FT Contract Harm Reduction Care Coordinator

Status: Full-time, contract for 18 months
Location: Chippewa of the Thames, Muncey, Ontario
Hours: 35 hours/week
Salary: $51,595 to $60,700 per year
Paid Time Off: 3 weeks of vacation, plus sick days, spiritual/cultural leave, birthday
Pension: HOOPP (defined benefit plan) – optional
Posting Date: August 26, 2024
Deadline: September 9, 2024

Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) is a diverse, dynamic, multiservice Indigenous health and wellness agency. We strive to provide quality, wholistic health services by sharing and promoting traditional and western health practices to enable people to live in a more balanced state of well-being. SOAHAC provides services to Indigenous people including those who live on and off reserve, status, non-status, Inuit, and Metis within the Southwest, Waterloo Wellington and Erie St Clair regions. SOAHAC has a mandate of ensuring that health services are accessible, of high quality, and are culturally appropriate. It is SOAHAC’s objective to build health care capacity within Indigenous communities. Currently, we are seeking the services of a Harm Reduction Care Coordinator to join our interdisciplinary staff team to work at our Chippewa Site.

Reporting to the Integrated Care Manager in Chippewa, The Harm Reduction Care Coordinator (HRCC) provides culturally appropriate, safe, and professional harm reduction support to the needs of Indigenous people who use substances and families accessing SOAHAC Interdisciplinary Health Care Services. Services will include care planning, case management, advocacy, navigation, counselling, and crisis support supportive of Indigenous worldviews and beliefs and harm reduction principles. This comprises a range of therapeutic activities with a focus on Indigenous individuals and families to improve wellness.

Responsibilities
• Function as a resource to individuals, groups, and communities by responding to the needs of individuals who use substances by identifying needs and gaps in care
• Enhance access to services though referrals and systems navigation and advocate on issues regarding the needs individuals who use substances
• Hold and develop knowledge of substance use and harm reduction principles and application within Indigenous communities
• Develop and nurture relationships with community organizations and leaders to support and enhance SOAHAC’s community-based suboxone program, seeking partnerships where appropriate
• Provide health and wellness promotion and prevention for clients, their families, and communities that are supportive and respectful of diverse Indigenous worldviews and beliefs
• Consult with medical staff, community workers, and community leaders to identify trends, needs, and priority health issues to promote interest, participation, and support for the program
• Collaborate with the client, health care team members including physicians and nurses, mental health professionals and community workers within the interdisciplinary team model of care
• Utilize evidence-informed practices for Indigenous people and families, such as trauma-informed care and harm reduction approaches to support mitigating challenges and diversion
• Develop, implement, and monitor strategies and strength-based programs which include cultural activities that reflect Indigenous people to meet those needs
• Provide intake appointments with clients as required
• Participate in external training workshops, seminars and teaching circles as required
• Participate in staff meetings, seminars, circles and training workshops
• Maintain confidential information and statistics related to clients and services
• Provide reports as required
• Develop and implement programming, goals, objectives and evaluation of all program activities
• Develop of client support strategies i.e. MOUs, wellness plans
• Liaise with other FNIM organizations and communities who wish to access support from HRCC
• Maintain positive, cooperative and effective working relationships with agency partnerships.
• Support the development and circulation of communication materials for staff, clients and community members about harm reduction and care services at SOAHAC Chippewa site
• Support the development of presentations for management.
• Utilize opportunities to speak at public events, conferences and meetings within the communities to promote the program, as well as respond to requests for presentations.

This job may require additional responsibilities and duties as assigned by Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre.

SOAHAC values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer; however, hiring preference will be given to qualified Indigenous applicants. SOAHAC is committed to providing employment accommodation in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If you require accommodation to apply or if selected to participate in an assessment process, please advise Human Resources.