CharityVillage

Job Title:        Substance Use Care Navigator

Position:         Permanent Full-Time position 35 Hours /Week /1FTE

Salary:            $59,916.22

Competition:  2024-17

Start Date:      August 2024

Location:        West Toronto Youth Hub (WTYH)/2010 Eglinton Ave West/Virtual

Primary Function:

The Substance Use Care Navigator will work as a member of a diverse interdisciplinary team to support young people 12-25 years of age experiencing mental health, substance use or other challenges.

This position provides direct care navigation/case management for youth who have attended hospital (emergency department or inpatient care) due to substance use, harms related to substance use, or who have a substance use disorder. Young people accessing this program are living with a range of complex and co-occurring issues, including health, addictions, financial, housing, immigration, family, legal, life skills issues, among others.  Working from a harm reduction and trauma informed perspective, the Substance Use Care Navigator will provide extensive one-to-one supports, to assist youth in identifying and achieving their self-determined health goals. The position will be co-located in both the hospital setting and the Youth Wellness Hub.  Working closely with the young person and a broader network of care, the Substance Use Care Navigator liaises with and navigates access to services including substance use and mental health supports, health care providers, legal institutions, income supports, housing providers and other community services. 

The goal of this program is to increase youth access to timely, youth-friendly, developmentally appropriate substance use and mental health treatment, in addition to other services to address their individual goals and needs along a broad continuum of care.

Responsibilities:

• Engage youth upon referral and conduct preliminary registration and screening in both hospital and/or community settings.
• Provide care navigation and case management for youth including coordination of referrals and advocacy on health, substance use, mental health, financial, employment, housing, legal and social supports.
• Develop coordinated care plans with youth to identify key supports and goals for how young people will achieve desired health outcomes.
• Support youth with the completion of standardized measures throughout their care to help improve youth outcomes (focus on measurement-based care).
• Maintain ongoing support in the community, including home/community visits, connection to other service providers and accompaniment to appointments.
• Support youth with connection to substance use treatment available at the hub, through hub partners or referral to substance use treatment programs, where appropriate.
• Develop strong partnerships and work collaboratively with a network of service providers, such as withdrawal management services, hospitals, law enforcement agencies, and housing services.
•  Connect clients with supports in the community based on their needs, which will help them achieve and maintain stability, including peer support groups, life skills groups and social events happening within the hub.
• Attend Youth Wellness Team meetings and hospital team meetings as required; seek team consultation and clinical supervision as needed.
• Maintain accurate youth health records and reporting required, adhering to PHIPA and agency policies.
• Participate in community network meetings and support program outreach.
• Deliver community education events to increase awareness of substance use and youth, and awareness of the Substance Use CN Program.
• Provide virtual-based (online, phone) and in-person service.
• Work from a harm reduction and culturally responsive approach.
• Provide services and supports to youth and their families in a way that is consistent with the values of the YWHO model. 
• Participate in YWHO Provincial Community of Practice for Substance Use Care Navigator; engage in continuous improvements of the Substance Use CN Program.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills & Qualifications:

• BA/B.S.W plus 2 years of experience in social services, preferably as a case manager or a combined equivalent of education, lived experience and/or significant related training.
• Post-graduate certificate or diploma in Addictions from an accredited educational institution is an asset.
• Minimum 2 years’ direct client experience working with individuals living with mental health, substance use issues, histories of trauma and homelessness.
• Experience working with youth (12-25 years) and their families is an asset.
• Demonstrated experience working within an interdisciplinary health care team.
• Extensive knowledge of community services and resources relevant to substance use and addiction medicine.
• Excellent knowledge of broader community resources and/or demonstrated ability to search for applicable resources/information to support youth mental health and substance use health.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently in the community, use problem-solving techniques to identify and assess client need and develop appropriate support strategies.
• Comfortable working in various setting such as hospitals, clinics, shelters, client’s homes, and public establishments.
• Experience, alignment and commitment to harm reduction principles and practice. 
• Excellent organizational, time management, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience in supporting safe and meaningful drop-in participation and being open to diverse ways of thinking about, understanding and articulating issues related to mental health and substance use is an asset.
• Knowledge of approaches that promote health equity, including anti-oppressive and anti-racist practice, 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion, community engagement, cultural safety, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and human rights and accessibility frameworks.
• We strongly encourage applications from First Nations, Métis, Inuit, Black, and other racialized people who are reflective of intersectional experiences (i.e., 2SLGBTQ+, neurodevelopmental differences, living with a disability, etc.).
• Proficient with MS Office, and web-based data entry, health records management and time/labour
• Bilingualism or the ability to speak a second language is considered an asset

• Current (6 months or less) Vulnerable Sector Search.

Reports to the West Toronto Youth Wellness Hub Ontario – Supervisor
 
Yorktown Family Services is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity.

Please submit your resume and cover letter by August 16, 2024.  Please quote “Competition 2024-17 and Job title, Substance Use Care Navigator 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.