Summary

The Clinical Team Lead is a member of the Pathways to Housing leadership team at The Alex and provides supervision, clinical direction, and support to the clinical team.

Description

 

The Alex is a beacon of hope for Calgary’s most vulnerable citizens, offering wrap-around health care, housing, social, and wellness programs. With a patient and client-centered approach, we envision a community where every individual is valued and empowered to thrive. Our mission is to improve quality of life through accessible and integrated health, housing, and social services. With five decades of experience, we have earned a reputation for tackling tough health and social issues, guiding individuals on their journey from crisis to wellness, and from challenge to change.

Job Overview: Reporting to the Program Manager, the Clinical Team Lead is a member of the Pathways to Housing leadership team and provides supervision, clinical direction, and support to the clinical team. The Clinical Team Lead provides training and leadership utilizing the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Model. The Clinical Team Lead has knowledge of this model and understands evidence-based practices (IDDT, MI, IMR etc.) and upholds the Assertive Community Treatment Fidelity Scale at all times. The Clinical Team Lead ensures that the team is sufficiently flexible and dynamic to meet the needs of chronically homeless individuals who experience persistent mental illness, justice involvement, high emergency service use, and a variety of barriers to accessing psychiatric and medical care, vocational, and substance use services. The Clinical Team Lead is guided by participant-centered decision-making and ensures that rehabilitation and community integration are supported by the appropriate services and best practices. This is a permanent, full-time position. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Program Philosophy

  • Uphold the principles of ACT Model, Harm Reduction, Housing First and Trauma Informed Care.

  • Understand the Residential Tenancy Act, Mental Health Act and Community Treatment Orders. 

  • Understand and follow program policies, procedures and standards of accreditation.

Support Team Members 

  • Provide encouragement, leadership and coaching to team members.

  • Ensure team member adherence to policies and procedures, regulations, CAC Standards of Accreditation, and principles of Assertive Community Treatment, Harm Reduction, and Housing First. 

  • Ensure the team understands the Mental Health Act and Community Treatment Orders. 

  • Promote a positive and safe culture of high performance, accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement through leadership and modelling the agency's values. 

  • Monitor team performance and progress. 

  • Maintain participant oversight. 

  • Perform full-cycle recruitment and onboarding for new staff. 

  • Maintain a work environment that is marked by respect for others, valuing inclusiveness, building workforce diversity, and fostering cooperation and teamwork.

  • Facilitate team meetings. 

  • Attend community meetings, working and focus groups etc. in consultation with the Program Manager. 

  • Facilitate regular team meetings to maintain client care through group case planning, updates on best practices, continuing expectations, and program development.

Program & Administrative Requirements

  • Complete required documentation with excellence, following agency policy and procedures and respective of professional college requirements.

  • Complete and manage CTO documentation.

  • Complete team schedule, as required.

  • Monitor all outcomes and ensure program KPIs are met. 

  • Ensure all program and participant information is appropriately collected and stored.

  • Assist with data collection and entry as directed.

  • Collaborate with the Housing First Medical Clinic and the Housing Support Team. 

  • Manage and oversee Community Treatment Orders and apprehensions in consultation with physicians 

Client Care

  • Facilitate intake process with all new participants.

  • Work in tandem with the team to assertively engage participants and prevent evictions/discharges.

  • Manage urgent situations that arise with timely communication to all parties involved.

  • Monitor participants housing status, lead team in tenant discussions, and coordinate participant’s plans for housing needs.

  • Participate in and contribute to Pathways to Housing Leadership activities and responsibilities.

  • Support the Program Manager with budget adherence. 

  • Represent The Alex in the homeless serving sector including public speaking engagements.

  • Attend community meetings, working and focus groups, etc. in consultation with the Program Lead.

  • Complete monthly reporting on service use and housing stability to program funder.

  • Provide some single-clinician, assertive outreach services to individuals with significant mental health and addiction concerns.

  • Facilitate or support groups as needed.

  • Work collaboratively with program participants, families, and community partners to assist participants in achieving treatment and recovery goals. 

  • Offer culturally sensitive services, where indicated.

  • Nurture professional relationships with other service providers to ensure a high quality of service for our participants.

  • Perform other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications and Experience: 

  • Bachelors or Master’s degree (preferred) in Psychology, Social Work, Community Rehabilitation, or a related field. 

  • Eligible for registration with their professional discipline in Alberta.

  • Leadership experience is required. 

  • Comfort in supervising professionals outside of own discipline.

  • Experience working with vulnerable populations with significant mental health and substance use issues.

  • Impeccable communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.

  • High level of accountability in all areas.

  • Commitment to contributing positively to team culture.

  • Comfort meeting individually with participants in the community in a broad variety of settings, with a safety-first mindset.

  • Openness to a wide scope of practice with commitment to innovation and flexibility.

  • Willingness to support participants with housing needs (e.g. ability to safely lift household items within your ability, support with teach independent living skills, etc.).

  • Strong initiative in times of limited supervision.

  • A satisfactory vulnerable sector criminal record clearance is required

  • Class 5 driver’s license, personal vehicle for business use, clean 3-year drivers abstract, and $2 million liability coverage are required. 

  • First Aid (Basic or Intermediate) – Level C CPR & AED within 30 days of hire date; certification must be valid for a minimum of 6 months upon hire. 

  • Demonstrated knowledge, understanding and commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action.

Work Environment and Hours: 

  • 1.0 FTE (37.5 hours/week)

  • Standard hours 08:30 – 16:30, Monday to Friday; flexibility in crisis situations is required. 

  • Work environment is split between The Alex Community Health Centre (2840-2 Ave SE, Calgary) and outreach; single clinician visits in program participant homes.

  • 24 hour on-call services on a rotating schedule

  • Continuous extended periods of sitting, with some standing and walking. 

  • Frequent driving as part of work duties

  • Occasional climbing and carrying objects (up to or over 20 lbs.) up or down stairs throughout shift

  • Occasional physical activity requiring the ability to bend/crouch, reach above shoulder height, and kneel/crawl. 

  • Work tasks require the physical dexterity to work on a computer and handle small objects, near and far vision, and verbal interaction with clients, colleagues, and the public on a regular basis.

  • Occasional time outside in all weather conditions

Benefits: 

Some of the great benefits The Alex has to offer include:

  • 3-weeks’ vacation  

  • Medical and Dental Coverage

  • Health / Wellness Spending Accounts 

  • RRSP and/or Student Loan Repayment Program (up to 5% match) 

  • Personal Days

  • Floating Holiday

  • Sick/Wellness Days

  • Employee Family Assistance Plan (EFAP)

  • Professional Development

Driving on behalf of The Alex:  

This position requires the use of a personal vehicle for work-related purposes. Candidates must show proof of a class 5 driver's license, a personal vehicle, and a clean 3-year drivers abstract. Candidates must also agree to maintain $2 million liability insurance on their personal vehicle, and consent to the possibility of an annual driver's abstract review to meet our insurance provider’s requirements. Mileage will be reimbursed in alignment with the CRA guidelines. Driving a fleet vehicle at The Alex requires that candidates are at least 21 years of age with a minimum of three (3) years driving experience.  

 

How to apply:

If you are as passionate as we are about making a difference in people’s lives, please visit our career centre: Jobs at The Alex | The Alex.   

This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. We will make every effort to accommodate candidate’s schedules and needs in all parts of the hiring process.

The Alex is committed to embedding the principles of equity, inclusion, and diversity across the organization. We are committed to removing barriers to employment that are faced by equity-seeking groups and encourage (but not require) members of these groups to self-identify as such in their cover letters. 

In accordance with our strategic priorities, we particularly encourage applications from individuals who self-identify as racialized* or Indigenous (First Nation, Metis, or Inuit).

*The term “racialized” is used here instead of the more outdated and inaccurate terms “racial minority, “visible minority”, “person of colour”, or “non-White”.

For further information about The Alex and its programs, we encourage you to visit our website at www.thealex.ca.