Mental Health Clinician

First Nations Health Authority; Ladysmith; On-site; CAD 88,000 - 121,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health organization seeks a Mental Health Clinician for its Vancouver Island Primary Care Centre. This role focuses on delivering culturally safe, quality mental health services to First Nations communities, emphasizing holistic approaches. Join a dynamic team dedicated to transformative health practices and community well-being.

Benefits

Municipal Pension plan

3 weeks’ vacation

Access to group health benefits

Qualifications

• Five to seven years of experience working with complex social systems.
• Three years' recent direct experience in a clinical mental health setting.

Responsibilities

• Provide mental health clinical services through a decolonizing lensed approach.
• Collaborate in a multidisciplinary team to tailor treatment plans.

Skills

Culturally safe care

Clinical assessment

Intervention techniques

Education

Master’s degree in Psychology, Counselling or related health professional qualifications

Job description

About Us

FNHA Overview

The First Nations Health Authority is a diverse and transformational health organization of professional, innovative, and dedicated team members and leaders.

The first of its kind in Canada, FNHA works as a health-and-wellness partner with BC First Nations to support self-determination and decision-making to improve health outcomes.

FNHA is proud to have been named one of BC’s Top Employers for 2025. Learn more about why we were selected here https://reviews.canadastop100.com/top-employer-first-nations-health-authority

Title: Mental Health Clinician - Vancouver Island , First Nations Primary Care Centre

Salary: $ 88,948 - $104,644 -$120,340 per year (pay range explained below)

Contract: 2 Year Term

Hours: 8:30am – 4:30pm/ 9am-5pm Mon-Fri (core hours 9am-3pm Mon-Fri)

Location: Esquimalt/ Victoria - located on the traditional Territories of the Kosapsum (Esquimalt) and Songhees First Nations

FNPCI Initiative

The First Nations-led Primary Care Initiative (FNPCI) aims to improve access to primary health-care services for First Nations people across BC in a way that is culturally safe and closer to home. The FNPCI is part of the province’s primary care strategy, which is integrating team-based care in communities throughout B.C. and changing the way primary care is delivered with the creation of primary care networks in partnership with the Regional Health Authorities.

In order to meet the health and wellness needs of First Nations people, it is very important that primary care is culturally safe and culturally informed where Indigenous ways of knowing and being are woven into services.

One of the main objectives of the FNPCI is to develop new First Nations Primary Health Care Centres in rural and urban locations across the province.

The centres will provide access to culturally safe, quality primary health care services for First Nations people and their families. The aim is for clients to feel safe, welcomed, valued, respected and heard when they access care services at one of these centres

About The Centre

In the Vancouver Island Region, the First Nations Led Primary Care Clinics (PCC) are Hub and Spoke Models that provide a unique opportunity to have a primary administration location and up to six different service site clinics. You’ll get to experience being a part of a wrap-around team of health and wellness providers that work across service sectors to provide comprehensive, culturally conscious team-based care. Although the administrative hubs are in Urban Centers, care is provided in communities that align across the spectrum of urban to rural to remote. These positions will each be aligned with one of our Administrative Hubs for the Coast Salish FNPCI. These Hubs are located in Tseycum (North Saanich), Snuneymuxw (Nanaimo), Esquimalt (Victoria) and Cowichan Tribes (Duncan) and will aim to provide team based, trauma-informed care by striving to create a culturally safe environment in order to promote, maintain and/or restore client health.

Working at Vancouver Island Region PCC is guided by the foundational Vision and Seven Directives of the FNHA, emphasizing care, respect, and excellence in serving First Nations communities. The centre champions wellness and seizes the unique opportunity to drive transformative changes in First Nations health and wellness. It is an ideal place for those passionate about making a difference, who are open to cultural understanding, and ready to embrace challenges. As a young and evolving organization, Vancouver Island offers rich opportunities for transformational learning and personal growth, fostering a sense of purpose that goes beyond professional duties. Here, the work you do impacts not only the lives of those served but also your own, all while collaborating closely with culturally rich First Nations communities in British Columbia.

About The Role

This primary care Mental Health Clinician position forms part of a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team that practices from an Indigenous worldview that recognizes and respects the values, beliefs and customs of individuals, families and communities as well as adhering to best practices current to the field. Mental health clinical services, including consultation, intake, assessment, collaborative care planning, education, navigation and connection to other resources, will be done through a decolonizing lensed approach, being aware of clients’ intersectionality and healing journey to design treatment that would be tailored to meet clients’ specific needs.

About You

Education

• A master’s degree in psychology, Counselling, or related health professional qualifications with a specialization in mental health, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience
• Advanced training in threat/risk assessment and/or trauma response, as well as training in brief intervention approaches (such as CBT, motivational interview, SBTA, etc)
  
  

Occupational Certification

• Current practicing registration with the applicable professional governing body in B.C. plus, designation as either a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), a Certified Clinical Counsellor (CCC), or a Registered Social Worker (RSW)
• Current valid Class 5 B.C. driver’s license and willingness to submit drivers abstract
  
  

Experience

• Five (5) to seven (7) years of experience working with complex social systems or an equivalent combination of experience and education
• Three (3) years' recent direct experience in a clinical mental health and addictions setting working with children and youth and/or adultsThree (3) years’ recent related experience conducting mental health, addictions, threat/risk and trauma assessments, intervention and post-vention treatment services to individuals with mental health and addictions issues
• Experience working with First Nations people and communities, providing mental health services which integrate holistic Indigenous approaches
• Care coordination experience within a multi-disciplinary team and including external partners is an asset
• Experience utilizing intervention techniques and skills, including motivational interviewing, somatic experiencing modalities, trauma specific services
  
  

Please refer to Job Specification section of the Job Description for more details.

Working at FNHA

As a member of the team, you will have access to a wide range of employee benefits, including:

• Municipal Pension plan with an employer contribution of 9.31% (after 3 months)
• 3 weeks’ vacation, which increases with service to 4 weeks, plus 5 personal days, 1 volunteer day, and 14 public holidays including National Indigenous People’s Day, National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, Easter Monday and Boxing Day
• Access to group health benefits and a Health Care Spending Account through Canada Life on day 1 of employment
• And more!
  
  

The First Nations Health Authority is committed to respecting diversity within our workforce; preference will be given to individuals who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis.

Leading with culture, all FNHA employees complete San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training. We support our FNHA family members to be leaders in wellness and all staff members develop a yearly wellness plan as part of their performance partnership and goal-setting.

The Pay Range is the minimum (Step 1) and maximum (highest Step) annual base salary based on full time equivalent hours.

How To Apply

If this sound likes the opportunity for you, please click on the 'Apply for Job' button.

FNHA may invite members of partner organizations to work with FNHA on an interview panel to interview and select job candidates. Members of the interview panel might include non-FNHA staff such as members of the First Nations Health Council, First Nations Health Directors Association, First Nations Community partners, or other public partners. By applying for this job posting, you acknowledge and consent to your application, resume, and references being shared with all members of the interview panel. This personal information will be held in strict confidence and protected according to the Personal Information Protection Act.

Closing date: Open until filled

For more information about us, please visit: http://www.fnha.ca/about/work-with-us

For information about https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/cultural-safety-and-humility and for information about https://www.fnha.ca/what-we-do/cultural-safety-and-humility

If you have any inquiries or issues please contact FNHA Recruitment at http://mailto:[e-mail]

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