POSITION SUMMARY
The primary responsibility of the Mental Health Worker - Geriatric will be to contribute to the achievement of the following mandated core program functions: intake and screening; specialized assessment; care planning, treatment, interventions, service planning and follow up; consultation, education and support; program and system development; and service and program evaluation. The position will respond to seniors and their families affected by late onset serious mental illness, dementia, addictions and/or responsive behaviours and/or seniors with long standing mental illness/addiction with age related complications. This is a mobile, outreach position serving seniors in a range of settings (e.g. own home, LTCH, retirement home, etc.). The Mental Health Worker position operates in a team framework and is operationalized in the context of the local and regional continuum of care that includes inpatient and outpatient services, primary care practitioners, long-term care facilities, and a range of other community services. The Mental Health Worker works in partnership and uses a systematic approach for the assessment of seniors with serious mental illness, addiction and/or behavioural issues and complex needs to stabilize, plan interventions and optimize the current situation.
QUALIFICATIONS
• Degree in nursing, social work, occupational therapy or a degree in related health or social science field (e.g. Gerontology, psychology) OR current registration in good standing with the College of Psychotherapists with a Degree in a health related discipline
• Current registration with your college in good standing: College of Nurses (RN), Ontario College of Social Workers & Social Service Workers, College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario or College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario
• Minimum 3-5 years' experience in a comparable mobile, outreach role specifically working with the specific defined population (e.g. seniors with complex mental illness, addictions and/or behavioural issues), and their caregivers/providers
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge, experience and practiced skills in geriatric psychiatry community and Long Term Care Home consultation and follow up are critical
• Knowledge of PIECES frameworks and templates a strong asset
• Knowledge of the Gentle Persuasive Approach (GPA) for Dementia Care and Montessori programming for persons with dementia an asset and highly recommended
• Proven ability to perform comprehensive bio-psychosocial geriatric mental health assessment and establish rapport with target population (e.g. seniors with complex mental illness and/or addiction) in various scenarios
• Demonstrated ability in conflict resolution and crisis intervention
• Demonstrated educational/presentation, facilitation and networking skills
• Understanding of basic use of psychotropic medications in the elderly, psychiatric diagnosis and formulation of a mental health assessment
• Knowledge of relevant geriatric mental health, addiction and behavioural assessment, interventions and strategies is critical
• Familiarity with standardized assessment tools (e.g. MMSE, MOCA, Cornell, etc.) used in a geriatric psychiatry assessment
• Knowledge of Long Term Care and Mental Health systems and related legislation
• Ability to work collaboratively and in partnership with a transdisciplinary team and other agencies/organizations in the community
• Physical ability and willingness to travel (e.g. be mobile) and work in various settings/environments throughout the day (e.g. community home, LTC facility, retirement home, rural, farm, etc.)
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Proven ability to work with minimal supervision and able to prioritize competing work demands
• Proven computer ability/knowledge is required (e.g. typing assessments, voice recognition software and data entry)
• Current First Aid/CPR certification
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation to be used in the course of employment.
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