Message about our hiring and operating practices

Closing Date: May 18, 2023

One of the fastest growing branches of CMHA, the Canadian Mental Health Association York Region and South Simcoe (CMHA-YRSS) provides 30+ mental health and addiction programs to adults, youth (age 12+), family caregivers, local businesses and community organizations. Providing a safe environment for our staff and clients is of the utmost importance to us and we continue to closely follow COVID-19 protocols and directives from Public Health. All CMHA-YRSS employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of hire. Rest assured that your well-being is our top priority and we have appropriate health and safety measures in place at each stage of the recruiting process and throughout our operations.

We are looking for an Occupational Therapist in our Community Homes for Opportunity Program!

Why work for CMHA York Region?

We are a team committed to our vision of mental health support for all. We offer an inclusive, innovative and high-performance work culture that helps us deliver transformational impact. The organization cares about the growth, safety and well-being of employees and offers:

• Competitive Total Compensation (including salary, benefits, pension)
• HOOPP (Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan) effective Nov 2021
• Comprehensive Health Benefits
• Robust Performance and Career Development program
• Learning & development opportunities

Learn more about us by visiting: https://cmha-yr.on.ca/careers/

Permanent, Full - Time working 35 hours per week. Evenings and Weekends may be required.

Benefits: Full Extended Health & Dental, Life Insurance, EAP, STD, LTD, & HOOPP Pension Plan + Generous paid time off including vacation, sick and personal days

Location: The Occupational Therapist will be working primarily in our Newmarket office (1101 Nicholson Road, Unit 5, Newmarket, ON L3Y 9C3) with flexibility to work in a hybrid model allowing for some remote work. This position will also require community work at various locations within York Region. This position will require travel within York Region & South Simcoe.

Job Profile:

The Occupational Therapist (OT) works with clients to complete assessments in the areas of daily living activities, behavior and emotion, and where required, motor coordination, sensory and perceptual motor function, and visual perception. Treatment goals are to facilitate skills development and mastery, reduce distress, promote involvement in leisure and recreational opportunities in the community, and promote optimal functioning in activities of daily living, while altering environmental barriers. The OT assists clients to minimize distressing or disruptive feelings and behaviors, build resilience, and attain their goals and aspirations.

The OT facilitates and supports recovery for adults facing mental health challenges through empowerment and respect by providing a range of social, educational, and recreational services. Using a recovery-based approach, the OT assists members to develop and use interpersonal, social, and leadership skills that will optimize their strengths and improve their quality of life, and mental and physical health and well-being. The OT assesses client’s strengths and needs in the areas of self-care, productivity and leisure and plans and evaluates client goal achievement through both individual and group experiences. The OT collaborates with a range of formal and informal services, refers members to external resources, and may also participate in case conferences and systemic initiatives to improve availability, accessibility, and equity of resources. Other duties as required.

The Community Homes for Opportunity is a supportive housing program for people with serious mental illness. The CHO strives to achieve best practices in supportive housing. The program is intended to assist Tenants by providing appropriate housing and support services to achieve and maintain stability in a home that is safe and affordable. The program takes a recovery-based approach and provides access to support services both in the CHO Home and in the community, which will aim to improve and/or stabilize peoples' physical and mental health, foster independence, and enhance participation and integration into the community.

The CHO program focuses on person-centered flexible supports, reflecting on the changing needs of the Tenants in a recovery-based environment

In addition to compliance with all organizational policies and procedures, the incumbent is also expected to behave ethically, demonstrate competence in effective communication and team building, demonstrate effectiveness in working in a collaborative environment, and demonstrate confidence in decision-making and in building relationships. The OT may be assigned to different programs as required based on need.

Requirements:

• Registration and member in good standing with COTO (College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario); cannot be in the qualifying stages
• Bachelors or Masters’ degree in Occupational Therapy

• Experience working in community with adults with serious mental illness and substance overuse challenges is preferred
• Experience in group facilitation
• A second language (Cantonese, Mandarin, French, Farsi, Italian, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Tamil, Urdu) reflecting the local community is an asset
• Strong knowledge of empowerment-oriented case management philosophies and practices
• Advanced assessment, crisis intervention and counseling skills
• Knowledge of systemic issues such as poverty, unemployment, stigma and the isolation felt by individuals with serious mental illness and their families
• Knowledge of the Ontario Mental Health Act, mental health reform principles, the Substitute Decisions Act, the Health Care Consent Act and PHIPA requirements
• Extensive knowledge of supports and services in York Region, including formal and informal resources
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to demonstrate computer skills, specifically Microsoft Office and Outlook
• A valid Canadian Full G driver’s license, a minimum $1,000,000 third party liability insurance and proof that insurance covers use of personal vehicle to transport clients
• A satisfactory and current Vulnerable Sector Screening

The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by an individual assigned to the job. This information is not constructed to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel in the job.

This position reports to and is supervised by the Manager, People and Teams.

Working Conditions: Office work, community settings, meetings in clients’ home and travel with clients

Disclaimer: In keeping with mental health reform, best practices, funding and direction this position may later require knowledge, skills, abilities and working conditions not noted here.

Application Procedures:

If you are interested in this opportunity, follow the link below and click on the “Apply Now” button in the top right corner of the page to proceed to upload your cover letter and resume: https://cmha-yr.on.ca/careers/

Complete the application form and submit the following:

1) Cover letter with 300 words or less and tell us why you would want the role and why you should be considered for the position (PDF or Word)

2) Resume (PDF or Word)

CMHA-YRSS supports the recovery of people with mental illness and promotes diversity in the workplace. We welcome all applicants including persons with lived experience, women, aboriginal people, people with disabilities, and members of the 2SLGBTQ+, visible minority and immigrant communities to apply.

While we thank all candidates for their interest, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

To request this posting in an alternate format or to request accommodation in the application process, email AODA@cmha-yr.on.ca