South Riverdale Community Health Centre is a non-profit, multi-service organization that provides primary healthcare, social and community outreach services with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention primarily to people of East Toronto. Our mission is to improve the lives of people that face barriers to physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being. We do so by meaningfully engaging our clients and communities, ensuring equitable access to primary health care and delivering quality care through a range of evidence informed programs, services and approaches. As a leader in community health, our locally and internationally recognized community services include cutting-edge primary health services, health promotion, harm reduction, environmental health, community food centre and population-based community programs for marginalized peoples. We value health equity and inclusion and respect in our work and in the delivery of our services.
The Community Health Worker – SHHR will engage and work with community members who use drugs and have mental health issues through the provision of short-term case management, overdose prevention education, harm reduction supply distribution, harm reduction education provision and through referrals to additional services. This position is further responsible to provide informal counseling and work on community engagement and capacity building to support individuals in accessing and maintaining connections with mental health, primary care and harm reduction programs/services and who are living in shelter hotels and various sheltering locations (including respites, physical distancing sites and drop-ins).
To increase harm reduction supports at the range of sheltering sites across the city, six (6) community-based Harm Reduction Programs are working collaboratively to bring these essential services to the locations with priority needs, with funding support from the City of Toronto. The 6 participating organizations are Regent Park, LAMP, South Riverdale, Parkdale Queen West CHCs, Street Health and The Neighbourhood Group, in collaboration with Toronto Public Health – The Works. The work will be supported by a collaborative service planning table with coordination from Parkdale Queen West CHC.
This position is expected to work onsite.
Responsibilities:
- Provide referrals to health, social, legal and other relevant services to People who use Drugs (PUD) in shelter hotels and work to ensure clients are integrated into the appropriate services both within CHCs and wider community as required
- Follow established safety protocols during fieldwork, including needle distribution and collection, team communication, crisis prevention and de-escalation
- Provide crisis response and support team-based case management, as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Work respectfully and collaboratively with Shelter Hotel Partners
- Provide overdose prevention education and supports to clients at various sheltering locations
- Educate clients regarding overdose prevention and management, including the use and administration of naloxone where appropriate
- Provide harm reduction education, supplies and supports to clients
- Work in collaboration with clients, site providers and teams to identify harm reduction needs and supports skills development and to support clients to develop and achieve their goals
- Support and work with PUD in peer roles to provide harm reduction supports to clients
- Participate in systemic advocacy, grassroots organizing, awareness raising and public education for positive social change via involvement in community-based committees and networks
- Address emerging demands and crisis needs
- Participate in program evaluation and client needs assessment, in conjunction with the Program Manager, Harm Reduction & Hepatitis C
- Work flexible hours including evenings and weekends dependent on client needs and operational demands
- Maintain data entry to record outreach encounters in a timely manner and meet with Program Manager, Harm Reduction & Hepatitis C to review trends on a bi-monthly basis
- Collaborate with own team and other teams across the organization to identify and provide health education to target groups
- All other duties as required
Qualifications:
- A Degree or Diploma in in a related field, or relevant experience
- 3 – 5 years relevant training and experience in mental health and harm reduction
- Excellent understanding of impacts of systemic oppression on marginalized individuals and communities, including women and mothers who use drugs
- Skills and experience engaging PUD in street outreach, shelters, and/or drop-ins
- Excellent knowledge of and ability to apply harm reduction principles and practices in work with the community
- Excellent understanding of community-based service provision including ability to identify and connect with appropriate community-based services/resources
- Well-developed and demonstrable experience in crisis management in the mental health/social services field
- Skills and experience engaging people through arts-based social justice initiatives
- Skills and experience designing and delivering diverse group programming, including arts-based approaches, popular education, participatory research, peer support and information/education focused groups
- Excellent understanding of principles of community development and experience applying these principles in work settings
- Excellent understanding and ability to apply or integrate client base and client-centered work
- Extensive knowledge and ability to apply or integrate mental health, harm reduction and crisis services and systems
- Work from a feminist, anti-oppression and trauma-informed framework
- Demonstrated respect for diversity, equity, anti-racism and accessibility with the ability to work colllaborative and positively with others
- Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team
- Proficiency in the use of computer technology and various software applications
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Current involvement in community work an asset
- Lived experience considered an asset
- Police clearance documentation will be required for employment
- Proof of triple COVID-19 vaccination status will be required for employment
The deadline for applicants is Thursday, July 27, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. (noon).
Please mail in your cover letter and resume in confidence to:
The Hiring Committee: CHW – Shelter Hotel Harm Reduction
South Riverdale Community Health Centre
955 Queen Street East
Toronto, ON M4M 3P3
Or by email to: humanresources@srchc.com
Please enter “CHW – Shelter Hotel Harm Reduction” in the subject line of your email.
Job posting here.
