Come work as a Social Worker with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)!

Vancouver Coastal Health is looking for a Social Worker to join the team in North Vancouver, BC. Apply today to join our team!

As a Social Worker with Vancouver Coastal Health you will:

• Work as a member of an interdisciplinary team to provide clinical outreach services and a range of mental health and substance use supports.
• Using an outreach model that is strengths-based and inclusive of harm reduction approaches, work autonomously and as part of an interdisciplinary team to support clients with complex needs, achieve goals whether pre-contemplative or treatment ready including: detox/substance use stabilization planning, accessing treatment and recovery programming, building recovery capital and supporting wellness initiatives.
• Provides direct clinical services in the form of comprehensive social work assessments, intervention, referrals and supports.
• Act as client advocate, develops, coordinates and delivers evidence-based treatment/interventions to provide crisis intervention-stabilization.
• Collaborates with colleagues and other caregivers in the identification and resolution of client care issues, ethical dilemmas, coordination and integration of care.
• Connects clients with health care and community services, develops, implements and adjusts individualized treatment plans in collaboration with internal team, affiliated prescribers and other treatment team members.
• Liaise and consults with internal/external physicians, governmental and community social service, health and mental health agencies to facilitate the client’s wellness journeys. Provides harm reduction education and support across the transtheoretical model of change and case management approaches and support are part of the role.
• May act as a designated responder under the Adult Guardianship Act.

This work is framed within VCH’s commitments to our pillars of Indigenous Cultural Safety, Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Planetary Health.

Education & Experience

• Current full registration with the BC College of Social Workers.
• Master’s Degree in Social Work from an accredited educational institution.
• Two (2) years’ recent related experience working with individuals with substance use and mental health presentations in community-based settings or Indigenous-led/First Nations organizations, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Valid BC Driver’s License and access to a personal vehicle for business-related purposes.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Broad knowledge of theories and practices within a client and family centered care model.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct biopsychosocial assessments.
• Demonstrate knowledge of substance-use recovery services in the community and across British Columbia.
• Demonstrate knowledge of health inequities and discrimination faced by designated client population.
• Demonstrate knowledge of strengths based, client centered approach and ability to incorporate into practice.
• Demonstrate knowledge of Indigenous Cultural Safety.
• Demonstrate knowledge of traditional healing practices.
• Demonstrate knowledge of trauma-informed practice.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of harm reduction in a health care setting. Demonstrate knowledge of substance-use recovery model.
• Demonstrate understanding of health care ethics and ability to incorporate ethical decision making in practice.
• Knowledge of Psychosocial Rehabilitation methodology.
• Comprehensive knowledge of other health care disciplines and their role in client care.
• Demonstrated ability in dealing with a variety of situations and responsibilities requiring initiative, creativity and professional judgment.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of a client and family centered recovery model.
• Knowledge and skills to provide care coordination to a select caseload of clients.
• Ability to assess clients at risk and knowledge of appropriate acts: e.g. Mental Health Act, Adult Guardianship, Public Health Act as it relates to the rights and obligations of clients and staff.
• Knowledge and experience in providing culturally safe and competent care, specifically pertaining to Indigenous peoples.
• Broad knowledge of substance use and mental health diagnoses and treatment.
• Broad knowledge of other facilities and community resources.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct mental status exams and suicide risk assessments.
• Demonstrated ability to provide care planning, supportive counseling, crisis intervention, and case coordination.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with clients and their
  families, colleagues, physicians, and other health care staff, both one-on-one and in groups.
• Demonstrated listening and information seeking skills that promotes communication and lead to a cooperative approach to problem solving within a multidisciplinary setting.
• Demonstrated ability to establish workload priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to adjust schedule to deal with unexpected situations.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated ability to provide clinical consultation.
• Demonstrated ability to problem solve and use critical thinking skills.
• Demonstrated ability to deal effectively with conflict situations.
• Ability to operate related equipment including applicable software applications
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.

Applicants with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from an accredited School of Social Work, and a demonstrated equivalent combination of education, training and experience may be considered. If you are applying under equivalency, please clearly outline in your application how your knowledge, education, skills and experience meet Master of Social Work (MSW) equivalency.

The hours of work including days off and work area may be subject to change consistent with operational requirements and the provision of the Collective Agreement and applicable statutes.

As per Ministry of Health policy, all health care workers working in publicly-funded health care facilities are required to report their past receipt of certain vaccines or history of certain infections. Collecting these records will allow for offering of any missing vaccines, and for appropriate actions to be taken in the event of any future exposure to a communicable disease or during outbreaks. For all new hires and appointments to Vancouver Coastal Health, you will be asked to provide this information as part of the onboarding process.

WHY JOIN VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH?

VCH is a world class innovator in medical care, research and teaching, delivering service to more than one million BC residents. At VCH, we embrace thinking boldly, taking smart risks, and "going first" when we believe it will lead to the best possible outcomes for patients and their families. We invite you to join us in creating healthy lives in healthy communities by showcasing our passion for care, connection to the communities we serve and our culture of teamwork that makes VCH a great place to work.

• Comprehensive health benefits package, including MSP, extended health and dental and municipal pension plan
• Grow your career with employer-paid training and leadership development opportunities
• Wellness supports, including counselling, critical incident and innovative wellness services are available to employees and their immediate families
• Award-winning recognition programs to honour staff, medical staff and volunteers
• Access to exclusive discount offers and deals for VCH staff

At Vancouver Coastal Health, our vision of healthy lives in healthy communities inspires us and our values and pillars guide us. We support equitable practices, diverse teams and inclusive environments, which are vital to creating welcoming spaces where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and feel supported. We encourage applications from equity-deserving communities, including Indigenous Peoples and members of racialized groups, people with disabilities and people of all gender identities and expressions and sexual orientation.

Vancouver Coastal Health is proud to be recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers, Canada’s Best Diversity Employers and Canada's Top Employers for Young People in 2025.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for this posting.


***Employees of VCH must apply online via the Internal Career Portal on CareerHub, you are currently viewing the External Career Portal. Refer to the https://my.vch.ca/working-here/job-postings site for instructions on how to view internal job postings and how to apply as an employee. Current VCH employees who apply to this posting using this external site will be considered as an external candidate. Seniority will not apply.***

Thank you for your interest in Vancouver Coastal Health.