Social Worker- Masters, Urgent Care Response Centre

Join Our Team and Empower Lives Through Social Work!

Are you ready to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness and substance use disorders? Look no further – we're searching for passionate individuals with a Master's Degree in Social Work to join our dedicated team.

As a member of our team, you'll bring valuable expertise gained from at least two years of recent, related experience working directly with clients and families impacted by mental illness and substance use disorders. Your deep understanding of social work principles and your ability to provide compassionate support will be essential in helping individuals navigate their journey towards healing and recovery.

Fraser Health is responsible for the delivery of hospital and community-based health services from Burnaby to Fraser Canyon on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Coast Salish and Nlaka’pamux Nations, and is home to six Métis Chartered Communities.

Our team of nearly 45,000 staff, medical staff and volunteers is dedicated to serving our patients, families and communities to deliver on our vision: Better health, best in health care. Learn more.

We invite you to apply today and find out why employees recommend Fraser Health to their friends as an exceptional place to work. We are committed to planetary health, we value diversity in the work force and seek to maintain an environment of Respect, Caring and Trust.

Effective October 26, 2021 all staff for all positions across health care in British Columbia are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (have received a full series of a World Health Organization “WHO” approved vaccine against infection by SARS-COV-2, or a combination of approved WHO vaccines). Please note this applies to all postings, and there are no exceptions. 

In accordance with the Mission, Vision and Values of Fraser Health, and Mental Health & Substance Use program mandates and clinical practice guidelines, and with an emphasis on recovery and rehabilitation and reducing barriers to re-enter the system of care, works collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team-based model of care and promotes rapid engagement in the provision of consistent, relevant and timely delivery of client and family-centered care to the Urgent Care Response Centre (UCRC). The UCRC is a community outpatient centre that supports adults in crisis with mental health and substance use concerns requiring urgent care but not hospitalization, and provides coordinated “one-stop” services including assessment, initiation of treatment, crisis stabilization management, and facilitation of connection to appropriate care services.

The Social Worker - Masters supports individuals and families with and affected by acute/episodic mental illness and substance use disorders, such as those with complex, unpredictable and/or multi-faceted therapeutic needs, to focus on provision of intensive individual and group therapy, liaison regarding complex situations, and care coordination support to ensure delivery of consistent, relevant and timely treatment, rapid re-engagement, and access to information where appropriate and feasible. As a Social Worker in a shared-team model, provides intake, screening, social work assessments, treatment recommendations and plans, determine referral needs, group education, liaison with community resources for specialized services, counsels’ clients, and provides outreach as required. Provides client and family-centered care through a trauma-informed approach and evidence-informed practice. Establishes a dignifying, purposeful and trusting relationship with clients, promoting self-determination and independence. Encourages knowledge exchange in day-to day activities, empowers clients and natural supports to engage and connect within their communities, and ensures they are supported in navigating the health care system. Services may be provided on an outreach basis when required in order to assess and/or engage with clients within their own environment and community.

1. Provides treatment and support for complex situations to clients and natural supports including people in crisis by collaborating with them to develop and implement recovery-oriented treatment options and plans; provides comprehensive consultation and support on treatment decisions in collaboration with other interdisciplinary team members; provides guidance regarding abilities related to activities of daily living; discharge and transition of care.
2. Provides comprehensive clinical social work services such a disability assessments.
3. Liaises with family physicians to ensure seamless transition of care where appropriate.
4. Provides short-term brief interventions, monitoring, and evaluating treatment outcomes as required.
5. Provides individual and group therapy sessions to clients and families with complex needs such as dialectical behavioural therapy and other therapeutic approaches. Facilitates family and lived experience involvement activities such as client and family information sessions in order to promote knowledge exchange. Provides education to clients and families in accordance with theoretical models grounded in evidence-based practice by exploring identified problems that may have resulted in substance use and mental health symptoms; identifying goals, expectations, and support resources; assisting with understanding of mental health and substance abuse issues, the interaction of both, and the recovery process; suggesting positive behaviour modifications; and, teaching relapse prevention strategies.
6. Supports the intake process and assesses client needs by performing initial assessment of referrals from other health care providers/agencies, family members, physicians and other sources. Determines priority of care, client eligibility, availability of resources, service priorities, and appropriate treatment based on client needs, urgency of request and best practices. Gathers client information/history including seeking additional background information in person, via phone interviews or other methods to assess client mental health status and risk to themselves or others. Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to determine best approach to care, and assesses the need for emergent crisis intervention.
7. Provides client care linkages between the Urgent Care Response Centre, acute care facilities and Mental Health Centres, to facilitate assessment and care planning for client discharge from hospital or referral to Mental Health Centres and Substance Use Services; exchanges relevant client information and receives information about the status and background of clients who will be discharged or referred, in order to make necessary preparations for provision of a smooth continuum of care between the UCRC, acute care, substance use and community mental health services.
8. Facilitates client utilization of appropriate community services and rehabilitative programs by liaising with service and program providers to provide advice and consultation, researches available services, and/or refers to other community treatment alternatives, resources and services as required including linking clients who do not have a primary care provider.
9. Coordinates services with police, hospitals, crisis lines and suicide prevention programs to make necessary arrangements for clients to be admitted to hospital when required, including on an involuntary basis, such as by making necessary phone calls to appropriate parties and providing clients transportation to the hospital and involving RCMP as required.
10. Maintains client records by recording information such as client assessments, written care plan for client use, charting client information via PARIS and/or other clinical information systems, preparing progress notes and reports in accordance with established standards, policies and procedures to meet regulatory requirements, documenting for future reference and ensuring that access to and disclosure of information and records are in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act.
11. Provides advocacy for clients by providing information about appeal processes, access to information, and availability of client representatives, and ensuring that basic human needs, such as food and shelter, are met through various Ministry programs.
12. Provides information and guidance to other caregivers, health providers and the public regarding the Mental Health & Substance Use Services, intake policies, procedures and processes, availability of both Community Health Services and Mental Health & Substance Use Services.
13. Promotes quality improvement and risk management through recommendations on policies, processes and procedures that streamline and provide for more efficient and effective client/family centred practices; develops and evaluates clinical protocols, identifies service needs and provides input and recommendations to the Clinical Coordinator and Manager.
14. Participates actively and collaboratively in team planning and meetings, committees, local committees and advisory boards and/or corporate initiatives as required as a representative of the team through discussions, presenting relevant material, acting as an advocate for the goals and objectives of the program, and promoting optimal support for clients, families and caregivers.
15. Maintains relevant data and statistics on information such as intakes, requests, referrals in/out, priority, sources and nature of requests, and provides input to Coordinator and Manager.
16. Carries out responsibilities in accordance with health and safety requirements. Immediately reports unsafe situations by notifying supervisor or other appropriate personnel.
17. Establishes, maintains and enhances linkages with other facilities and community resources, community physicians, consulting psychiatrists, colleagues, community mental health services, acute hospitals, community services agencies, and other healthcare professionals to improve access, integration and coordination of mental health services.
18. Maintains current and relevant Social Work practice through methods such as reviewing literature and research, consulting with clinical and community experts within the field, evaluating clinical practice and participating in professional development activities, ongoing clinical education, in-services, and/or case conferences in order to improve care through new practices.
19. Participates in clinical research and program evaluation activities relevant to the needs of clients, families, hospitals, and the community, as requested by the Manager/Coordinator.
20. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Education, Training & Experience

Masters of Social Work (MSW) from an accredited school of Social Work plus two (2) years' recent, related experience working with clients and families with, or affected by, mental illness and substance use disorders, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Current full registration with the BC College of Social Workers.

Valid Class V British Columbia driver’s license and access to a personal vehicle for business related purposes.

Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of mental health psychiatric assessment skills, crisis intervention techniques, de-escalation techniques, brief/short-term therapy skills and interventions, psychopharmacology used in psychiatric treatment, abnormal psychology, general counseling theory/principles, DSM V multi-axial diagnosis, community response procedures, and community resource utilization.
• Demonstrated ability to deal with others effectively, including establishing and maintaining rapport with psychotic, crisis-prone, non-compliant people, and working collaboratively and co-operatively with other care providers to facilitate and enhance interdisciplinary, inter-departmental, and interagency communication and problem solving.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, problems solve, organize and prioritize workload, including setting clear clinical priorities in relation to identified risk factors in a continuously changing environment.
• Working knowledge of violence de-escalation and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to work independently and in a self-directed manner.
• Ability to facilitate group therapy and educational sessions.
• Demonstrated ability to operate related equipment. Basic computer literacy to operate a computerized client/family information system, word processing and e-mail.
• Working knowledge of the Mental Health Act, and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA).
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.