24 Oct
The Calgary John Howard Society
Calgary
The Agency:
The Calgary John Howard Society (CJHS) is a charity that reduces crime and makes Calgary communities safer by helping youth and adults make positive changes and move away from criminal behavior. We do this by addressing the root causes of crime through housing, education, employment programs and support so that individuals have alternatives to breaking the law. CJHS is committed to restorative justice and an organizational environment that recognizes the dignity and worth of each person. CJHS values diversity and inclusion and welcomes qualified applicants from all walks of life.
The Program:
The Roofs for Youth program is a Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF)
funded program that operates within the Calgary Homeless Serving System of Care (CHSSC) to provide support for homeless youth or youth at risk of homelessness aged 15 to 24 years old; helping them successfully develop their living skills, transition to adulthood, and meet their self-defined goals for independence. Youth are either justice system involved or at risk of justice system involvement, lack stable housing, and have identified the need for intensive case-management support.
Roofs for Youth casework operates within the CJHS Natural Supports, Harm Reduction, Trauma-Informed, Diversity, and Restorative practice frameworks. Youth receive a continuum of services from institutional discharge planning, housing placement, support with justice system navigation, access to employment and employability skill development, educational opportunities, connections to natural supports, basic needs support, life skills development, and intensive community-based case management.
Roofs for Youth strives to be extremely collaborative both internally and externally in our relationships with the other agencies within the CHSSC and our youth's professional and natural supports. We value creativity, advocacy, and promoting a positive, supportive agency culture.
Roofs for Youth Residential is comprised of two place-based congregate living homes, Raido House (15 - 18 yrs.) and Windsor Park (18 - 24 yrs.), where clients may be placed if they need more on-site support.
The Position:
Reporting to the Roofs for Youth Residential Manager, the Mental Health and Addiction Specialist will work as part of the Roofs for Youth Team to collaborate with program staff, natural supports, and external partners to deliver mental health services and supports to youth with mental health and substance use concerns.
This position will also support youth in other CJHS programs and be an active member of the Case Management Teams involved in intake, assessment, consultation, psycho-educational/treatment planning, outreach services, resource navigation, and transitional services. The role and responsibilities include:
- Assist youth across CJHS programs with identifying goals related to their holistic mental health and safer substance use and then developing a plan in collaboration with caseworkers to achieve these goals.
- Provide one-on-one support to youth in developing skills related to mental health stability, crisis management, distress tolerance, safer substance use, and positive coping.
- Provision of clinical assessments, including mental functioning,
substance use, medication, suicide and self-harm screening, etc.
- Provide written reports and treatment recommendations, strategies, and training to the case management teams.
- Use clinical reasoning for advocacy amongst the youth's professional support teams.
- Provide hands-on modelling and coaching to natural and professional supports, guided by the youth's individual treatment plans.
- Participate in case conferences, playing an active role in coordinating wrap-around supports for youth.
- Promote and maintain effective linkages with addiction, mental health systems, and community agencies, connecting youth with appropriate community treatment.
- Organize training and workshops for the staff and youth regarding addiction and mental health issues.
- Consult with case management teams, to build capacities to provide support for system navigation related to mental health and addictions concerns.
The successful candidate will hold a degree in Social Work, Addiction and Mental Health Counselling, Psychology, Nursing, Occupational Therapy or equivalent in a related field from an accredited University; preference will be given to candidates holding a master's degree. The successful applicant will have a demonstrated ability to build strong therapeutic alliances with youth and young adults, a history of providing addictions and mental health interventions in a client-centered manner, and an ability to be adaptable and flexible in fluid contexts and situations.
Where applicable the successful candidate will be registered with an accrediting body.
The scope of employment may include:
- Sitting at a desk for multiple consecutive hours.
- Being subject to potentially difficult client situations that involve the impact of trauma and/or death of clients, utilizing crisis intervention strategies to de-escalate potentially high-risk situations.
- Working across CJHS youth programs.
The successful candidate will be required to provide:
- a Police Information Check (PIC); and
- a Child Intervention Record Check.
This is a 40-hour-a-week, full-time, term-certain position, with full benefits until December 31st, 2025, with the possibility of extension.
Our flex-time policy allows employees to adjust their work schedules to fit both program and personal requirements.
Please apply with a cover letter using the link below, detailing how supporting youth in our program aligns with your professional goals and values.
https://calgaryjohnhoward.bamboohr.com/careers/86
Applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate is found.
▶️ Mental Health and Addiction Specialist, Roofs for Youth
🖊️ The Calgary John Howard Society
📍 Calgary