Mental Health Counsellor-Maple Family Health Team (Kingston)

Mental Health Counsellor (full-time, permanent)

Are you an experienced mental health counsellor interested in working closely with physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals in Primary Care? 

About Maple Family Health Team

The Maple Family Health Team is a primary health care organization with family physicians and other health care providers who work collaboratively to provide comprehensive, accessible and coordinated family health services to people in Kingston and surrounding areas. 

About the position

Working as part of our Mental Health Team, the Mental Health Counsellor will provide services to patients of Maple Family Health Team upon referral from the primary care provider. The Mental Health Counsellor works to promote good mental health by providing education and counselling to clients experiencing mental health difficulties such as anxiety, depression and situational distress. Individual and group interventions will generally be based on cognitive behaviour and other evidence-based models. The Mental Health Counsellor will work collaboratively as part of a team providing comprehensive primary healthcare. In addition to individual counselling, there may be an opportunity for the incumbent to participate in the development and delivery of group programming. 

Key duties and responsibilities

The Mental Health Counsellor will:

• Determine the need for psychotherapy using appropriate assessments.
• Perform psychotherapy in accordance with the standards of practice and with the goal of achieving positive outcomes to the client.
• Discuss alternative treatment(s) with clients and provide other suitable options if psychotherapy is determined to be not appropriate, arranging for referrals if necessary. 
• Develop, plan and deliver group programming, if indicated.
• Participate in regular professional development activities in psychotherapy interventions that ensure current ongoing knowledge, skill, ability and judgment to perform psychotherapy.
• Record activities and participate in evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of your practice, participate in quality-of-care activities to initiate positive changes in programs and care. 

Key competencies

The Mental Health Counsellor:

• Is experienced with providing cognitive behaviour counselling to clients across the lifespan. 
• Is familiar with the legislation relating to the practice of psychotherapy.
• Has completed at least three years of practice in mental health in a facility / team or related program with access to training, observed care, regular supervision and/or peer mentoring. 
• Will competently assess clients as candidates for psychotherapy and appropriately select, apply and evaluate interventions based on the client’s individual needs.
• Understands the indications, contraindications, benefits and limitations of various psychotherapies for diagnostic categories.
• Is aware of various psychotherapeutic modalities and their effect on specific populations, in addition to one’s preferred model of practice.
• Understands the effects of medications, drugs and substances that clients may be taking, including adverse reactions.
• Can recognize and assess the risk of emotional, mental or physical harm to the client associated with or arising from mental / emotional distress.
• Is aware of his/her legal scope of practice and level of knowledge, skill and judgment.
• Is able to prioritize, manage time effectively and be flexible in an active and demanding work environment.
• Is able to work in a collaborative practice model.
• Is able to maintain confidentiality and impartiality.
• Has a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail. 

Qualifications include

• A current member in good standing with one of the following regulatory colleges: COTO, CPO, CRPO, CNO or OCSWSSW. 
• Qualified to perform the controlled act of psychotherapy
• At least three years of experience providing psychotherapy in an ambulatory setting. 
• Excellent assessment skills and case management experience.
• Experience providing education and counselling in individual and group formats.
• he incumbent must be compliant with Maple’s COVID vaccine policy which requires full vaccination. 

Information about the position

• Expected start October or November, 2023
• Full-time (40 hours per week), Monday – Friday
• Benefits included: Health/dental, HOOPP
• Salary is commensurate with the Ministry of Health compensation grid for mental health counsellors