Title: Mental Health and Addictions Clinical Lead
Department: Community Programs
Classification: Full Time, Salaried, Non-Management
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
This is an in-person role and requires afternoon and evening availability (up to 8:30 pm) as part of a standard work week. Occasional weekend work.
Location: Spryfield, NS
YWCA Halifax is a progressive, multi-service, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of women, girls, two-spirited and gender diverse people and their families at critical turning points in their lives. We work to transform lives by providing a continuum of services and programs that drive lasting positive change. We strive to change the underlying issues that are root causes of inequality, violence, poverty, and homelessness. Our four program focus areas include: promoting the health, wellness, and leadership of women and girls; advancing women’s economic and housing security; delivering quality, accessible, early learning, and childcare; and working to end violence against women, girls and gender diverse individuals.
Why work for the YWCA
Staff at YWCA Halifax enjoy a supportive and dynamic team environment, a commitment to staff growth, a connection to the national and international YWCA movements, learning from colleagues in a multiservice agency, and a strong shared vision.
Why YOU should apply
Even if you don’t have all the requirements listed in this position, you may be the right candidate. If you are a natural leader with a strong attention to detail and a passion for social justice and gender equity, we want to hear from you. Take a chance and apply. Tell us how you can make a difference through your YWCA.
Program Overview
Integrated Youth Services (IYS) is an international and pan-Canadian movement that takes an interdisciplinary, community-led, partnership-based approach to support for youth ages 12-25. Anchor Youth Spaces provide timely, coordinated access to a wide range of programs and services. We reduce barriers, promote early intervention, and integrate wraparound supports such as mental health and substance use care, primary health, social services, and peer support for youth.
All services are delivered within a welcoming, youth-friendly environment where relationship building and engagement are foundational. Extending past traditional therapy, clinicians also play an active role in the space through participation in programs, activities, workshops, and informal interactions. This approach supports comfortable, seamless access to clinical services for youth when needed. In addition to maintaining a clinical caseload, this role provides clinical guidance to an interdisciplinary team.
Key Responsibilities
Direct Clinical Services, Crisis Intervention, and Care Coordination:
- Respond to and support youth experiencing crisis, elevated risk, mental health, substance use, housing, family, and social challenges.
- Deliver evidence-based harm reduction support and safety planning for youth, adapting clinical approach to match individual needs.
- Carries out and completes assessments, evidence-based treatment, care plan development and implementation, counselling, discharge planning, and group programming in accordance with the YWCA and Anchor Youth Space Nova Scotia guidelines, in alignment with their regulatory body, and professional code of ethics.
- Where required deliver counselling, case management, timely referrals, and co-ordinated transfer of care to other or higher acuity clinical addiction and mental health services for youth ages 12-25.
- Deliver clinical intervention in active partnership with youth, and identified support systems as appropriate, ensuring therapeutic strategies honour self determination and identified goals.
Program Co-Design, Youth Engagement, and Culture:
- Embrace a holistic, equity focused, and trauma-informed approach to youth well-being grounded in IYS Guiding Principles, the social determinants of health, and YWCA Halifax’s commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, reconciliation, accessibility and anti-racism.
- Build rapport and trusting relationships with youth through regular participation in reception, drop-in activities, groups, and workshops.
- Participate in the day-to-day life of the space to support a welcoming, low-barrier environment where youth can connect with services through relationship-based engagement.
- Collaborate with staff, youth, peers, and community partners to support the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of programs, groups, workshops, and activities within the space that support youth wellness, mental health, and resilience building.
Clinical Administration & Professional Practice:
- Provide clinical consultation and support to colleagues through direct collaboration, mentorship, shared service planning, and interdisciplinary problem solving.
- Participate in the IYS-NS and YWCA Halifax Clinician Community of Practice, relevant committees, and working groups.
- Collect and enter data in the IYS-NS platform; use data to guide care conversations and assist youth with required entries.
- Maintain current knowledge of legislation, policies, and protocols related to youth mental health and addictions.
- Contribute to research, evaluation, and quality improvement (local/provincial; occasional national).
- Engage in performance appraisals, required training, and professional development.
- Act with the highest professional and ethical standards, following all organizational policies, procedures, applicable legislation and regulation, and professional standards and codes of ethics.
Perform other duties as required.
Qualifications and Requirements
- Masters in Social Work, Psychology, Counselling, Nursing, or Occupational Therapy.
- Fully registered in good standing with the relevant professional body and insured to provide counselling services. Provisional candidates are not eligible for this role.
- Minimum two (2) years of clinical experience providing assessment, therapy, and treatment in youth mental health and addictions services required; three (3) years to five (5) years preferred.
- Experience working with people who bring diverse lived experiences, including 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Mi’kmaq, Inuit, and Métis), African Nova Scotians, racialized communities, newcomers, people with disabilities, and others with intersecting identities.
- A high degree of proficiency in mental health and addiction screening and risk assessment; including suicide assessment.
- Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to trauma informed, person-centered care, with sound judgement, interpersonal sensitivity, and diplomacy.
- Values a highly collaborative interdisciplinary approach with a strong relational and team-oriented mindset to support strong outcomes for participants.
- Experience providing clinical therapy using evidence-based methods and modalities (e.g. solution-based approaches, motivational interviewing), strong clinical decision making, collaborative practice, and client engagement strategies.
- Comfort and agility in a dynamic, non-traditional youth setting, with the flexibility to blend clinical expertise into an active shared community space while maintaining professional boundaries and clinical ethics.
- Demonstrated ability to prioritize workload, adapt to changing demands, and ensure effective organization and time management.
- Proficiency with electronic case documentation, file management and Microsoft Office suite.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills with demonstrated ability to maintain timely and accurate records.
- Ability to work flexible hours.
- Ability to provide services in person, via text or telephone, and virtually (from the IYS site).
- Current First Aid and CPR certification (including naloxone) and non-violent Crisis Intervention; or a willingness to obtain this training.
- Must be able to provide a current Child Abuse Registry and Criminal Record check with a Vulnerable Sector check upon hire.
- Competencies in other languages would be an asset but is not required.
YWCA Halifax is committed to diversity, and we welcome all suitably qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply. YWCA Halifax is governed by, employs, and serves diverse individuals and community members. Self-identification by applicants does not guarantee an interview but we want you to know that we understand that lived experience of racialization, Indigeneity, disability, and gender diversity are their own knowledge and expertise. We value this expertise and consider it as we discern who to interview.
If interested, please attach both cover letter and resume in your application.
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- Vision care
Application question(s):
- This is an in-person role and requires afternoon and evening availability(up yo 8:30pm) as part of a standard work week as well as occasional weekend work. Does this schedule work for you?
Licence/Certification:
- registration for counselling services in NS (required)
- insurance to provide counselling services in NS (required)
Work Location: In person
