1. family and parenting

Family Support Worker- EI Program
1 Permanent Part-Time (Sarnia Site)
The Canadian Mental Health Association Lambton Kent Branch is proud to be a newly-merged
community agency serving the mental health needs of Lambton County and the Municipality of
Chatham-Kent.
Our vision is to have mentally healthy people in a healthy society. As a leader and champion for
mental health, CMHA Lambton Kent provides services and facilitates access to the resources
people require to maintain and improve mental health. Our efforts promote community
integration, build resilience, and support recovery from mental illness.
The Family Support Worker in the Early Intervention of Psychosis Program works in
collaboration within an interdisciplinary team of health professionals. The Family Support
Worker will work with families of individuals between the ages of 14-35 who are experiencing a
first episode of psychosis. The Family Support Worker will provide a continuum of services,
including but not limited to; completing a thorough Bio Psychosocial assessment and treatment
plan, supportive counselling and education, crisis intervention and prevention. Support provided
will assist families to support their family member through the recovery process.
Reporting to the Integrated Manager of Specialized Services, the incumbent will be responsible
for the following functions:
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Provide general education about the Early Intervention Program, services and the important
role that families play in the treatment and recovery process
Complete a Bio Psychosocial assessment and participate in the treatment planning process
Review with families the rights of clients and the importance of client centred care
Provide education regarding mental illness and the role of pharmacology
Collaborate with primary care providers to coordinate care within the treatment plan
Incorporate families into the crisis prevention and intervention planning process with the
intention of preventing a relapse and/or hospitalization
Support and educate families about pertinent legislation
Identify family strengths and provide supportive counselling
Link families with needed services and resources and advocate with and/or for families to
navigate through difficult system issues
Collaborate with other community supports for treatment planning
Facilitate psychoeducational groups for families
Establish partnerships with other community agencies
Qualifications:
Education required:
 Post-secondary degree in Social Work from an accredited university with current
registration with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.
Masters of Social Work Degree would be considered an asset.
 Experience with, and a detailed knowledge of, mental illness with a special interest and
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understanding of depression, anxiety disorders and personality disorders, usually gained by
several years of working with this population.
Valid Ontario Driver’s Licence and access to a vehicle.
Skills required:
 strong engagement and assessment skills;
 knowledge of the developmental stages of adolescents and young adults;
 understanding of family dynamics and ability to demonstrate competency in treatment
planning and intervention;
 crisis and suicide intervention training;
 CPR training;
 must have group facilitation skills and an understanding of group dynamics;
 extensive knowledge of the Mental Health Act, as well as relevant legislation specific to an
individual with a serious mental illness;
 planning and organization skills to facilitate advocacy and support coordination/service
access;
 extensive knowledge of the support/treatment services network in the community and of
regional services commonly accessed by the program;
 demonstrated commitment towards research and program development;
 proven competency level in working with computer programs and software applications (ex.
Microsoft Office, CRMS, etc.); and
 well-developed written and verbal communications skills
 Qualified internal candidates will be given preference as per Article 11.00 (f) of the
Collective Agreement.
Hours of Work: 18 hours/week. Flexible hours are required to meet the position requirements.
Salary Range: Commensurate with experience within the range: $27.03 – $38.47 per hour.
Applicants should submit a covering letter and resume by April 10, 2015 to:
Cindy Kremer, Human Resource Coordinator
Canadian Mental Health Association
Lambton Kent Branch
210 Lochiel Street
Sarnia, Ontario N7T 4C7
E-Mail: humanresources@cmhalambtonkent.ca
Please reference Job Posting: #07-2015
Canadian Mental Health Association – Lambton Kent is committed to a workplace reflecting the
diversity of the community it serves and encourages applications from all qualified candidates,
including women, members of visible minorities, Aboriginal Peoples and persons with disabilities.
While we thank all applicants for their interest, only those selected for an interview will be
contacted. If contacted for an interview, please inform us should accommodation be required.