Summary

Reporting to the Clinical Operations Manager and receiving practice leadership and support from the Professional Practice Leader (PPL), Social Work, the Social Worker 4 provides leadership to staff in Social Work professional standards and practice and participates in the planning and coordination of Social Work/Psycho-social and designated Peer services at the Clinic by providing clinical guidance and expertise, mentoring and coaching, and facilitating workplace solutions. Identifies, recommends, developing, establishes, communicates and evaluates professional practice standards in collaboration with the PPL, Social Work and the Research, Education and Practice Coordinator (REPC). This position may supervise of up to 8 FTE paramedical and non-paramedical staff. Provides leadership in coordinating the management of patient/client flow and management of staff caseloads. Performs direct patient assessment and treatment to the population we serve including substance use, mental health, chronic disease, and psychosocial assessments. Establishes and maintains effective collaborative and constructive liaison relationships with a variety of individuals and community partners to coordinate services across the continuum of health care. Identifies, coordinates and promotes research and quality improvement initiatives.

Qualifications / Skills and Education

Education, Training and Experience
Master’s degree in Social Work from an accredited university. Four (4) years’ recent, related health care experience providing services to individuals with complex concurrent mental health and substance use issues including one (1) year in a supervisory capacity or an equivalent combination of social work education, training and experience. Current full registration with the BC College of Social Workers.

Skills and Abilities
•Broad knowledge of complex concurrent mental health and substance use issues including current trends, best practices and modalities of treatment.
•Broad knowledge of mental health and substance use service delivery system, service mandates, referral guidelines, legislation and government policies.
•Broad knowledge of Trauma-Informed Practice and its application to the defined population.
•Demonstrated ability to conduct mental health and social work bio-psycho social assessments, and to provide treatment planning and case coordination.
•Comprehensive knowledge of Social Work theory, and practice within a patient/client centred model.
•Comprehensive knowledge of the developmental stages in the individual and family life cycle and of psychosocial issues that may occur in response to changing health and dependency needs.
•Comprehensive knowledge of evidence-based practice related to clinical areas.
•Comprehensive knowledge of organization policies, procedures, and standards of care.
•Comprehensive knowledge of other health care disciplines and their role in client care.
•Comprehensive knowledge of research process and methodology.
•Demonstrated ability to provide leadership, supervision, work direction and training.
•Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
•Demonstrated ability to communicate (bother verbally and in writing) with and to deal effectively with co-workers, physicians, other health care professionals, patients/clients and external agencies.
•Demonstrated ability to function as an effective team member, leader, mentor, coach and facilitator.
•Demonstrated ability to plan, organize and prioritize work.
•Demonstrated ability to adjust to new or unexpected events.
•Demonstrated ability to deal with and/or guide others in resolution of conflict issues.
•Demonstrated ability to problem-solve.
•Demonstrated ability to develop project plans and implement new projects.
•Demonstrated skill and ability to operated related equipment and techniques appropriate to clinical areas.
•Demonstrated physical ability to perform the duties of the position.
•Demonstrated ability to develop education programs and materials.
•Basic computer literacy to operate a computerized patient care information system.

Duties and Responsibilities

1.Provides leadership in Social Work professional standards and practice and participates in the planning and coordination of Social Work/Psycho-social and Peer services at the designated site by methods such as providing clinical guidance and expertise, mentoring and coaching, and facilitating workplace solutions. Works collaboratively with the PPL, Social Work and the REPC, Social Work in developing, establishing, communicating and evaluating professional practice standards. Develops and oversees a review system to ensure compliance with standards, developing, communicating and evaluating goals and objectives for the discipline to ensure practice is consistent with program and services goals and objectives; and providing advice on professional practice standards, codes of ethics and issues such as registration.

2.Collaborates with the Clinical Operations Manager and/or Associate Medical Director on various staffing issues as they relate to the clinical practices as required by methods such as providing input into employee performance evaluations to promote quality work performance, acting as a resource to clarify the role of the discipline in delivering patient and client care service, providing clinical performance support and creates practice plans to meet professional standards, participating in the development of Social Work/Peer Support Specialist job descriptions, assisting in determining orientation and training requirements, discussing progress, referring items requiring disciplinary action to the Clinical Operations Manager and/or Associate Medical Director including involving the PPL, Social Work on disciplinary issues related to Social Work professional practice. Assists with staff selection by participating on interview panels and providing recommendations regarding evaluation of candidates to facilitate optimal hiring decisions.

3.Provides leadership, direction and guidance in Social Work education, practices, and special initiatives by methods such as developing an education plan to provide continuing education for Social Work staff in collaboration with PPL, Social Work and REPC, Social Work – discipline specific and interdisciplinary; identifying, promoting and supporting professional development initiatives by practice members in collaboration with the Clinical Operations Manager and/or Associate Medical Director and/or Professional Practice Leader; providing relevant education and training to multidisciplinary staff and developing orientation material for new social work staff and assisting by providing orientation to new social work and Peer Support Specialist staff throughout the Centre.

4.Conducts comprehensive concurrent disorder, mental health and/or substance use, and psycho-social assessments by methods such as interviewing the client and/or family, obtaining relevant information, gathering social data regarding the client’s family, environment, living situation, and financial status, and interpreting the data to therapeutically impact the patient/client’s coping abilities. Formulates assessment and plan of interventions and intervenes in cases of complex social-emotional issues.

5.Provides clinical intervention in the context of evidence-based care to patients/clients through individual and group therapy. Provides individual and group counselling services by methods such as exploring emotional responses to illness/injury in order to identify problems, personal concerns and treatment objectives and to facilitate change in coping style, behaviour, attitude, feelings and adaptive responses to an adverse life event. Refers to community services for follow-up as necessary.

6.Establishes and maintains effective collaborative and constructive liaison relationships with a variety of individuals and groups, including patients/clients and others, such as community providers and other agencies in order to coordinate services across the continuum of health care.

7.Participates in quality improvement and risk management activities and provides leadership and direction on research and development initiatives for Social Work Services by evaluating, developing, and/or implementing new program or research projects in cooperation with an inter-professional team; identifying corporate projects and initiatives specific to the disciplines; identifying best practices and researches/promotes evidence base practice' and developments; implements and evaluates policy in collaboration with the Clinical Operations Manager and/or Associate Medical Director and with PPL, Social Work as it relates to Social Work practice.

8.Maintains and updates knowledge and understanding of Social Work practice, community mental health, Social Work standards of practices, and the applicable sections of the Freedom of Information and Protection and Privacy Act. Sets Measurable goals and objectives within a team or individual environment by methods such as reviewing literature in specialty areas, consulting with clinical and community experts with the field, evaluating clinical practice, participating in professional development activities and developing a plan in collaboration with the Clinical Operations Manager and the PPL, Social Work for professional development and reviews progress to ensure that goals are achieved within established time frames.

9.Provides leadership in coordinating the management of patient/client flow and providing Social Work assessment and treatments, as required, according to established standards by performing duties such as assessing needs, planning, implementing, evaluating and documenting Social Work services to an individual patient/client or group of patients/clients, and exchanging information with physicians, nursing staff, other allied health professional and external agencies as required to ensure optimum client care. Counsels patient/client on matters such as identified problems, concerns and treatment objectives.

10.Provides leadership for management of client caseloads in collaboration with management and the interdisciplinary team as required at the designated site by assigning individual patients/clients to social workers' caseloads, organizing group schedules, and assigning groups for facilitation to social workers and other allied health professionals.

11.Performs other related duties as assigned.

Vaccination Flag

As per the current Public Health Orders (Long Term Care/Seniors Assisted Living Provincial Health Order and the Health Sector Order), as of October 26, 2021, all employees working for Providence Health Care must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Proof of vaccination status will be required.