Social Worker - Substance Use Assessment Team (SUAT)

Come work as a Social Worker with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)!

Vancouver Coastal Health is looking for a Social Worker to join the Substance Use Assessment Team team at Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver, BC. Apply today to join our team!

This work is framed within VCH’s commitments to our pillars of Indigenous Cultural Safety, Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Planetary Health.

As a Social Worker with Vancouver Coastal Health you will:

• Work collaboratively to support the Substance Use needs of the patient by providing direct support to patients and families through assessment, referrals, provision of information and system navigation with a focus on harm reduction and overdose prevention.
• Provides case consultation with members of the interdisciplinary team on best ways to support the patient population and supports discharge planning as it pertains to Substance Use issues.

Education & Experience

• Current full registration with the British Columbia College of Social Workers.
• Master’s degree in Social Work from an accredited school of Social Work.
• Two (2) years’ recent related experience providing care through a holistic mental health, substance use and/or primary care lens or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Broad knowledge of systems thinking as it related to the social work process.
• Demonstrated knowledge of health care ethics and ability to incorporate ethical decision making in practice
• Broad knowledge of community services available for patients experiencing substance use problems.
• General knowledge of Trauma Informed Practice and Harm Reduction approaches and Strengths-based care.
• Demonstrated ability to promote Indigenous Cultural Safety.
• Demonstrated ability to provide competent and culturally safe care in a variety of settings and with diverse populations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of community, social and mental health resources.
• Broad knowledge of other health disciplines and their role in healthcare.
• Broad knowledge of research methodology.
• Broad knowledge of counselling skills and clinical practice models.
• Broad knowledge of individual and family psychotherapeutic brief counselling theories and approaches
• Demonstrated knowledge of provincial legislation and government policies and procedures as it relates to the rights of the patient, protection of vulnerable adults and obligations of staff.
• Broad understanding of the urban/inner-city and regional initiatives that may impact patient care, resource access.
• Demonstrated ability to apply systems theory to practice in Social Work assessment and intervention. Demonstrated ability to conduct comprehensive social and psycho-social assessments .
• Demonstrated ability to understand and influence group and inter-group processes, decision making and problem solving.
• Demonstrated ability to establish rapport with patients and families in order to explore issues that are beyond the initial presented concerns.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with patients, families, team members, other groups and community agency personnel.
• Demonstrated ability to adjust to new or unexpected events.
• Demonstrated knowledge and ability to apply facilitation, mediation and conflict resolution principles and practices
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Skilled in the use of equipment, and in the techniques appropriate for treatment.
• Ability to operate related equipment including applicable software applications.
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.

Applicants with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from an accredited School of Social Work, and a demonstrated equivalent combination of education, training and experience may be considered. If you are applying under equivalency, please clearly outline in your application how your knowledge, education, skills and experience meet Master of Social Work (MSW) equivalency.

The hours of work including days off and work area may be subject to change consistent with operational requirements and the provision of the Collective Agreement and applicable statutes.

WHY JOIN VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH?

VCH is a world class innovator in medical care, research and teaching, delivering service to more than one million BC residents. At VCH, we embrace thinking boldly, taking smart risks, and "going first" when we believe it will lead to the best possible outcomes for patients and their families. We invite you to join us in creating healthy lives in healthy communities by showcasing our passion for care, connection to the communities we serve and our culture of teamwork that makes VCH a great place to work.

• Comprehensive health benefits package, including MSP, extended health and dental and municipal pension plan
• Grow your career with employer-paid training and leadership development opportunities
• Wellness supports, including counselling, critical incident and innovative wellness services are available to employees and their immediate families
• Award-winning recognition programs to honour staff, medical staff and volunteers
• Access to exclusive discount offers and deals for VCH staff

Equity, diversity, and inclusion are essential to our goals of creating a great place to work and delivering exceptional care. We acknowledge and accommodate unique differences and ensure special measures are in place so that all prospective and current employees are given an opportunity to succeed.

We are committed to building a representative workforce and encourage applications reflecting diversity of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization or ancestry, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.

Vancouver Coastal Health is proud to be recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers in 2024.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for this posting.


***Employees of VCH must apply online via the Internal Career Portal on CareerHub, you are currently viewing the External Career Portal. Refer to the https://my.vch.ca/working-here/job-postings site for instructions on how to view internal job postings and how to apply as an employee. Current VCH employees who apply to this posting using this external site will be considered as an external candidate. Seniority will not apply.***

Thank you for your interest in Vancouver Coastal Health.