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About the Role

The Child & Youth Counsellor is responsible for providing a therapeutic and safe environment for the children and youth in Youthdale’s programs on a day-to-day basis. As a member of an inter-professional team, the role involves carrying a primary care caseload and ensuring a safe environment in accordance with individual client treatment plans, evidence-based practices, and relevant ministry guidelines.

Responsibilities

• Provide a therapeutic and safe environment for children and youth.
• Carry a primary care caseload.
• Assess and understand acute client mental health needs through a developmental and trauma-informed lens.
• Formulate methods of intervention in collaboration with the team.
• Implement evidence-informed treatment interventions tailored to the unique needs of high-acuity patients.
• Provide highly individualized and intensive therapy for youth with severe mental health challenges.
• Recognize stages of behavioral escalation and respond appropriately to deescalate behavior.
• Develop strategies to reduce concerning behaviors and support academic/vocational activities.
• Assess the need for crisis/physical intervention in collaboration with the team.
• Support clients and the team during crisis situations.
• Maintain clear and thorough documentation related to incidents.
• Facilitate debriefing with clients and staff following crisis/physical intervention.
• Understand and adhere to strict CYFSA regulations regarding the use of physical restraints.
• Conduct thorough and ongoing suicide risk assessments for high-acuity patients.
• Develop and implement safety plans.
• Assist with normal activities of daily living.
• Recognize physical signs and symptoms of health conditions and report concerns.
• Provide an assessment of a client in accordance with the Plan of Care goals.
• Provide behavior support.
• Follow shift assignments as per the Team Lead or Shift Lead.
• Write client progress reports.
• Ensure client records are maintained according to agency standards and privacy policies.
• Communicate verbally and in written logs significant and pertinent information regarding each client at shift change.
• Develop, implement, evaluate, and fully participate in life skills and recreational programming.
• Prescribe and monitor regular scheduled psychotropic medications.
• Administer regular scheduled medications and treatments as prescribed by a physician or Nurse Practitioner.
• Follow Youthdale's Medication Procedure.
• Establish a therapeutic relationship with assigned clients from admission to discharge.
• Provide direct client care and supervision, including welcome and orientation, individual care, development and support of client engagement, booking healthcare appointments, supporting client needs expression, reassessing and adapting treatment plans, reporting progress, and supporting transition and discharge.
• Maintain clinical records and documents in accordance with Youthdale and program policies and processes.
• Actively participate in communication processes within the program, across the facility, and with community partners.
• Liaise with family, guardians, educational, and community partners to share/obtain information.
• Work closely with families to educate and support them in managing the needs of their child.
• Attend meetings within Youthdale and the community to provide information, education, and progress updates.
• Provide in-school support as needed.
• Identify compliance-related issues to ensure the program meets licensing requirements.
• Effectively utilize internal communication systems to convey client and program-related information.
• Attend and participate in meetings, including Treatment and Plan of Care meetings, in-service and other educational programs, shift changes, unit meetings, all staff forums, and program meetings.
• Perform related duties such as float money management, housekeeping duties, ensuring safety requirements are met, assisting in the instruction and supervision of students, and some meal preparation and serving.
• Pursue ongoing professional development to stay current with the latest research and best practices.
• Work any assigned shift during a twenty-four (24) hour period.
• Represent the Agency in a professional manner when interacting with families, external professionals, the general public, and community partners.
• Participate in and support Youthdale/Ministry research and education initiatives.
• Provide coverage on other Inpatient Units on an as-needed basis.

Requirements

• College diploma or university degree in child and youth work or relevant field is required.
• Minimum three years’ experience in a high-risk live-in or inpatient setting with population presenting criminogenic, cognitive impairment and/or mental health challenges.
• Previous experience working with children or young people in a youth justice/mental health treatment setting is preferred.
• Experience working with diverse communities.
• Knowledge and working experience with evidence based practices and Dialectical Behavior Therapy is preferred.
• Understanding of the complex issues facing children, young people and families.
• Sensitivity to and ability to work with a diverse client and staff group.
• Knowledge of evidence-based practices for high-risk children and adolescents with criminogenic and/or mental health problems, including behavioural modification strategies, learning theories, counselling skills, risk assessment, crisis prevention and management and legislative requirements.
• Able to safely and effectively manage frequent behavioral crisis and potentially volatile situations and respond in a trauma-informed approach.
• Demonstrates experience in de-escalation skills and techniques to manage high-stress scenarios.
• Strong knowledge and adherence of security protocols as required for a high-risk crisis setting.
• Requires a working knowledge of professional, community and facility resources available to assist the child/family.
• Strong administrative and organizational skills.
• First Aid/CPR certification required upon hiring.
• Completion of SMG training required upon hiring.
• Ability to work flexible hours within a rotating schedule, including days, nights and weekends.
• Skills in Mental Health Assessment and Crisis Intervention.
• Excellent communication (written and oral), listening and interpersonal skills.
• Good understanding of the rights and responsibilities of children in residence; admission requirements; and Live-In licensing requirements.
• Ability to manage many tasks simultaneously; ability to prioritize needs and risks on a minute-by-minute basis while on shift.
• Flexible and creative negotiation skills in solving problems.
• Demonstrates experience in a range of crisis prevention and intervention approaches.
• Utilizes SMG techniques appropriately.
• Ability to remain calm during crisis and utilize de-escalation techniques.
• Demonstrates experience of the dynamics and impact of trauma, child abuse, loss and grief, substance abuse, chronic learning problems, attachment difficulties, and their treatment implications.
• Demonstrates experience about the primary psychotropic medications used in the treatment of children/youth and their actions and side effects.
• Recognizes the impact on children and youth of having parents with chronic mental illness.
• Able to develop and implement individual client treatment plan reviews, program evaluation, and educational programs and knowledge of professional, community and facility resources available to assist the child/family.
• Demonstrates experience to engage the child or youth and family/guardian/caregiver in the treatment process.
• Demonstrates experience assess risk and safety plan.
• Uses language and behavior which is respectful of children, young and their families.
• Demonstrates sensitivity to family concerns and needs, and invites their expression of information, concerns and needs.
• Ability to set appropriate, respectful boundaries with each family.
• Understands and implements a strengths-based approach in working with child and family.
• Respects and has a knowledge of diverse populations and their needs.
• Works in a cooperative, respectful and collaborative manner as a member of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Demonstrates experience in making treatment decisions in the best interest of the child and family.
• Demonstrates experience through practice of the Child and Family Services Act as it pertains to children in treatment.
• Demonstrates experience through practice of the Children’s Mental Health Ontario Accreditation Standards.
• Excellent and effective oral and written communication skills to liaise and consult with relevant team members, clinicians, and provide counsel to residents, their families and community agencies.
• Excellent listening and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to exercise professionalism and sound judgement in conflictual and stressful situations.
• Conducts all activities in a professional manner.
• Performs work in a positive manner.
• Attend and participate in meetings, including Treatment and Plan of Care meetings, in-service and other educational programs, shift changes, unit meetings, all staff forums, and program meetings.
• Perform related duties such as float money management, housekeeping duties to meet acceptable standards of cleanliness, ensuring safety requirements are met, assisting in the instruction and supervision of students, and some meal preparation and serving of client meals.
• Pursue ongoing professional development to stay current with the latest research and best practices in treating high-acuity youth.
• Work any assigned shift during a twenty-four (24) hour period.
• Represent the Agency in a professional manner when interacting with families, external professionals, the general public, and community partners.
• Participate in and support Youthdale/Ministry research and education initiatives, including completing questionnaires, evidence-informed outcome measurement tools, rating scores at set intervals, and collecting and maintaining statistics, program evaluation, and research data as requested.
• Other Duties as assigned by the Clinical Operations Manager, the Team Lead or the Shift Lead.
• Child & Youth Counsellors will be required to provide coverage on other Inpatient Units on an as-needed basis.

Skills

• Mental Health Assessment
• Crisis Intervention
• Communication (written and oral)
• Listening
• Interpersonal skills
• Problem Solving
• Crisis Prevention and Management
• Counselling Skills
• Client and Family-Centered Approach
• Competency-Based Approach
• Multi-Disciplinary Approach
• Legislative Requirements and Standards
• Professionalism
• Evidence-based practices
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy
• Behavioral modification strategies
• Learning theories
• Risk assessment
• Crisis prevention and management
• De-escalation skills
• Security protocols
• Trauma-informed approach

Location

• Inpatient Unit (227 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario)

Work Type

• Full-time Permanent
• 40 hours per week

Experience Level

• Minimum three years’ experience in a high-risk live-in or inpatient setting

Education Level

• College diploma or university degree in child and youth work or relevant field

Salary/Compensations

• $27.93 per hour (Shift Premium of $2 per hour for all shifts worked on the Secure Unit)

About the Company

• Youthdale provides comprehensive, integrated mental health services to children and their families, connecting them with the right programs and services, both at Youthdale and in their communities.
• We meet the complex needs of children and youth with a team of highly skilled and dedicated psychiatrists, psychologists, neurologists and neuropsychologists, social workers, nurses, and child and youth workers.

Equal Opportunity

• At Youthdale, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible environment.
• We are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community in which we live and serve.
• Youthdale is committed to providing accommodation in all parts of the hiring process. If you require accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs.