Addiction and Mental Health Worker, Crisis Centre First Contact

Addiction and Mental Health Worker, Crisis Centre First Contact

Direct Service - (OPSEU)

Part-Time, Permanent
This posting is the result of an existing vacancy

London, ON (London Zone)

- Application Deadline: August 31, 2026 -

When individuals in our community experience an urgent mental health or addictions crisis, they deserve a response that is person-centred and supportive, while focusing on personal dignity and wellbeing. 

At the Crisis Centre First Contact, you will provide short-term support for individuals accessing the programs. By ensuring the safety of all who enter the program, we encourage empowerment and crisis resolution while maintaining a calm and respectful environment for all.

Consider revitalizing your career and making a difference in your community by joining our team!

 WHAT WE'RE OFFERING:

• What you'll be making -  Starting rate for this role is $27.14per hour (Level 1 – Direct Service), with a wage differential, based on regulation ($30.01per hour for Level 1 – Direct Service, Regulated):
  • Successful candidates who are registered with one of the designated professional colleges (e.g. OCSWSSW, CNO, COTO, CRPO, CPSO, or CPO) will receive the wage differential for regulation
  • Successful external applicants will start at Level 1, with grid progression based on seniority up to Level 8 ($34.41 per hour for non-regulated, and $37.26 per hour for regulated)
  • For internal applicants, grid level placement will occur as per the Collective Agreement
• When you'll work -14 hours bi-weekly; every other Saturday and Sunday, 2 pm to 9 pm.
• What your benefits will be - 9% in lieu of benefits
• Your pension plan - Immediately eligible for optional enrolment in the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP)

HOW YOU WILL BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE:

• Respond to in-person and phone referrals for service to the Crisis Centre
• Work collaboratively with referral sources to ensure a smooth transition to services for participants
• Contribute to a welcoming and supportive environment for individuals attending the Crisis Centre
• Complete mental health and addictions assessments and interventions based on the theory of crisis management including rapid response, risk assessment, de-escalation, stabilization, and referral to determine individual needs and level of risk
• Utilize interventions consistent with a harm reduction approach 
• Establish a therapeutic relationship to maximize the benefits of engagement between the staff person and the individual
• Provide short-term follow-up support to bridge the gap from referral to engagement with a longer-term support service as needed
• In partnership with the participant, coordinate and facilitate linkages to appropriate services and supports in the community
• Advocate as necessary in order to facilitate access to services and supports with the objective of remediating the immediate crisis situation
• Provide information regarding resources found within both the broader addiction and mental health system and the community in general
• Engage Emergency Services when it is determined that additional intervention is required
• When appropriate, act as a liaison with caregivers and/or support providers who are involved with the individual to facilitate a coordinated approach to service provision
• Provide referrals to other services within the organization such as the Crisis Assessment Team and Transitional Case Management Team, as necessary
• Provide health teaching and information regarding a variety of coping techniques and strategies, e.g. grounding, breathing techniques, self-care, nutrition, sleep hygiene, techniques to enhance overall well-being, the completion of crisis plans
• Provide individual follow-up as determined to be necessary and/or appropriate

Crisis Intervention & Follow-up:

• Provide short-term, psychotherapeutic intervention to assist individuals in gaining insight and improving coping skills within the framework of the crisis model.
• Perform in a calm, competent and efficient manner in an emergency situation acknowledging the individual’s need for privacy and dignity.
• Utilize harm reduction principles to identify, reduce and remove risk factors related to substance use
• Refer individuals for additional assessments as is determined to be necessary and/or appropriate
• Assist individuals in identifying and connecting with personal, natural, and professional support to promote overall well-being
• Provide follow-up support and/or check ins to bridge the gap from referral to engagement with a longer-term support service as appropriate
• Facilitate debriefing sessions for individuals and groups

Reception

• Serve as initial contact in greeting and directing participants, staff and guests with a primary focus on providing a welcoming environment to all site visitors
• Ensuring that all enquires are addressed in a timely manner
• Work collaboratively with co-workers to ensure the effective flow of relevant information between co-workers as well as to individuals-served and site visitors (including messages, service information, organizational and site-specific information)
• Ensure that reception areas are maintained in a manner that is tidy and inviting, and that public bulletin boards and brochure supply areas are kept current and accessible
• Operate telephone system – answer, screen and forward telephone calls, record and relay information
• Ensure sign in book is updated to assist in tracking of all persons in the building as per Health and Safety requirements
• Retrieve and bring the sign in book when an evacuation of the building has occurred in order for a roll call to be completed
• Retrieve, sort, date stamp correspondence, and distribute accordingly
• Coordinate and distribute all incoming e-mails to the general e-mail account, all incoming faxes, and all incoming postal mail

Reach Out responsibilities:

• Provide crisis intervention services and supports on the Reach Out Crisis line via phone, text and web chat
• Respond to voicemails from the Reach Out Crisis line.
• Establish a therapeutic relationship with callers to the Reach Out line, and work with these clients to address their immediate concerns

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO APPLY:
Police Vulnerable Sector Check Requirements
Successful candidates must have a Police Vulnerable Sector Check completed in the last six months. Interested applicants who reside in the City of London and are in need of a Police Vulnerable Sector Check (PVSC) are encouraged to apply for one as soon as possible as PVSCs in the City of London are currently taking approximately 2 weeks to be processed and offers of employment cannot be made without receipt of a PVSC.

We require the following qualifications:

• Degree or diploma in a mental health or addictions related field, or a degree or diploma in an unrelated field with a minimum of three years’ employment experience in a direct-service mental health and addictions role (primary proof of credentials will be required during the hiring process i.e. original degree/diploma or official transcript)
• Ability to attend work regularly

We prefer the following qualifications:

• Proficiency in the areas of crisis intervention, crisis resolution, and community support
• Training in crisis intervention and crisis resolution, including ASIST
• Extensive knowledge of community resources, service and support programs, and barriers individuals face in accessing same
• Working knowledge of a variety of treatment, intervention, and support strategies for mental health and addictions
• Computer literacy
• 3 years’ experience working in mental health
• 2 years’ experience in mental health crisis intervention
• Experience with, and detailed knowledge of, mild, moderate & serious mental illnesses, usually gained by several years of working with this population
• Experience working in a community-based setting; preferably with an established network of service & support resources
• Written and verbal communication skills
• First Aid & CPR, WHMIS
• Bilingual both official languages, preferred; préférence sera accordée aux candidats qui sont compétents dans les deux langues officielles du Canada

INTERNAL APPLICANTS:  To be considered as an internal applicant, current staff members are reminded to apply using their @cmhatv.ca or @slwar.ca email address.

Get your application in by – August 31, 2026:
Our recruitment process allows us to learn about your previous work experience, your qualifications and your commitment to fulfilling our vision. While we appreciate the interest of all applicants, only those individuals being considered for a position will be personally contacted by someone from the interview team. 
We welcome and encourage applications from all members of our community including persons of any gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation, persons with disabilities, Indigenous persons, and members of visible minorities. If you require accommodations related to a disability at any point during the recruitment process, please contact  View email address on cmhatv.applytojob.com

  Legal Notifications:

• For legal purposes our full business name is: Canadian Mental Health Association Thames Valley Addiction and Mental Health Services
• Artificial Intelligence is not currently employed in our recruitment processes