Clinical Specialist, Perinatal Mental Health & Substance Use

Job Summary:

In accordance with the Purpose, Vision, Values and Coast Salish Teachings, and strategic direction of PHSA, safety, including both patient and employee safety, is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at PHSA. As such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.
The Clinical Specialist, Mental Health and Perinatal Substance Use (“Clinical Specialist”), provides perinatal mental health and substance use (“MHSU”) clinical expertise and consultation to Social Workers and other healthcare professionals who deliver direct patient care to individuals experiencing mental health challenges, disorders, and/or perinatal substance use issues before, during, and after pregnancy and birth.
The role serves as the designated perinatal MHSU clinical expert, applying specialized education, training, and advanced knowledge to guide treatment planning, assess best practices, and provide subject matter expertise in developing policies, procedures, and care standards. The Clinical Specialist also provides formal clinical and/or technical consultation to multiple community agencies and organizational program partners to support the advancement of perinatal MHSU best practices.

Duties/Accountabilities:

Duties
1. Provides perinatal MHSU clinical consultation and advisory services to Social Workers and other healthcare professionals across C&W.
2. Offers subject matter expertise and clinical consultation to healthcare providers in planning, assessing, and developing treatment procedures, guidelines, and policies to ensure best practices in perinatal MHSU care.
3. Provides advanced expertise and interpretation of the Mental Health Act, Child, Family and Community Service Act, and other applicable legislation to Social Workers and healthcare professionals as it applies to the perinatal population
4. Participates in complex care planning with interdisciplinary teams and external partners across the province.
5. Delivers clinical consultation to multiple community agencies and organizational program partners to support the advancement of perinatal MHSU best practices.
6. Provides guidance and expertise to support the development of guidelines, protocols, and policies for perinatal MHSU, while identifying, promoting, and participating in program planning strategies to enhance system processes and resources for patients and their families.
7. Identifies perinatal MHSU practice gaps and offers recommendations to leadership and the Practice team to build capacity. Participates as a member of the Practice team for support and development of perinatal MHSU practice.
8. Leverages specialized knowledge and experience to develop perinatal MHSU education, training, and resource materials for Social Workers and other healthcare professionals.
9. Establishes and maintains effective collaborative and constructive relationships with individuals and groups including community providers, organizations, child welfare agencies, hospitals, and others.
10. Participates as a perinatal MHSU expert in employer programs and initiatives such as clinical rounds, quality improvement activities, team conferences, and meetings to influence and advance practice across the province.
11. Maintains current knowledge of trends and activities in clinical practice relevant to perinatal MHSU and Social Work disciplines, and participates in psychosocial research activities including literature searches, knowledge translation planning, and implementing evidence-based research into strategic planning and professional practice.
12. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Education, Training and Experience
• Current full registration with the British Columbia College of Social Workers.
• Additional certification/demonstrated successful completion of advanced training or education specific to perinatal MHSU.
• Minimum five (5) years of recent relevant experience in perinatal MHSU or an equivalent combination of education, training or experience.
• Additional training in Indigenous Cultural Safety, Trauma & Violence Informed Care and Motivational Interviewing.
Skills and Abilities
• Advanced knowledge & clinical skills in assessment of perinatal MHSU.
• Advanced knowledge & clinical skills in trauma & violence informed care and motivational interviewing.
• Advanced knowledge of relevant legislation to Social Work practice and national standards of Mental Health Act, Perinatal Substance Use, Child & Family and Community Service Act, Infants Act, Health Care Consent & Care Facilities Admission Act, Freedom of Privacy and Information, Department of Indigenous Services Act, Adoption Act, and Adult Guardianship Act.
• Advanced knowledge & clinical skills of social work theories and family therapies.
• Advanced knowledge & clinical skills in crisis intervention.
• Advanced knowledge & clinical skills individual, group and family counseling specific to perinatal substance use, mental health and child protection.
• Advanced knowledge & clinical skills in system navigation and resource brokerage.
• Advanced knowledge & clinical skills of best practices and evidence based clinical interventions in perinatal MHSU.
• Demonstrated ability to develop guidelines and best practice resources.
• Advanced knowledge of BC College of Social Work Code of Ethics and Practice Standards.
• Demonstrated ability to coach and mentor staff.
• Ability to influence, role model and promote best practice.
• Demonstrated ability to identify scope and nature of consultation services required for the perinatal MHSU.
• Demonstrated interpersonal verbal and written communication skills necessary to establish effective liaison with members of the interdisciplinary team, the hospital, community agencies and the public.
• Ability to provide effective consultation.
• Demonstrated experience delivering workshops, lectures and presentations to a wide variety of health care professionals and partners.
• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively as part of an interdisciplinary team and to promote teamwork.
• Demonstrated ability to deal effectively with conflict, facilitate conflict resolution and manage stressful situations.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, organize work, establish and meet priorities and be self-directed.
• Demonstrated initiative and self-direction in pursing professional development at an advanced level.
• Demonstrated ability to carry our research activities.
• Demonstrated computer literacy including but not limited to electronic health record and Microsoft Office Suite. Demonstrated knowledge of virtual technology at an advanced level to utilize it as a medium in consultation and education.
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.