Occupational Therapist, Full Time, Community Adult Mental Health

Job Code: 26211

Status: Full Time

Location: Community

Union: OPSEU 4104 Paramedical

Wage: $47.20 - $ 54.81

Posting Period: Posted Until Filled

As a member of an interprofessional team, the Occupational Therapist provides expertise in occupational performance, by providing evidence-based, recovery focused assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and support focusing on service coordination, medication management, activities of daily living, occupational engagement including work, social, interpersonal relationships and leisure time that contribute to the optimal function of individuals who experience a severe mental illness. The Occupational Therapist also contributes to the development of the comprehensive individual-directed treatment and recovery plan and provides service coordination for assigned individuals that include providing a range of treatment, rehabilitation and support services to facilitate the individual's personal recovery goals.

The Community Adult Mental Health Programs aim to prioritize dignity, autonomy, and safe transitions for individuals living with dementia, mental health conditions, acquired brain injuries, substance use health challenges and cognitive impairment or decline. The stepped-care approach matches client needs to community-based support, transitional support, acute inpatient and complex continuing care. This is a comprehensive, wrap-around service aimed at improving person-centered care, reducing caregiver distress, and enhancing continuity of care

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy
• Unrestricted registration with the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario
• One year of work experience providing services to adults with a serious mental illness and with neurocognitive changes in an outpatient psychiatric setting, effectively accessing and employing community resources to meet the needs of the individual, preferred
• Experience working in a wide range of community settings, including clients’ homes
• Valid Ontario G Class driver’s license, satisfactory driver’s abstract and access to reliable means of transportation on a regular basis

Position Duties & Responsibilities

• Develops effective therapeutic relationships including developing shared understanding of the individual's lived experience with the illness
• Provides service coordination for assigned individuals including coordinating, monitoring and revising the delivery of treatment, rehabilitation and support services per the individual's recovery plan and with a focus on individual strengths
• Assumes primary responsibility for developing, writing, implementing, evaluating, and revising overall goals and recovery plans in collaboration with the individual and team
• Provides education and support to individuals and their families and advocates for individuals’ rights and preferences
• Participates in and completes parts of the individual-directed comprehensive assessment
• Provides direct clinical services to develop the skills and resources of the individual (e.g. illness education, coping skills, smoking cessation, development of crisis plans) teaching symptom-management techniques to alleviate and manage symptoms and to promote personal growth and development
• Uses illness self-management techniques in collaboration with the individual; techniques encourage individuals to use their own experiences and knowledge to apply strategies that work best for them
• Provides ongoing assessment of individuals' mental illness symptoms and individuals' response to treatment. In collaboration with the individual and the interprofessional team, makes appropriate changes in treatment and recovery plan to ensure immediate and appropriate interventions are provided in response to changes in mental status or behaviour, which put individuals at risk (e.g. suicidal)
• Provides symptom education to enable individuals to identify their mental illness symptoms and target the symptoms and occurrence patterns of his or her mental illness, developing methods (internal, behavioural or adaptive) to help lessen the effects
• Collaborates with the interprofessional team, to assist in the organization and management of the system of medication administration and integrates medication administration into individual recovery plans
• Provides occupational performance problem identification and occupation performance analysis to determine outcomes for OT intervention. May include functional, environmental, cognitive and physical assessments, and evaluation of daily use of time, recommending interventions such as remediation of impairments, developing strategies for adaptation, facilitating skill development, and strengthening individuals' resources, matching the individual's strengths, values and activity
• Provides ongoing assessment, problem-solving, side-by-side services, skill training, supervision (e.g. prompts, assignments, monitoring, encouragement), and environmental adaptations to assist individuals with activities of daily living
• Assists individuals to find and maintain a safe and affordable place to live - apartment hunting, finding a room-mate, landlord negotiations, cleaning, furnishing and decorating, and procuring necessities (e.g. telephone, furnishings, linens, etc.)
• Assists and supports individuals to carry out personal hygiene and grooming tasks
• Identifies strengths and skills of individuals in achieving occupational goals, engagement and community participation
• Highlights employment as a path to recovery and participates in, and conducts parts of the individual-centered comprehensive assessment related to education and employment
• Assists individuals to plan and structure social and leisure time activities on evenings, weekends and holidays through the use of natural supports and community resources.
• Provides clinical opportunities and education for Occupational Therapy students in accordance with OT policy
• Provides in-services, community education and academic teaching

Why Work at Providence Care Community Teams

• Providence Care offers a wide range of community services across Southeastern Ontario
• Community services striving for excellence in care, education and research
• Committed to people centred approach to care delivery
• Competitive salaries, benefits and pension
• Corporate and service specific orientation for new hires
• Focus on Healthy Workplace and Culture of Quality
• Employee and Family Assistance Program
• Education, mentorship and bursary opportunities
• Fully affiliated with Queen’s University and St. Lawrence College and other academic institutions
• Locations in Kingston, Belleville, Brockville, Kingston, Napanee and Sharbot Lake

Disclosure: We do not use artificial intelligence to screen, assess, or make selection decisions in our recruitment process. Unless specifically stated, all job postings are for existing positions at Providence Care.