Occupational Therapist I

The Youth Community Support Program is a cross-ministry initiative. It aims to provide a step-down service for youth and their families who are exiting acute inpatient mental health settings or formal treatment environments. This program is for youth 10-17 years of age. Service provision occurs at a non-government agency with a focus on providing a collaborative, transdisciplinary enhanced approach to working. As part of this team, you will have a role in assisting children and adolescents reach their ultimate goal of healthy family reunification and successful independent living. These clients are continuously accessing hospital services with no stable resolution. Your responsibilities include: Provide consultation to professionals and/or assessment to adolescents (ages 10-18) with complex mental health issues and associated developmental, cognitive and behavioural disordered within YCSP. Providing Occupational Therapist services in the context of family centred care. Liaise and collaborate with relevant community agencies, including schools. Patriciate in case conferences, staff meetings, professional development and program evaluation, student education. Appropriate documentation and statistical data collection. Strong collaborative skills, an understanding of partnership and connection with community partners. Ability to coordinate service delivery with other CYF AMH services and staff is required. This position has been identified and is anticipated to transition to Recovery Alberta effective September 1, 2024. By applying to this posting, if you are a successful candidate, you will transition to Recovery Alberta. Following the transition letter of understanding with UNA, current employees under the UNA Collective Agreement who accept an employment offer, issued after July 1, 2024, will not have any rights under Article 15: Layoff and Recall.

As an Occupational Therapist (OT), you will provide evidence-informed services, with a focus on occupational performance designed to meet the needs of individuals, groups, or a community. You may act as a direct service provider, consultant, educator, or advocate and function as an integral health care team member. You will engage individuals, groups, and communities to enable meaningful and chosen occupations, including self-care, productivity and leisure. You will support clients to achieve optimum functional abilities and independence related to their cognitive, affective, spiritual, and physical strengths and limitations. As an OT, you will provide comprehensive services, including triage, screening, consultation, assessment, diagnosis, collaborative goal setting, treatment, prevention, self-management, education, case management, referral, transition support, and collaboration with relevant and chosen stakeholders and supports within the client¿s physical, institutional, cultural, and social environments. You will include clients and families as integral members of the health care team, encouraging their active participation in all aspects of care. You will collaborate with clients and families in determining, implementing, and evaluating rehabilitation. You will participate in a variety of interprofessional teams to build awareness, enrich support and engage in quality improvement by partnering with healthcare providers, patients, families, and other stakeholders to advance services for the clients. You will contribute to quality improvement and their professional community and participate in peer mentoring and supervising students. You may also provide clinical supervision to Therapy Assistants and Therapy Aides.

Completion of bachelor's degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited university program. Registered with the Alberta College of Occupational Therapists (ACOT).

A minimum of five years of clinical OT experience (within the last 8 years) with adolescents (and their families) who have complex mental health issues with associated cognitive, behavioural and developmental delays/disorders. Training in and understanding of DSM -V diagnoses. Knowledge of evidence-based OT interventions. Knowledge of community resources for adolescents with functional impairment, fine or gross motor difficulties, sensory issues and other OT-related issues. Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment and complete work in a timely manner. Experience working with Child and Family Services, schools and other community resources. Strong communication skills and interpersonal skills with ability to work collaboratively and to contribute positively to change in emerging services/programs. Experience providing expert clinical OT consultation to professionals. Knowledge of and experience utilizing standardized OT measures for children and adolescents. Ability to work from a family centered perspective and with diverse populations. Ability to handle crisis and stressful situations in a calm facilitative manner.

Experience working with Child and Family Services, Disability Services (FSCD), schools and other health partnership initiatives, multicultural groups, program development and community resources for children and adolescent is preferred. Preference will be given to those with knowledge, skill and experience in DBT and eating disorders. Experience supervising OT students. Experience facilitating groups.