Mental Health Worker-Community Support Services

St. Joseph’s Home Care; Hamilton; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A community health service provider in Hamilton seeks a Mental Health Worker to provide support for individuals with complex mental health challenges. This role emphasizes collaboration with clients and care teams to promote health and community integration. Candidates should have relevant qualifications and minimum experience in mental health or social services.

Benefits

Equity, inclusiveness, and diversity commitment

Training opportunities

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of experience in mental health, addictions or social services, required.
• Experience with vulnerable clients in community care settings, required.
• Gentle Persuasive Approach training, preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support clients with complex mental health issues based on recovery principles.
• Conduct intake interviews and assessments to develop service plans.
• Provide short-term and long-term supportive counseling.

Skills

Collaborative team approach

Crisis intervention

Compassionate care

Cultural sensitivity

Analytical thinking

Education

Diploma or Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Mental Health, Addictions, Nursing

Registration with a professional college (e.g., OCSWSSW, CRPO, CNO)

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work

Tools

Microsoft Office 365

Citrix

Job description

Mental Health Worker - Community Support Services

Posting Information: Number of Openings: 1
Division: Community Support Services
Program: First Place – Various CSS and Clinical Programs
Location: Hamilton – First Place (travel to various CSS and Clinical programs required)
Regular/Temporary: Permanent
Union: Non-union
Hours of Work: Days 8 am-4 pm / 9 am-5 pm (Average 75 hours bi-weekly)
Posting Date: September 4, 2025
Closing Date: Until Filled

Wages: $30.55 – $49.63 Dependent on experience
French Language Skill Requirement: N/A

Position Summary

The Mental Health Worker (shared) provides client mental health support across the various Community Support Services and Clinical program locations. The MHW-CP is responsible for supporting clients with complex mental health issues and is guided by principles of recovery, trauma-informed care, harm reduction and cultural safety.

The MHW-CP provides direct support, intervention, and advocacy for individuals experiencing mental health challenges. Working within legal, ethical and policy frameworks, the role involves collaborating with clients, families, caregivers, care teams and other interdisciplinary functions to promote resiliency, independence, safety, health and community integration. This role may coordinate psychosocial assessment, engage in counselling, support case management and discharge plans, as well as provide service coordination and consultation in the best interests of the client’s needs.

This role supports the Manager – Therapies Service in the organization 0strategic initiatives related to therapy services, and supports CSS program Managers and the Director – Clinical Programs in collaboration with their program's client needs in mental health.

Community Support Services clients are typically individuals who have been discharged from hospital but cannot return to their pre-hospital living arrangements. These Assisted Living and Supportive Housing clients are in the process of having long-term care needs assessed, are medically stable, adults (including seniors), and may have diagnosed or undiagnosed complex mental health needs. Clinical Program clients have typically been discharged from hospital and still require some level of health care for a short period; they are generally stable adults and may have diagnosed or undiagnosed complex mental health needs.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

• Maintain current working knowledge of relevant legislation (Mental Health Act, Health Care Consent Act, Substitute Decisions Act, Public Hospitals Act, Long Term Care Act, Child and Family Services Act, PHIPA, Excellent Care for All Act)
• Conduct intake interviews and comprehensive mental health/psychosocial assessments
• Develop and implement individualized service plans in collaboration with clients
• Provide short-term and long-term supportive counseling using evidence-based approaches (e.g., CBT, DBT, motivational interviewing)
• Support clients in navigating symptoms of anxiety, depression, psychosis, PTSD, and concurrent disorders
• Facilitate peer support and psychoeducational groups focused on wellness, coping skills, and relapse prevention
• Respond to mental health crises in community, home, or congregate settings
• Conduct risk assessments (e.g., suicide, self-harm, violence) and safety planning
• Collaborate with emergency services, hospitals, and mobile crisis teams
• Provide de-escalation, stabilization, and post-crisis follow-up
• Assist clients in accessing supports, food security, and legal aid
• Coordinate referrals to psychiatrists, psychologists, addiction services, and primary care
• Track progress through regular reviews and adjust care plans accordingly
• Advocate for clients within healthcare, legal, and social systems
• Build relationships with community agencies, cultural organizations, and other supports
• Develop and deliver organizational education on mental health awareness and stigma reduction; coordinate external training services
• Participate in community events and outreach initiatives
• Collaborate in client transitions from hospital to community support services programs
• Document client-related interventions in keeping with standard documentation guidelines
• Adhere to standards of practice and documentation guidelines as applicable to credentials
• Identify and intervene with high-risk situations and utilize best practices
• Provide theory-based crisis intervention and counselling
• Assist in discharges and care planning where applicable
• Engage in mentorship and provide expertise to SJHC frontline staff
• Comply with workload measurements and data collection expectations; support data collection and reporting
• Record support activities in client charts and assist clients in scheduling therapy appointments
• Perform general administrative duties related to the role
• Other duties as required

Core Competencies

• Regularly demonstrates mission, vision and values:

1. Support compassionate care, faith and diversity
2. Deliver quality care, pursue and share knowledge, respect diversity, remain faithful
3. Commit to dignity, respect, service, justice, responsibility and enquiry
4. Knowledge, sensitivity and expertise in the care of seniors and their families

Ability to work collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team; sharing expertise

Promotes a healthy, supportive and inclusive work environment

Contributes to initiatives and positive change

Effective problem solving and analytical thinking

Creative problem solving for complex issues

Self-reflection and adaptability to changing needs

Solid team-based approach to daily work

Adaptable and creative with quick shift in approaches

Superior verbal and written communication with strong customer service mindset

Positive, professional with a can-do attitude

Willingness to go the extra mile and support colleagues

Willingness to learn and mentor with senior staff

Ability to prioritize, meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment

Compliance with corporate policies, health and safety regulations, and external standards

Engagement in internal and external training requirements and corporate quality initiatives

Maintains privacy and confidentiality of all personal health records and adheres to privacy requirements of EMR systems

Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Mental Health, Addictions, Nursing, or related field, required
• Registration with a professional college (e.g., OCSWSSW, CRPO, CNO), preferred
• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from an accredited University, an asset
• Registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, required
• Membership with the Ontario Association of Social Workers, preferred
• Minimum 2 years of experience in mental health, addictions, or social services, required
• Previous experience with vulnerable clients in community care settings, required
• Gentle Persuasive Approach (or equivalent) training, preferred
• Proficient computer skills including Excel, Office 365, Citrix, etc., preferred

St. Joseph’s Home Care is an equal opportunity employer, committed to equity, inclusiveness, and diversity. AI is not used in recruitment. If accommodations are required during the recruitment process, inform the hiring manager. If you wish to conduct your interview in French, contact the head office to arrange.