About Radius Community Health & Healing (formerly Boyle McCauley Health Centre)
Radius Community Health & Healing provides interdisciplinary, team based, integrated, comprehensive, and person-centered primary health care for vulnerable Edmontonians with complex needs. Through primary care and health promotion, Radius improves the quality of life and well-being of populations and individuals who face multiple barriers to accessing health services. Radius achieves this by providing the highest standard of evidence-informed and client-focused inter-professional care. We collaborate with our clients to address the broad determinants of health.
Summary Profile
Radius Health and Healing’s Pathways to Housing Program in Edmonton ends homelessness for people who suffer from serious, persistent mental illness (such as schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder), usually co-occurring with addictions and medical and social barriers and conditions, by:
- providing access to permanent independent housing without requiring treatment or sobriety as a precondition for housing; and
- providing outreach community support and treatment with a philosophy that is founded in the principles of participant choice and harm reduction, using both evidence-based Best Practices and innovative approaches.
The Health, Justice and Vocation Specialist reports to the Team Leader and is a participating member of the inter-disciplinary Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team providing comprehensive wrap-around treatment, support, and rehabilitation/recovery services for the participants in the program. Using a team case management model, all team members are required to remain current with all clients, their situation, care plan and goals. All care plans are developed as a team, with clients directing their care.
Please note: In accordance with the Pathways to Housing model, all team members spend half of their time providing generalized supports that may not be part of their professional discipline, such as providing assistance with housing, life skills and tasks of daily living.
Job Description
Radius Health Advocates are a vital component of the Team Based care at Radius. Clinical teams of nurses, physicians, nurse practitioners, medical office assistants, outreach workers, health advocates, mental health therapists, and other professionals offer comprehensive, wrap-around care to Edmonton’s most marginalized population. Health Advocates fulfill a “social work” role for our clients. Understanding that the majority of Radius clients are often marginalized by society and face many systemic barriers, our Health Advocates work directly with clients to navigate social and healthcare systems, so that clients are able to access the necessary supports they require to thrive. This includes navigation of social service funding (including AISH and AB works), housing first programming, community service agencies, and many other services.
In addition to the ‘generalist’ role on the ACT Team described above, the Health, Justice and Vocation Specialist is responsible specifically for:
- Providing guidance to the Team to ensure interventions are delivered using a trauma informed and culturally sensitive perspective.
- Ensuring Client Case Plans address trauma and the building of resilience, as appropriate.
- Assist program participants to navigate the Criminal Justice System, providing support in court and additional advocacy when needed.
- Advocacy for job and volunteer placements as well as on-site support when needed.
- Nurturing community connections and collaboration with external stakeholders. This includes liaising with hospitals, homecare, and other clinical supports.
- Supporting connections, collaboration, and ongoing advocacy with Supportive Housing Partners
Key Responsibilities
- Work in an interdisciplinary team to provide social support in a primary care setting.
- In collaboration with the healthcare team, providing the following healthcare services:
o Connection to essential services in the health and social sector
o Help clients to navigate available social supports (including financial, housing, food security, and other basic needs)
o Contributing to the client care plan, and work with other healthcare providers to achieve client-centred goals.
o Assist clients to secure basic needs, documents, and services (e.g. identification)
o Management of substance misuse disorders
o Continuity of care
o Client advocacy
- Radius clients are often faced with barriers of stigma, and the role of the Health Advocate may often be hands-on and will require direct advocacy and intervention on behalf of clients.
- Health Advocate work is often opportunistic, and the successful candidate must be able to adapt quickly, see clients on a walk-in basis, and be prepared to work directly with clients (vs. Passing them on via a system of referrals)
Qualification Requirements
- Registered Social Worker with the ability to be registered in Alberta and/or related discipline with at least 5 years of experience working with marginalized populations.
Experience in one of more of following areas:
- Mental health services in a community treatment setting.
- On an Assertive Community Treatment Team.
- Working in addictions, concurrent disorders and/or Housing First; and/or
- Providing outreach services in a ‘street/inner city/chronic homelessness’ environment or equivalent.
Knowledge/Skills
- Working with people with complex co-occurring serious mental illness, addiction, and medical issues.
- Experience in disabilities and employment services is an asset
- Able to balance numerous demands and conflicting priorities, strong problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work co-operatively within a multidisciplinary team.
- Ability to demonstrate patience and understanding for those with addictions and behavioral disorders.
- Strong computer proficiency, with experience with Office 365 suite (e.g., Outlook, MS Office, Excel) an asset
- Client centered, strength-based recovery treatments/rehabilitation strategies.
- Housing First/Pathway to Housing models; and
- An understanding the impacts experienced by residential school survivors and of intergenerational trauma; and
- An understanding of the impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).
- Case conferencing with Hospital and other clinical staff
Other requirements:
- Responsible, punctual, good communication skills/literacy (written, oral, computer) and a continuous learner.
- A valid driver’s license (non-GDL) and use of personal car are a must.
- Physical capacity to perform job duties, including climbing stairs, carrying groceries, etc.
Please Note: This position requires a valid driver’s license and the ability to drive for work-related tasks. Employees may also be required to transport clients as part of their duties. A clean driving record and comfort with driving company or personal vehicles are essential.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Radius Community Health and Healing is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment where all employees are respected and valued. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply and join our team, and we are committed to providing equal opportunities for all qualified applicants. Accommodations for applicants with disabilities will be provided upon request.
Land Acknowledgement
Radius respectfully acknowledge that we are located within Treaty 6 territory, and Metis Nation of Alberta Region 4. We acknowledge this land as the traditional home for many Indigenous Peoples including the Cree, Blackfoot, Metis, Nakota Sioux, Dene, Saulteaux, Anishinaabe, Inuit, and many others whose history, languages, and cultures continue to influence our vibrant community.
