Mobile Clinical Therapist

About this position

Job Title:         Mobile Clinical Therapist
Salary Range: $68,012.78
Competition: 2024-26
Position:         Full-Time Position Tuesday to Saturday (35hrs/wk./FTE 1.0)
Start Date:      December 2024
Location:        Head Office- 2010 Eglinton Avenue West / West Toronto Youth Hub / Various Community Health Centres & Primary Health Care Environments

Yorktown Family Services is a community-based non-profit social services agency dedicated to providing effective, accessible, quality mental health treatment, prevention, and outreach services to children, youth women, and families in the former City of York. We are uniquely organized to deliver services through two independent but integrated organizations: Infant, Child, and Youth Mental Health & West Toronto Youth Hub — a children’s mental health center, and Violence Against Women Services — a shelter for women and their children who are fleeing an abusive relationship.

Primary Function:
Yorktown Family Services is seeking an outstanding clinical Youth Outreach Worker to join a program dedicated to empowering young people and preventing youth violence.

The YOW program is a province-wide Youth Opportunities Strategy initiative. Yorktown Family Services is the Lead agency for the YOW program in the West end of Toronto and is responsible for the delivery of the program in the neighborhoods of Jamestown-Mt Olive-Silverstone and Weston-Mt. Dennis, and to specific youth populations including Roma, Somali, Spanish, Philippino, and Latin communities.

Enhanced YOWs will promote youth and family engagement in their communities and will facilitate better access for youth to services and pro-social opportunities as other YOWs do. However, enhanced clinical YOWs will target and support high-risk, high-needs youth requiring intensive intervention and support. Short-term counseling will serve as a ‘bridge’ in situations where a youth is in crisis and services are not immediately available or a youth requires support in accessing further community services. This position will also work closely with Yorktown’s Black Lives Accessing Care (BLAC) program, an interdisciplinary team that provides rapid access to services for black-identified youth.

Responsibilities:

• To provide interim, short-term mobile counseling and support services to help youth    participants aged 12 – 21 (up to age 25 at the discretion of the YOW) in West end Toronto including Weston Mount Dennis and Jamestown/Mt Olive and Silverstone communities
• Provide Single Session Walk-in therapy at Yorktown sites, as well as Youth Without Shelter, West Toronto Youth HUB, and other community partners
• Complete initial comprehensive assessments, which consider multiple system layers and interacting mental health needs
• Ability to conduct risk assessments and safety plans
• Ability to work flexible work hours, including evenings, is essential
• Must be willing to travel across Toronto where needed/necessary
• Support the walk-in (St. James Town location & YWHO)
• To work closely with the YOW team to bridge supports in situations where a youth is in crisis and services are not immediately available or a youth requires support in accessing further community services
• Enhanced YOW will offer consultation to a YOW and provide advice on optimal referrals and support for high-risk, high-needs youth participants
• To contribute to a broader strategy of enhanced neighborhood service capacity to engage and serve youth and youth-at-risk
• To provide outreach services in ‘non-traditional’ and culturally appropriate, community-based ways that are responsive to the needs of youth and their families. At times, need to think “outside the box” of mainstream service options
• To liaise with and carry out brokerage/ advocacy/ resourcing functions, and provide general information and referral services to designated youth
• To work collaboratively with youth, parents, service providers, law enforcement, and community organizations/services to ensure that youth have access to programs, services, and opportunities needed for healthy development. This often involves outreach, case conferences, and other activities
• To identify emerging community issues, service gaps, and opportunities for action to build on community capacity to better support youth to bridge to adult services
• To provide mobile counseling support to youth using a strength-based, anti-racism, anti-oppression, youth engagement philosophy of service provision
• Membership and participation on internal agency committees as needed/appropriate

Qualifications:

• M.S.W., or equivalent Master with several years of clinical experience grounded in a strengths-based, systemic perspective with youth aged 12 – 24 and their families
• Registration or eligibility for registration with a relevant college is required
• Minimum two years of relevant children and youth mental health experience with a preference for knowledge of and experience using evidence-based clinical models such as CBT and TF-CBT, goal-focused and brief therapy models of service provision
• Strong knowledge of and experience working with youth who are experiencing challenges relating to mental health, addictions, trauma, relationship violence, human/sex trafficking, and/or may be engaged in criminal activity, youth who have multiple risk factors, limited protective factors and have been engaged in specific incidents (e.g. fight at school, sibling in conflict with the law) that further increase their risks
• Knowledge of and sensitivity to the life experiences and needs of youth in the identified communities combined with community development experience is an asset
• Knowledge of and demonstrated skill in youth engagement principles and resiliency models
• Strong knowledge and experience working in the West end of Toronto including within NIAs (Neighbourhood Improvement Areas), as well as other identified communities and/or populations
• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively and negotiate effectively within a multi-disciplinary team of service providers as well as the ability to work independently
• Enthusiasm and skill working to support change with a multi-challenged, diverse client population
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Superb interpersonal and organizational skills
• Demonstrated skills and experience working in collaboration and partnership with other service providers in the community
• Ability to work flexible hours including evenings is essential
• Access to a reliable vehicle is a definite asset
• Fluency in a second language is an asset
• Vulnerable Sector Screening is required

Reports to:  The Manager of Outreach and Community Engagement and The Manager
                      of Brief Service

Yorktown Family Services is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity.
Please submit your resume and cover letter by November 28, 2024.  Please quote “Competition 2024-26 and the Job title in the subject line.

Yorktown values the diversity of people and communities and is committed to equity and inclusion.  As an equal-opportunity employer, we encourage applications from qualified candidates who reflect the diversity of our communities.

Yorktown Family Services welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those considered for an interview will be contacted.