Mental Health and Substance Use Counsellor, Psychological Intervention Program

Providence Health Cares Mental Health Program is now hiring a temporary Mental Health and Substance Use Counsellor to join their team supporting primarily inpatient units with some outpatient work. Please note this position is until March 2027 or the return of the incumbent.

This position works as part of an interprofessional team to provide clinical services to adults with and affected by mental health and substance use concerns. Assesses clients determines referral needs provides online individual counselling group and family interventions education and liaises with community resources. Formulates and implements treatment plans and provides comprehensive case consultation and follow-up support on treatment decisions in collaboration with members of the interdisciplinary team. Participates in team and/or local committees internal and external case conferences and quality improvement activities. Collaborates with other community service providers and related disciplines to provide education and training related to mental/substance use. Provides input into the development evaluation and delivery of services.

• Provide counselling and therapeutic interventions: Deliver individual group and family counselling using evidence-based approaches such as CBT trauma-informed and culturally safe care. Support clients in addressing mental health and substance use challenges through brief interventions crisis support and psychotherapy.

• Conduct psychosocial assessments and care planning: Complete comprehensive assessments develop treatment and care plans with client input and coordinate services in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members and community partners.

• Facilitate referrals and community connections: Connect clients and families with appropriate community supports recovery programs and rehabilitative services. Advocate for access to resources and help clients navigate systemic barriers.

• Support education evaluation and collaboration: Contribute to staff physician and student education; participate in committees case conferences and program evaluation; and maintain accurate clinical documentation in line with organizational and legislative requirements.

Education

• Masters Degree in a relevant health related discipline such as Social Work Clinical Counselling or Clinical Psychology from an accredited university. Two (2) years recent related experience working with adults across the mental health and substance use continuum including experience with interventions and evidence based treatment modalities or an equivalent combination of education training and experience. Must have experience with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Eligible for registration with affiliated professional body.

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated knowledge of the broad range of issues pertaining mental health and substance use issues psychiatric diagnosis and related evidence-based best treatment practices.
• Demonstrated knowledge of community response procedures general counselling principles and intervention techniques.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Systems Theory and an ability to incorporate this into mental health assessments and interventions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of relevant Acts such as Mental Health Act Adult Guardianship Act Health Care Consent Act Freedom of Information Act Child Family and Community Service Act pertinent regulations policies and procedures and other statutory duties.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments that include mental health and substance use standardized frameworks and tools.
• Demonstrated skill in crisis intervention with families and therapeutic skills in individual group and family interventions.
• Ability to create and maintain trusting relationships with youth and families as they define themselves.
• Ability to work and communicate effectively with others in a multicultural environment independently and as part of an interprofessional team and understanding the frameworks of other disciplines.
• Proficiency in the use of personal computers to support service delivery including delivering services online and working with related word processing and database management software applications.
• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position.

• A competitive salary: The salary range for this position is $42.27- $52.81 per hour depending on experience.
• Growth opportunities: We welcome individuals at all stages of their career offering opportunities for professional development and growth.
• State-of-the-art facilities: The new St. Pauls Hospital and health campus will be the most innovative approach to the delivery of integrated care in B.C. and Canada designed to appropriately address the future health needs of patients families and our communities. From hospital care to primary and community health solutions the new St. Pauls Hospital and health campus will continue to lead innovations in care research and teaching. The new St. Pauls Hospital is expected to open in 2027.
• Inclusive culture: We respect the diversity dignity and interdependence of all persons. We value the cultural richness that our diverse workforce brings to the care of our equally diverse population of patients and residents.
• Meaningful impact: Your dedication and expertise will directly impact the lives of individuals struggling with mental health and substance use concerns.
• A comprehensive health benefits package including dental vision and life insurance as well as pension.

Who We Are:

Providence Health Care is one of the largest faith-based health care organizations in Canada. For the people at Providence living our Mission Vision and Values means providing British Columbians with compassionate socially just exceptional and innovative care every day.

From our humble roots 129 years ago Providence has grown into globally renowned research teaching and care organization. As individuals within a mission-driven organization we choose to be part of Providence Health Care because we value the organizations long commitment to social justice and compassionate care and its commitment to the process of Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

Curious about working at PHC and the culture of our teams Check out the videos and articles below to learn more and meet some of the members of the team youd be joining:

2025 PHC Mission Awards - Mental Health Social Worker Lucky Pickering

A Heart for Healing in Geriatric Psychiatry

Supporting the whole patient Complex Intervention Response Team (CIRT)

Reproductive Health: Supporting New Parents Through Compassion and Education

Eating Disorders: Food freedom and healing in eating disorder recovery

Foundry: Helping young people thrive through connection and creativity

Your Day to Day:

• Provides therapeutic clinical counselling services to clients families and groups in designated program area by exploring problems and personal concerns treatment objectives and emotional responses; facilitating change in coping style behaviour attitude and feelings; participating with clients families interdisciplinary team members and community partners to coordinate services facilitate meetings and make referrals to appropriate resources.
• Conducts comprehensive psychosocial assessments in designated program area using methods such as interviewing the client and/or family to obtain relevant information gathering social data from acute and community collateral regarding the clients family supports environment culture living situation and financial status and interpreting the data to therapeutically impact the clients and familys coping abilities.
• Provides treatment services including brief intervention crisis intervention psychotherapy family work education and support according to a variety of theoretical models to clients and their informal support network as required by methods such as assessing situation eliciting concerns exploring emotional response to illness identifying goals and expectations reviewing client and learning needs assisting with understanding of illness teaching coping strategies and consulting with colleagues when required. Applies the principles of Trauma-informed and culturally safe care.
• Assesses client needs and available services and develops care options with client input. Facilitates clients utilization of appropriate community services and rehabilitative programs through methods such as researching available services liaising with service and program providers advocating for services and providing advice and consultation to colleagues.
• Provides referrals to appropriate community treatment agencies and services including recovery and residential programs victim assistance employee assistance programs clubhouses transition homes vocational programs and other agencies. Utilizes available community resources such as volunteers community groups alternate care services and other service agencies to develop supportive and rehabilitative programs for clients and their families.
• Delivers online group intervention services to specific client populations. Develops and coordinates groups including the necessary preparation prioritizing scheduling and arranging for space and other resources.
• Formulates and implements care and treatment plans through methods such as negotiating a process for achieving goals collaborating with members of the interprofessional team(s) and evaluating goals while maintaining respect for client dignity self-determination and independence.
• Maintains appropriate clinical records and data requirements in accordance with established standards and the Freedom of Information Act.
• Participates in a variety of team and/or local committees and internal and external case conferences through engaging in practice evaluation identifying opportunities for change assessing available resources initiating solutions and analyzing outcomes.
• Develops content related to psychoeducational resources for clients families and staff members in collaboration with an interprofessional team. Reviews relevant content and required handouts conducts literature search plans and coordinates seminars.
• Collaborates with appropriate program staff and physicians in the development and delivery of staff and physician education and training related to mental health and addiction.
• Provides teaching and supervision to student interns in own discipline as assigned by methods such as providing guidance and the opportunity to observe and take an active role in the treatment of social work clients.
• Maintains knowledge of developments in own health profession including mental health and substance use through reviewing literature consulting with clinical and community experts within the field and participating in professional development and continuing education activities to improve care through new practices.
• Participates in the ongoing development and evaluation of services by collaborating with members of the interprofessional team providing input and making recommendations to the Program Leader and Director as requested.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

We acknowledge that Providence Health Care and the new St. Pauls Hospital site is located on the traditional ancestral and unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples including the territories of the xmkwym (Musqueam) Skwxw7mesh (Squamish) and Sllwta/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.