Integrated Child & Youth (school-based) Clinical Counsellor (ICY-CC)

Job Code: 3908121

JOB TITLE: Date: November 21, 2024

Start Date: Immediately

Integrated Child & Youth (school-based) Clinical Counsellor (ICY-CC)

JOB SUMMARY:

Under A Pathway to Hope, the Province is implementing Integrated Child and Youth (ICY) teams in school district communities. This began in the fall of 2021, in five school district communities which are now operational. As announced in February 2023, ICY teams will now be implemented in seven additional school district communities. The Province has committed to implementing ICY teams in 20 communities across B.C. by 2024/25.

These multidisciplinary teams deliver wraparound mental health and substance use services and supports for children and youth (birth to 19) and their families. The service delivery will be flexible and outbound, reflecting the preferences of children, youth, and families. Each ICY team will support a cluster of Public, Independent and First Nations-operated schools and will include all children and youth within the geographic region.

ICY teams will be created through existing positions in the region and new positions where they do not currently exist. Core team positions include Integrated Care Coordinators (ICC), Integrated Child and Youth (school-based) Clinical Counsellors (ICY-CC), Child and Youth Mental Health (CYMH) Clinicians, Youth Substance Use workers, Indigenous Support workers, Administrative Assistants, and Youth and Family Peer Support workers.

ICY Team Core Function:

Teams use a collaborative planning process and a common care plan for each child or youth, developed with a family/caregiver-centered approach, with consideration of the child/youths voice.

Teams work closely with schools and primary care to help with early identification of children and youth who may need support and assist them to access services.

Team practice will be informed by key principles including cultural safety and humility, trauma-informed care and family-centered care.

Team members bring expertise and related experience and will provide a range of services including assessment and screening, consultation, and therapeutic services.

Teams adjust service intensity to meet the specific needs of children and youth.

Teams connect children, youth and families to higher intensity and more specialized services and supports or help transition young adults to adult services and supports when needed.

Team hours of operation will be flexible and responsive to meet the needs of community.

Reporting and accountable to the Director of Instruction Inclusive Education, the primary responsibilities of this position are to work as part of the multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional integrated child and youth team to provide therapeutic counselling services and school liaison support for children, youth and families experiencing mild/moderate mental health needs, and to manage and oversee the Youth Peer Support Worker position.

This role includes outreach work with the community to support a cluster of Public, Independent and First Nations operated schools within the geographic region.

This role is required to be available to perform time-sensitive work outside of regular (9-5) working hours as required, e.g., emergency counselling to children and youth and their families.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Support the ICY team and schools served to mitigate and address factors which may precipitate mental health and substance use challenges for children and youth.

Provide child/youth and family therapeutic counselling through a lens of intervention and/or prevention support. Monitor the progress of child/youth on their case load.

Perform the functions of a manager of employees in the Youth Peer Support Worker positions as a part of the ICY teams including:

o Provide orientation, coaching, training and mentoring to direct reports

o Manage employee conduct related matters including conduct employee relations related investigations with the human resources department, issues discipline and discharge of the employee when necessary

o Manage employee attendance including informal and formal discussions with employees when absenteeism is continuously impacting service delivery; provides consideration to all applicable leave of absence requests within the scope of the CUPE Collective Agreement

o Manage employees including routine informal performance feedback, the development of employee work plans, and conduct staff performance review and related development plans reviews.

o Manage assigned budget including staffing budgets allocated to the portfolio

Liaise between school staff and the ICY team, to represent and advocate for the needs of all children and youth (birth to 18) within the geographic area with a focus on prevention/early intervention wherever possible.

Provide support for the Youth Peer Support Worker to participate as a core ICY team member.

Attend and actively participate in integrated child and youth team meetings.

Provide oversight and supervision of the Youth Peer Support Worker to provide peer-based mentoring and emotional support to youth ages 12-19 with the following:

o to support systems navigation and resource distribution to youth;

o in facilitating or co-facilitating groups for children, youth and families as needed;

o to encourage membership in the school community.

As needed and as appropriate, attend school-base team meetings, partner and community agency meetings.

Facilitate multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional team decision making through a consensus building process.

Deliver workshops and ongoing training to families, district staff and community agencies as determined by the ICY team.

Lead counselling groups for children, youth and families as needed.

Cultivate a collegial atmosphere with case supervision and case consultation.

Work in collaboration with school and school district counsellors.

Consult with and coordinate support services from outside agencies when needed (e.g., community services, RCMP).

QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION:

Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology, Educational Psychology, Psychology or a related field and must include a 300-hour supervised practicum or equivalent. Preference may be given to a candidate with school-based practicum experience.

Must be a Registered Clinical Counsellor and meet educational and training criteria to be a member of the BC Association of Clinical counsellors (BCACC) or a Registered Clinical Social Worker with the BC College of Social Workers (BCCSW).

EXPERIENCE:

Preferred minimum of 3-5 years of experience working with families, children, and youth in a clinical counselling setting.

Experience in clinical and/or educational interventions with children, adolescents, and families (including crisis intervention).

Experience leading and managing employees including hiring, coaching and mentoring, performance and attendance management, and applying corrective discipline preferably in a unionized environment.

Recent training and successful experience in mental health initiatives and suicide prevention.

Demonstrated knowledge and experience liaising between community partners.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES:

In-depth knowledge of the psychosocial development of children and youth.

Ability to abide by ethical principles and act with integrity, accountability, and judgment in the best interests of the child/youth, families, and available services.

Ability to maintain professional currency and have strong knowledge and experience in counselling including substance use/addictions, harm reduction philosophy, principles and practices, mental health/mental illness, and concurrent and co-occurring disorders.

Knowledge of population-specific mental health and substance use care, including: Ethno-culturally diverse and racialized communities, gender questioning/gender fluid youth, child/youth with disabilities or diverse abilities with behavioural diagnoses, neurodevelopmental disorders, or intellectual disabilities with co-occurring mental health needs.

Demonstrated cultural agility to work respectfully, knowledgeably, and effectively with Indigenous peoples with an understanding of Indigenous worldviews and approaches to healing.

Knowledge of social determinants of health, health inequalities and intersectional analyses.

Demonstrated ability provide collaborative leadership with child/youth, teachers, families, administrators, and community agencies within a multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional team environment.

Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate effectively with diverse populations.

Ability to maintain confidentiality and use discretion when sharing sensitive information to individuals on a need-to-know basis.

Highly effective organizational skills and proven ability to prioritize work while simultaneously meeting the needs of a diverse caseload.

Travel Required: Must have a valid drivers license and access to a reliable personal vehicle for work-related travel to various communities. The ability to travel in reasonable winter conditions is essential due to the geographic spread of service areas. Mileage reimbursement is provided.

Nicola-Similkameen School District is working to ensure an inclusive, diverse and representative workforce. Successful candidates will recognize that consistent with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the BC Human Rights Code and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, employment practices and procedures at all levels must reflect and demonstrate an understanding of, and response to, a diverse population.

Nicola-Similkameen School District has received approval from the Human Rights Tribunal allowing preferential hiring to persons of Indigenous ancestry. The District may give preference in hiring persons of Indigenous ancestry who possess the necessary qualifications to increase the number of Indigenous staff to be more representative of the learners we serve.

The starting annual salary for this full-time position ranges from $98,250 to $122,343.33.

Interested applicants should go to our district website at www.sd58.bc.ca, which provides guidance on how to apply for jobs in our district. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.  .

For further information regarding this position should contact the Director of Instruction for Inclusive Education, Ms. Misty Sheldon at 250-378-5161 or email: msheldon@365.sd58.bc.ca