(SAPACCY) The Substance Abuse Program for African Canadian and Caribbean Youth provides culturally responsive services and care to youth (between ages 14 and 29) from the Black community. SAPACCY’s model is rooted in holistic, healing-centered, Afrocentric, and culturally responsive care. Offering a range of prevention, early intervention, harm reduction, and recovery-oriented services, to assist youth and their families/caregivers in reducing harm, moving toward recovery, and making healthy choices for themselves and their family.
This position will work largely with Black youth/clients and their families, as appropriate, who are dealing with mental illness and/or co-morbid addiction and, as necessary, provide consultation and referrals to other providers serving this population. The successful incumbent will deliver care within the SAPACCY model that recognizes the lived experience of Black youth who have faced anti-black racism and oppression as it relates to the many aspects of their lives.
This is a permanent role with HOOPP, generous vacation plan, and company paid extended health and dental plan.
The Rexdale Community Health Centre (RCHC) is a multi-service Centre providing primary health care, health promotion and community support services, including settlement and community development activities for families, children, youth, adults and seniors of diverse backgrounds.
Rexdale Community Health Centre is expanding the services available to African Canadian & Caribbean Youth through its partnership with the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health- CAMH and its Substance Abuse Program for African Canadian & Caribbean Youth (SAPACCY).
Responsibilities:
- Devise and deliver goal-focused, trauma-informed assessments and treatment in partnership with youth, and at times, their families, and other supports working toward improving functioning in the community and overall wellbeing
- Engage with clients in order to develop a trusting, supportive and sustained long-term relationship
- Utilize a strengths-based approach, provide support, encouragement, information and feedback that enable youth and family members to realize their goals
- Develop and deliver programs and organize groups for identified priority populations
- Ensure appropriate treatment is delivered by maintaining client records, assessment notes, and correspondence within the safeguard of confidentiality
- Use an anti-oppressive and Afrocentric practice
- In collaboration with the SAPACCY Case Manager, develop working relationships and rapport with community service providers in providing culturally adaptive language & services which take into account the experiences of the African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) community around racial trauma, racial gas lighting
- Assist clients (and families) in identifying and advocating for their civil and legal rights
- Link clients and family members to supports and services that will promote their well-being, enhance their ability to meet their mental health needs and aid in the exhibition of adaptive behaviours that address problematic substance
- Provide case management support for youth, including working collaboratively with formal and informal support systems
- Identify and coordinate community services to support youth and families’ mental health needs within their daily environment, including school, home, employment, legal, and other community domains.
- Utilizes strong case management and advocacy skills, with extensive knowledge of resources within the community
- Prioritizes demands effectively to balance the complex needs of youth
- Conducts risk assessments in the community
- Provide culturally responsive counselling and information to reduce the incidence, duration and intensity of crisis
- Provide one-on-one counselling, including psychosocial assessments by gaining an understanding of health risks based on the Social Determinants of Health framework (e.g. socio-economic position, housing, educational, financial and legal needs)
- Coordinate, implement and evaluate treatment plans as well as implement group support programs.
- Collect data relevant to program evaluation and quality improvement
- Inform clients (and their family/network) about services available and assist them in choosing potential service providers/partners that are most likely to have culturally adaptive services
- Support and assist community members to outline options; provide education and counselling necessary for them to make informed choices.
- Initiate joint programming and communication with other team members and with other centre-wide programs to ensure comprehensive treatment for clients of the Centre.
- Carry out evaluation of group and program work and provide reports as required.
Qualifications and Assets:
- Masters Degree in Social Work or Counselling/Therapy discipline from a recognized university or equivalent with work experience
- Membership in good standing in the provincial regulating body of either the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers or the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario is required
- Minimum Three counselling/therapy experiences, preferably in a community-based health setting with youth and their families
- Proven skills in psychosocial assessment, counselling/therapy, crisis intervention, case management and referrals
- Demonstrated skills and experience in working with youth of African descent
- Demonstrated commitment to and lived experience of anti-Black racism and Afrocentric values and principles;
- Knowledge of community resources for African Canadian and Caribbean youth and their families in substance abuse treatment is essential.
- A deep, fundamental, and comprehensive knowledge of the unique challenges faced by African Canadian and Caribbean youth and their families across the social determinants of health.
- Ability to work with Black youth to develop and enhance their identity, culture and sense of belongingness to their community.
- A commitment to an interdisciplinary team approach to the coordination of health and social services
- Proficiency in current assessment, counselling/therapy and psychosocial counselling techniques for working with individuals, groups and communities
- Demonstrated skills and experience in the assessment and treatment of substance abuse and/or mental health treatment, inclusive of individual and group counselling.
- Strong communication skills (verbal and written) combined with computer literacy are required. Ability to negotiate, communicate and maintain a supportive, trusting relationship with those being served.
- Experience in program development, implementation, and evaluation.
- Knowledge of community-based health services
- Strong and demonstrated ability to form relationships with individuals while maintaining healthy boundaries
- Caseload management skills, including developing action plans for clients, monitoring client progress and maintaining records
- Working knowledge of the Ontario Mental Health Act
- Knowledge of the Personal Health Information Privacy Act, Consent of Information / Records of Information and Medical Records Management
- Knowledge of the Rexdale community considered an asset
- Bilingual in French and English is considered a strong asset
- Must be able to provide a vulnerable sector security clearance
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: $64,046.00-$77,161.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Dental care
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- Vision care
Schedule:
Application question(s):
- If you do not have your Master's degree, are you working towards it? If so, what is the completion date?
Education:
- Master's Degree (required)
Experience:
- Therapist / Counseling in a Community based setting: 3 years (preferred)
- working with youth of African descent: 3 years (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- and in good standing with CRPO or OCSWSSW (required)
Work Location: In person
