9-8-8 Crisis Responder

Quinte Health; Belleville; On-site; CAD 39,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Quinte Health is hiring a 9-8-8 Crisis Responder to join a multi-disciplinary Suicide Crisis Helpline team. You will perform immediate assessment and support for Ontarians contacting the national 9-8-8 line, stabilizing crisis, developing safety plans, and guiding clients toward longer-term supports.

Hours include 8-hour day, evening, and night shifts with weekends and holidays. Strong collaboration with health crisis teams and adherence to confidentiality and professional standards are required.

Qualifications

• Must have a Social Service Worker diploma or Bachelor's Degree in related social sciences.
• Must be currently registered and in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW).
• Experience in mental health and addiction support required.
• Knowledge of suicide and crisis intervention, mental illnesses, psychiatric medications, and the Mental Health Act.
• Knowledge of person-centered and trauma-informed care.
• Strong conflict resolution, crisis intervention, assessment, decision-making, observation, and listening skills.
• Ability to work independently and with the Mental Health and Crisis Services team and other crisis response providers.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, computer, and organizational skills.
• Commitment to confidentiality per PHIPA and FIPA and willingness to sign confidentiality agreements.
• Must have a satisfactory Criminal Record / Vulnerable Sector Check.

Responsibilities

• Initiate contact and build rapport with callers.
• Assess risk, including suicidal tendencies and protective factors.
• Collaboratively create plans to reduce risk and promote recovery.
• Empower callers to ensure their safety.
• Engage emergency services when needed.
• Offer supportive interventions and identify key support sources.
• Assist with navigating various systems like health, housing, and legal.
• Facilitate community resource referrals.
• Collaborate with Quinte Health Crisis Team staff or with other regional service providers for client support.
• Educate individuals, caregivers, and service providers about mental health.

Skills

Mental health experience

Crisis intervention

Suicide crisis intervention

Trauma-informed care

Person-centered care

Conflict resolution

Assessment

Decision-making

Observation

Active listening

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Independent work

Confidentiality

Criminal background check

Organizational skills

Education

Social Service Worker diploma

Bachelor's Degree in related social sciences

OCSWSSW registration in good standing

Mental Health related education

Job description

Position Summary

The 9-8-8 Crisis Responder is a member of a multi-disciplinary Suicide Crisis Helpline team at Quinte Health, providing immediate assessment and support to individuals across the Province of Ontario contacting the new national 9-8-8 mental health call line for individuals experiencing thoughts of suicide and/or emotional distress. The primary goals of service are to establish initial contact with service users to the 9-8-8 call line, provide assessment and intervention to stabilize crisis, support individuals in the collaborative development of a plan to reduce risk and promote safety and recovery. Through evidence-based mental health interventions, promote relapse prevention and transition to longer term supports and recovery activities where appropriate.

Hours: 8 hour day, evening & night shifts including weekends and statutory holidays. Hours are subject to change with notice based on the needs of the organization.

Required

• Social Service Worker diploma or Bachelor's Degree in related social sciences.
• Currently registered and in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW)
• Experience in mental health and addiction support.
• Knowledge of suicide and crisis intervention, mental illnesses, psychiatric medications, and the Mental Health Act.
• Knowledge of person-centered and trauma-informed care.
• Strong conflict resolution, crisis intervention, assessment, decision-making, observation, and listening skills.
• Ability to work independently and with the Mental Health and Crisis Services team and other crisis response providers.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, computer, and organizational skills.
• Must maintain confidentiality in compliance with appropriate corporate and provincial policy, including PHIPA and FIPA, and agree to all confidentiality agreements.
• Must have a satisfactory Criminal Record / Vulnerable Sector Check.

Preferred

• Preference will be given to candidates with Mental Health related education.
• Experience as a responder on a crisis helpline with both call and text interactions.

Duties

• Initiate contact and build rapport with callers.
• Assess risk, including suicidal tendencies and protective factors.
• Collaboratively create plans to reduce risk and promote recovery.
• Empower callers to ensure their safety.
• Engage emergency services when needed.
• Offer supportive interventions and identify key support sources.
• Assist with navigating various systems like health, housing, and legal.
• Facilitate community resource referrals.
• Collaborate with Quinte Health Crisis Team staff or with other regional service providers for client support.
• Educate individuals, caregivers, and service providers about mental health.

At Quinte Health, guided by our core values of Imagine It's You, Value Everyone, We All Make a Difference, and Stronger Together, our family of four hospitals holds a central role in the mission to enhance lives and foster healthier communities. We operate as a cohesive team, uniting all our hospitals, to deliver local and regional healthcare services. In partnership with our communities, we strive to improve access to high-quality care, right in their own neighborhoods. Our sense of fulfillment is deeply rooted in the impactful work we do, a sentiment shared by our dynamic teams of staff, dedicated physicians, and committed volunteers. They not only care passionately for our patients but also for each other, embodying our core values at every turn. We don't just serve our communities, we actively contribute to them. Quinte Health is woven into the fabric of our local landscape, with our team members residing, raising their families, and often retiring right here in the communities they cherish. We are on a constant lookout for compassionate and dedicated individuals to join our team. Our diverse array of exciting roles encompasses positions that span multiple hospitals, as well as opportunities situated within a single hospital. Join us as we live out our values in providing exceptional healthcare close to home.

Physical Demands Analysis

Strength

• Required Occasionally – lifting and carrying average weight 20 pounds and max 50, pushing/pulling average 10-15 pounds and max 30 pounds, patient assist approx. 100 pounds

Mobility

• Required Constantly – standing
• Required Frequently – walking, bending/stooping, sitting
• Required Occasionally – twisting/turning, bending, crouching/squatting, kneeling
• Required Rarely – balancing, climbing

Dexterity

• Required Frequently – forward shoulder movements, gripping/grasping, pinching, neck, elbow, shoulder, wrist and back normal range of motion
• Required Occasionally – fine finger movements, shoulder movements (up/down)
• Required Rarely – foot action

Equal Opportunity

We thank all interested candidates for their response, however, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted. Quinte Health is an equal opportunity employer committed to meeting needs under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom and the Ontario Human Rights Code. Our Recruitment process follows the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act in order to provide a fair and equitable process for all candidates. Applicants requiring accommodation through the recruitment/interview process are encouraged to contact the Human Resources Department at 613-969-7400 x2577 or