Aboriginal Housing Management Association
Vernon, BC V1T 9X4
Email: [email protected]
Aboriginal Housing Management Association is located within the ancestral, traditional, and unceded territory of the Syilx Nation.
Position: Mental Health & Substance Use (MHSU) Clinician
Program: Complex Care Housing (CCH) – Aboriginal Housing Management Association
Location: Vernon, BC
Reports to: Clinical and Operations Manager
Position Type: Full-Time | Permanent
Pay Scale: $45.00–$55.00 per hour, in accordance with the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) non-union pay grid.
Schedule & Hours:
This is a full-time position working 37.5 hours per week. Schedule is flexible with the Clinical and Operations Manager based on program needs. The nature of complex care housing means flexibility is required, the MHSU Clinician is expected to be responsive to urgent clinical needs that may arise outside of standard hours and may include weekends and an on -call schedule.
Complex Care Housing Mandate:
Aboriginal Housing Management Association operates a 24/7 staffed 10-bed Complex Care home for Indigenous individuals with complex mental health, substance use, and health needs.
The program is delivered by a multidisciplinary team and integrates culturally grounded practice, trauma-informed care, and harm reduction within a residential housing model.
Our approach prioritizes safety, dignity, cultural connection, and long-term stability.
We are committed to creating a culturally safe and supportive environment for both residents and staff.
Job Summary:
The Mental Health & Substance Use (MHSU) Clinician is a core member of the Apollo House clinical team, providing direct clinical services to residents living with concurrent mental health and substance use disorders.
This role bridges direct resident care, relationship-based engagement, risk assessment, staff capacity building, clinical documentation, care planning, policy and program development, and community liaison. The Clinician works in close collaboration with the CCH Leadership Team, nursing staff, the psychiatrist, the addictions physician, and the cultural advisor to ensure integrated, person-centred, and culturally grounded care for all residents.
This position operates within a harm reduction, trauma-informed, and culturally safe framework. The MHSU Clinician approaches their work with flexibility, clinical integrity, and a deep commitment to resident dignity and self-determination.
Apollo House is a program in active development. The MHSU Clinician plays a meaningful role in building and refining the clinical and operational infrastructure of the program, contributing to policies, protocols, tools, and documentation as the team grows.
Job Duties & Responsibilities
1. Client Engagement & Relationship Building
- Engage residents in regular one-on-one community-based outings and informal interactions as a core part of this role, with the intent of building genuine trust and rapport.
- Use engagement to explore what residents want for themselves, their goals and what matters to them in a naturalistic, resident-led way; observations and insights gathered through engagement directly inform treatment plans, behavioural care plans, and safety plans.
2. Direct Clinical Services & Resident Support
- Provide therapeutic support to residents experiencing concurrent mental health and substance use challenges.
- Conduct Mental Status Examinations (MSEs) and mental health and substance use assessments as required; complete other clinical assessments appropriate to scope of practice.
- Develop, implement, and evaluate individualized therapeutic programming using evidence-based frameworks including Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
- Design and facilitate one-on-one and group-based programs focused on skill-building, emotional regulation, coping strategies, and recovery-oriented goals.
- Provide harm reduction counselling and support around substance use, including Opioid Agonist Therapy (OAT).
- Assist residents with appointment preparation, accompaniment, and follow-through for mental health, substance use, and OAT-related appointments.
- Act as a clinical advocate for residents within the team and with external systems, ensuring their needs, preferences, and rights are represented.
- Fulfill mandatory reporting obligations in accordance with applicable legislation, including child protection and adult safeguarding requirements.
- Support residents through major transitions including hospital discharge, release from corrections, and changes in housing or care level.
3. Risk Assessment & Safety Planning
- Complete suicide, homicide, and aggression risk assessments using structured, evidence-informed tools appropriate for the Apollo House setting and population.
- Develop individualized safety plans in collaboration with residents and the care team; update safety plans as part of ongoing care planning and following any significant change in presentation.
- Ensure all risk assessments are documented with clear rationale, follow-up actions, and review timelines; update at regular intervals and following significant incidents.
- Apply sound understanding of consent and capacity considerations across all risk and safety work.
4. Mental Health Act (MHA) & Psychiatric Support
- Maintain current, working knowledge of the BC Mental Health Act and its application in a complex care housing setting.
- Complete required Mental Health Act forms accurately and in a timely manner; support clinical team to maintain required MHA documentation and tracking.
- Collaborate with the clinical team to support residents and staff during psychiatrist appointments, including preparation, coordination, communication, and follow-up.
- Liaise directly with the psychiatrist and addictions physician to communicate clinical concerns, share observations, and coordinate integrated care.
5. Care Planning & Documentation
- Develop, update, and maintain individualized care plans, treatment plans, behavioural care plans, and safety plans in collaboration with the clinical team.
- Lead and co-facilitate huddles and care planning meetings, including scheduling, facilitation, documentation, and tracking of follow-up actions.
- In collaboration with the clinical team, maintain and regularly update the Kardex for all residents, ensuring it reflects current clinical priorities, medications, behavioural considerations, and relevant contacts.
- Maintain organized, accurate, and up-to-date resident files in accordance with AHMA standards and applicable privacy legislation.
- Complete all required clinical documentation, assessments, tracking logs, and reports in a thorough and timely manner.
6. Incident Report Review & Quality Improvement
- Review completed incident reports with the clinical team on a regular basis to identify patterns, clinical themes, and emerging concerns.
- Following review, collaborate with the clinical team to determine appropriate follow-up, including updating a care or behavioural plan, identifying an LSW training need, clarifying team expectations, or initiating a formal debrief.
- Participate in critical incident debriefs with Life Skills Workers and residents as part of the broader clinical and leadership team response.
7. Staff Training & Capacity Building
- Provide ongoing consultation, guidance, and informal support to Life Skills Workers (LSWs) and other Apollo House staff.
- Lead and co-facilitate formal and informal training for staff, including but not limited to:
- Overdose recognition, response, and naloxone administration
- Mental health literacy and concurrent disorder awareness
- De-escalation and trauma-informed approaches
- Risk assessment tools and protocols, including LSW-accessible versions
- Behavioural care plan orientation and day-to-day implementation
- Skill-building frameworks including DBT skills, window of tolerance, and harm reduction principles
- Support LSWs in understanding and appropriately applying residents’ care and behavioural plans during shift.
- Contribute to onboarding and orientation of new staff from a clinical perspective.
- Collaborate with the CCH Leadership Team to identify staff learning needs and contribute to ongoing training planning.
8. Cultural Safety & Integration
- Work collaboratively with the Apollo House Cultural Advisor to meaningfully embed cultural elements into programming, care planning, and clinical practice.
- Approach all resident interactions with cultural humility, centring the cultural identity, history, and preferences of each individual.
- Support the integration of traditional healing practices and Indigenous wellness frameworks alongside clinical interventions where appropriate and resident-directed.
- Engage in ongoing learning related to the Nations, cultures, and communities represented by Apollo House residents.
9. Outreach, Community Liaison & Agency Coordination
- Serve as the primary clinical point of contact for external agencies and justice/social service partners, including BC Corrections (Probation and Parole), MCFD, and MSDPR.
- Conduct community-based outreach with residents as needed, supporting access to appointments, harm reduction services, medical care, and social supports.
- Build and maintain professional working relationships with community partners and health and social service providers across Vernon and the Interior Health region.
- Represent Apollo House at relevant community tables, inter-agency case conferences, and collaborative care meetings as directed by the CCH Leadership Team.
- Document all significant agency communications, decisions, and follow-up actions in the resident file.
10. Policy, Procedure & Program Development
- Contribute to the development, review, and updating of Apollo House policies, procedures, and clinical and operational reference documents.
- Identify gaps in existing documentation or practice and bring these forward to the CCH Leadership Team with recommendations.
- Collaborate with the clinical team and leadership to ensure policies and procedures reflect best practice, regulatory requirements, and the specific needs of the Apollo House population.
Qualifications & Experience
We encourage applications from First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals. Cultural knowledge and lived experience are valued in this role. We welcome applicants with lived experience of mental health and/or substance use recovery. Relevant lived experience may be considered in place of or alongside formal education.
Education:
- Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW), Counselling Psychology, or a related clinical discipline is required; registration with the appropriate BC regulatory body (BCCSW, BCACC, or equivalent) is required or actively in progress.
- Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree and substantial equivalent experience in concurrent disorder or complex care clinical settings may be considered.
Experience:
- Minimum 3 years of direct clinical experience working with individuals experiencing concurrent mental health and substance use disorders.
- Demonstrated experience conducting clinical risk assessments (suicide, homicide, aggression) and developing individualized safety plans.
- Experience working within harm reduction, trauma-informed, and culturally safe frameworks.
- Experience working with Indigenous Peoples and/or communities, with an understanding of the impacts of colonization and intergenerational trauma on health and wellbeing.
- Experience in complex care, supportive housing, assertive community treatment (ACT), or similar intensive community-based settings is a strong asset.
- Familiarity with the BC Mental Health Act, Opioid Agonist Therapy (OAT), and mandatory reporting requirements.
Required Certifications:
- Current certification in, or willingness to obtain prior to start:
- First Aid / CPR
- Naloxone administration training
- WHMIS
- Food Safe
- Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI) – asset
- Trauma-Informed Practice training – asset
Other Requirements:
- Valid BC Driver’s Licence and access to a reliable vehicle for community-based outreach and resident accompaniment.
- Clear Criminal Record Check including Vulnerable Sector screening (required prior to start).
Skills & Abilities
- Proficiency in evidence-based therapeutic frameworks: DBT, ACT, CBT, and trauma-informed modalities.
- Strong clinical documentation skills including care planning, risk documentation, and incident reporting.
- Ability to build genuine, trust-based relationships with high-acuity individuals using a non-judgmental, strengths-based, and culturally humble approach.
- Ability to function effectively within a multidisciplinary team and maintain clear, professional communication with clinical and non-clinical staff.
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced, complex environment.
- Capacity to adapt and contribute in a program that is actively evolving — comfortable with ambiguity and motivated by the opportunity to build.
- Clear verbal and written communication skills, including accurate and objective documentation.
- Ability to learn and use electronic medical record (EMR) systems. Basic knowledge of Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel).
- Working knowledge of community resources and social service systems in the Interior Health region is an asset.
Preference may be given to qualified Indigenous applicants in accordance with Section 41 of the Human Rights Code.
Successful applicants will be required to provide a Criminal Record Check (CRC) with Vulnerable Sector and three professional references.
How to Apply:
Qualified applicants are invited to submit a current résumé or CV, a cover letter outlining their relevant experience and what draws them to this role.
[email protected]
Subject line: MHSU Clinician — Apollo House
We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Apollo House is committed to a fair, inclusive, and culturally safe hiring process.
Pay: $45.00-$55.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Dental care
- Extended health care
- Flexible schedule
- Mileage reimbursement
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- Vision care
Application question(s):
- Briefly describe your experience providing direct clinical services to individuals with concurrent mental health and substance use disorders. How many years have you worked in this type of role?
- Have you worked in a residential or 24/7 complex care setting before? If so, describe the population you supported and your role on the team.
- This program operates within a harm reduction framework, meaning residents may be actively using substances during their time at Apollo House. How comfortable are you working directly with individuals who are actively using substances?
- Do you have working knowledge of the BC Mental Health Act, including completing MHA forms, supporting involuntary admission processes, and supporting individuals on extended leave?
Work Location: In person
