Social Worker 2 - AMANI: Mental Health and Substance Use Services for Black Youth-camh

Through its core values of Courage, Respect and Excellence, CAMH is implementing its Strategic Plan: Connected CAMH, to transform lives, ignite innovation and discovery, revolutionize education and drive social change. CAMH is more than a hospital, it is a cause. CAMH is on a mission to change the way society thinks about and responds to mental illness. They aim to eliminate prejudice and discrimination and shape a world where mental illness is central to our healthcare system - a world where Mental Health is Health.

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CAMH is the largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital in Canada as well as one of the world's leading research centres in its field. Our services are delivered to help transform the lives of people affected by mental illness and addictions. Our goal is to tailor treatment to each individual, providing client-centered, comprehensive, coordinated care. As part of the Child, Youth, and Emerging Adult Program (CYEAP), the Child Youth and Family Services (CYFS) provides care and treatment to children and youth between the ages of 6 and 24. Clients and their families served by CYFS are offered specialized services and customized care across a day treatment/day hospital and outpatient continuum of care.

Position Description
Child, Youth and Family Services is partnering with the Toronto Northwest Justice Centre to provide targeted, multi-sector community supports and programming, which are designed to wrap around youth and break the cycle of offending while addressing the ongoing systemic problem of the overrepresentation of young Black and racialized offenders in the justice system. Justice Centres move justice out of the traditional courtroom and into a community setting by bringing together justice, health, and social services to address the root causes of crime, break the cycle of offending, and improve community safety. Participants are provided with opportunities to improve their social and economic futures focusing on re-connecting with education, developing life skills, improving family relationships, and addressing mental health and substance use concerns - all key protective factors against crime, violence, and recidivism.

The service is seeking a full-time, contract (4 months) Social Worker 2 position, who will work largely with Black and racialized young clients, between the ages of 12 and 24 years, and their families, who are accessing services through the Justice Centre and have identified mental health and/or substance use support needs. The incumbent will provide consultation to other professionals working with this population through CYEAP and across CAMH, and work collaboratively with AMANI: Mental Health Services for Black. This position will report to the Senior Manager of Child, Youth and Family Services.

The incumbent will deliver care within a model that recognizes the lived experience of Black and racialized youth who have faced systemic oppression, racism, anti-Black racism and other forms of marginalization as it relates to many aspects of their lives inclusive of the social determinants of health. Clinical interventions will include culturally responsive assessment and treatment planning, case management, system navigation, family support, individual and group counselling, and psychotherapy. The candidate will also liaise with the broader Justice Centre team, including Community Case Managers, the Education Advocate, the Justice Centre Crown, and other community-based service agencies, to make referrals to clinical and supportive services for the youth and their families. The candidate will collaborate with the Education Advocate to support education planning and re-connection with education opportunities for youth participating in the Justice Centre.

The incumbent will also support program development and clinical evaluation and be an active participant in continuous quality improvement, knowledge mobilization and research activities. Candidates must be capable of providing supervision to Masters of Social Work students, collaborating with faculties of social work on special projects related to the development of the social work field, contributing to the development of best practices unique to the social work field and teaching of other professionals. Collaboration with external stakeholders seeking support and shared care for complex clients is a significant part of this role. You will support a healthy workplace that embraces diversity, encourages teamwork and complies with all applicable and regulatory requirements. Some evening hours are required as is work within community settings. Other duties as assigned. This position is located at 80 Workman Way.

The successful candidate will possess a Master’s of Social Work degree combined with a preferred 3 years of post-graduate work experience and be registered and a member in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). You will be eligible for an adjunct faculty appointment with Faculties of Social Work that have affiliation agreements with CAMH. The candidate will possess demonstrated skills and experience in working with African, Caribbean and/or Black and other racialized youth, in addition to lived experience as a member of the diverse African, Caribbean and/or Black community.

The successful candidate will have lived or learned experience interacting with the youth criminal justice system, and possess intimate knowledge of the challenges that Black and racialized youth experience in Ontario’s youth criminal justice system. The candidate will have strong knowledge of the Youth Criminal Justice Act (Canada) and associated criminal justice processes, and have experience working with justice system professionals such as Crown attorneys, defense counsel and probation officers. The successful candidate will possess demonstrated skills and experience in the assessment and treatment of mental health and substance use challenges with Black and racialized youth, inclusive of individual and group counseling, with demonstrated excellence in applying best practices to culturally responsive clinical care. Excellent documentation, organizational and interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in an integrated clinical research environment where standardized data collection is used to evaluate outcomes is essential. The ability to work in a dynamic and changing interprofessional environment that supports best practices, innovation, accountability and team collaboration to improve quality of care is required. Knowledge of community resources which are supportive of African, Caribbean and/or Black youth is essential. Experience supporting Black and racialized male youth is an asset. Strong communication skills (verbal and written) combined with computer literacy are required. The ability to work effectively as a team member within and across services in CYEAP and CAMH is necessary. Bilingualism (French/English) or proficiency in a second language would be an asset. Availability to work some evening hours is necessary.

All applicants offered and accepting employment must complete a Vulnerable Sector Police Records Check. The offer of employment will be conditional upon receipt of the satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Police Records Check.