Community Health Worker, Substance Use Services

University Health Network • Toronto, ON

14d • CA$34 - CA$42 • Onsite

About The Position

Working with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), UHN has established a world-first partnership with a shared vision to integrate physical and mental health and advance brain health science. This collaboration unites Canada’s leading mental health research hospital with Canada’s leading academic health sciences centre to deliver comprehensive, coordinated care and drive world-class research and education on the connection between brain and body health. As part of the UHN-CAMH Partnership, UHN is participating in Ontario Health’s Substance Use Disorder Integrated Care Pathway (SUD ICP) initiative, with the goal of establishing integrated care pathways for patients presenting to hospital emergency departments at high risk of alcohol and/or opioid-related morbidity and mortality to connect people to care that addresses their needs, both in hospitals and communities. The SUD ICP represents an expansion of the UHN Mental Health Program’s existing Substance Use Intervention Team (SUIT), a consult service that ensures patients who use substances receive high quality care in hospital and upon discharge into community. The Community Health Worker (CHW) will be a key member of SUIT, an interdisciplinary team that will include physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and case managers. Working in both emergency department and inpatient settings, the CHW will collaborate with clinicians and community-led organizations on the development of a comprehensive plan to help address individual patient’s substance use goals and other related needs. The CHW will provide direct one-on-one support to patients, advocate for high quality substance use care, and provide system navigation throughout patients’ care journeys. The CHW will support the development and provision of information and resources, as well as participate in case discussions and debriefs. The CHW will contribute to the growth and improvement of SUIT and UHN’s broader Substance Use Services within the Mental Health Program. Additionally, the role will support building, growing, and sustaining relationships with community partners, including CAMH and The Neighbourhood Group (TNG).

Requirements

• At minimum, completion of a diploma program in a relevant health or social service work field, or recognized equivalent of lived or work experience
• Minimum 2-3 years of related practical experience working with people who use substances
• Strong knowledge of, and familiarity with, community resources to address substance use issues and the social determinants of health, including housing, poverty, and food insecurity
• Dynamic knowledge of community engagement principles
• Experience with the provision of trauma-informed care and anti-racist, anti-discriminatory, anti-oppressive practices
• Well-developed decision-making, problem-solving, and judgement skills
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
• Well-developed public speaking abilities
• Facilitation and/or teaching experience
• Proven ability to work as a team member and independently
• Ability to have and use diplomacy and tact at all times

Nice To Haves

• Registration with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers preferred
• Strong understanding of acute care setting and ability to navigate hospital systems an asset
• We encourage anyone who has lived experience of structural marginalization including homelessness or substance use to apply

Responsibilities

• Facilitate supportive discussions regarding patients’ substance use goals
• Engage patients early and often in their care journeys to support progress toward their substance use goals while in hospital (emergency department, inpatient units, other settings)
• Build rapport and therapeutic relationships with patients to facilitate care delivery and coordination in collaboration with SUIT and other care teams
• Provide hospital and system navigation supports to ensure smooth care transitions and improve access to services
• Support patients’ social determinants of health and related needs, such as assisting with housing, transportation, employment, food, health insurance, government documents, etc.
• Contribute to interdisciplinary care planning discussions
• Accompany patients to internal and external programs and services (e.g., Rapid Access Addiction Medicine Clinic, Social Medicine Program, CAMH, TNG, etc.)
• Support patients’ immediate post-discharge needs and goals (e.g., appointment reminders, connection to external resources, arranging long-term supports and case management)
• Provide patients and hospital staff with education on substance use, harm reduction, and community resources
• Employ a harm reduction approach; advocate for stigma reduction at individual, program, and system levels
• Participate in program development and quality improvement initiatives to bolster substance use care capacity across the organization
• Liaise with external partners to support patients’ care goals and to foster stronger partnership relationships and system integration
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge and awareness of substance use care, community resources, hospital policies/procedures, and legislative environment

Benefits

• Competitive offer packages
• Government organization and a member of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP)
• Close access to Transit and UHN shuttle service
• A flexible work environment
• Opportunities for development and promotions within a large organization
• Additional perks (multiple corporate discounts including: travel, restaurants, parking, phone plans, auto insurance discounts, on-site gyms, etc.)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree