the cultural identity and cultural continuity of Indigenous children known to Youth Protection.
• Prepares a CBHSSJB orientation for the Executive Director regarding required YP and YCJA legislative and regulatory changes.
• Chairs the YP Clinical Coordination Table.
• Participates to the identification of the needs of the population, communities and organization with Mental Health Service for the planning of YP services.
• Advises the Executive Director on the situation of YP services, the organization of YP services, access for specialized services, and the developments within the Ministry of Health and Social Services of Quebec (MSSS) and the Réseau Universitaire Intégré de Santé (RUIS) Network that affect the organization.
• Ensures the accessibility of services for children and their families for the Community Miyupimaatisiiun Centers (CMCs), youth healing services, mental health, the dependencies program and other Pimuhteheu Group services.
• Ensures the implementation of adoption services according to the Youth Protection Act and its regulations for the jurisdiction of the CBHSSJB in Eeyou Istchee.
• Supports the development and implementation of culturally adapted best practices in the YP network that recognizes Cree specific knowledge.
Operational Responsibilities
• Ensures the leadership, the planning, organization, coordination, implementation for the development and programming of YP services, and the incorporation of such, in policies, procedures, protocols and tools.
• Ensures the operational level line management access, leadership, accountability, planning, organization, coordination, implementation, control, evaluation and reporting within their jurisdiction (youth protection, youth criminal justice, adoption services).
• Oversees the planning, organization and distribution of work in a perspective of quality, effectiveness and efficiency of services, and continuity of care.
• Ensures that the programs and services provided under their responsibility are based on respect and autonomy of individuals, and respond to their bio-psycho-social needs as well as cultural and spiritual needs.
• Ensures collaboration in the delivery of specialized services with Youth Healing Services (rehabilitation), and external service providers, according to the DYP’s legal role.
• Ensures the accessibility of services 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year as required.
• Develops an effective, efficient, and safe system for record keeping of client files as well as the maintenance of various records.
• Prepares the administrative, professional and clinical organizational plan and regional plan for the organization of YP services Planning, Programming and Research Officers.
• Ensures the development of local and regional area networks of integrated YP services.
• Collaborates with inter-entity and community collaborative planning in the region and the linkages and corridors of specialized services outside of the region.
• Ensures the development and implementation of clinical and management information systems.
• Collaborates in the design of mechanisms for the professional supervision of the organization’s YP staff and their professional and clinical activities and programming.
• Ensures the implementation of the policies and standards of the professional practice for YP services and staff within the nine communities. Ensures the development and evaluation of such policies and standards.
• Collaborates with Quebec orders or associations on the professional inspection process for the Youth Protection Direction.
Youth Protection Representation and Liaison Responsibilities
• Represents YP Services (YP, YCJA and adoption) and the organization at professional and/or administrative meetings upon the request of their supervisor.
• Represents YP and the organization at the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse.
• Develops and maintains a close collaboration, dialogue and communications with other partners of the community, Eeyou Istchee (i.e. Cree First Nations, Cree School Board, Police, Cree Justice, Cree Nation Government, National First Nation organizations, etc.) and the organization, as required for the successful planning and implementation of the services within their responsibility.
• Collaborates with other Directions to ensure continuity of services for clients, and timely access to necessary health and social services for the clients
Resources Management Responsibilities
• Facilitates the efficient people management of the Direction in part by:
o Providing guidance and support in order to ensure the Direction is able to reach organizational objectives.
o Supervising direct reports, identifying their training and development needs as well as conducting periodic performance evaluations.
• Ensures the financial management of the Unit in part by:
o Overseeing the management of the budget for the Direction, namely by participating in the budget process and conduct follow-up on behalf of the Direction.
REQUIREMENTS
Education and Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or an equivalent in a psycho-social field and eight (8) years of experience in a FN’s context in the department of Youth Protection or social services administration in a leadership capacity.
• A Certificate or courses in management and administration is an asset.
Or
• Master’s degree in Social Work or an equivalent in a psycho-social field and four (4) years of experience in a FN’s context in the department of Youth Protection or in social service administration and management.
• Membre of the l’Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec is an asset.
Knowledge and abilities
• Strong knowledge, understanding, and experience of the Cree culture and fluent in the Cree language;
• Knowledge, experience, and understanding of Cree healing practices;
• Ability to apply Cree culture, values and teachings into programs and services;
• Strong knowledge of the laws and regulations for Youth Protection, Youth Criminal Justice Act, foster care, adoption, and rehabilitation programs;
• Strong knowledge of the MSSS, YP, YCJA and rehabilitation network and its current orientations and operations;
• Knowledge of specialized youth services within the MSSS network, for accessibility and corridors of services;
• Strong knowledge of YP practice, current issues and trends, program planning, supervision, including the development of policies, programs, and quality assurance systems;
• Strong knowledge of the strategic management of access and continuity of services, professional and organizational interdependence, information management and evaluation;
• Strong leadership, multidisciplinary team functioning and line management skills;
• Good knowledge of operational planning, organization and coordination, budget planning and financial management, as well as human, material and information resources management;
• Good record in an appropriate level of YP services management or leadership, and human, financial, and information resources management is an asset;
• Excellent critical thinking, decision-making, planning and organizational skills;
• Results-oriented, autonomous, flexible, and ability to multi-task;
• Ability to manage the planning and development of new services and programs;
• Excellent interpersonal communication, and respectful leadership and teamwork skills;
• Human relations, coaching and mediation skills;
• Excellent communication skills, both written and presentation;
• Ability to effectively collaborate with all colleagues, as a team member and team leader;
• Ability in office computer applications.
LANGUAGE
• Fluency in Cree and English;
• Fluency in French is an asset.
OTHER
• Willingness to travel extensively;
• Selected applicants will be invited for an interview the week of May 25th.
