PACT Assistant Coordinator/Dispatcher

Position: PACT Assistant Coordinator/Dispatcher
Expected hours: 3:00pm-11:30pm; Tuesday-Saturday

Location: New Westminster, B.C.

Overview: The New Westminster Peer Assisted Care Team (PACT) provides an alternative to the presence of police personnel at mental health crisis calls in New Westminster. The teams offer crisis support services that integrate cultural safety protocols and holistic care options. This program aims to reduce the harms experienced by people who have mental health and addictions challenges as well as Black, Indigenous, racialized, LGBTQ2+ and other marginalized individuals. The Assistant Coordinator/Dispatch Worker will incorporate knowledge and experiences in crisis assessment and intervention, de-escalation, harm reduction, suicide prevention, anti-oppressive practice, client-centred and recovery-oriented care, trauma-informed practice and culturally competent care to support individuals and families experiencing a crisis in the City of New Westminster. The Assistant Coordinator/Dispatcher is a hybrid role that provides staff supervision and frontline support to the PACT team.

Assistant Coordinator:

• Works in collaboration with PACT Coordinator to support effective and sustainable growth and progress of the program.
• Assists with day-to-day operations of the program, including support and supervision of staff members. Provides information and direction on a daily basis.
• Assists in the development of client service plans to address immediate, intermediate and long-term client needs.
• Helps oversee file management and the client database.
• Works cooperatively with staff and others to ensure safety policies and procedures are relevant and demonstrate high standards.
• Monitors the safety of staff and their practices on a daily basis to ensure everyone’s safety and initiates crisis management protocols as required.
• Assists with data collection and reporting.
• Completes the required paperwork for all aspects of the project.
• Supervises the team during PACT operating hours and when PACT Coordinator is on vacation or the staff team requires support in a crisis.
• Establishes relationships with key stakeholders including the City of New Westminster, the Police and Fire Departments, community organizations, the business community, resident associations, and others to ensure excellence in service delivery.
• Works collaboratively with Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA BC) staff on all facets of the project.
• Participates in team meetings, continuing education, and/or community initiatives and engages in ongoing team planning, development, evaluation, and quality improvement activities.

Dispatcher:

• Receives requests over the phone or through text for crisis assistance. Connects with the PACT crisis workers to respond as appropriate.
• Quickly and accurately engages in assessments and obtains all information needed to assist PACT team in responding to crisis calls.
• Gathers and shares vital and relevant information, liaising between caller and PACT team, updating team of status/status change of person in crisis.
• Uses assessment and screening tools to determine urgency and involves PACT team or other emergency services, depending on severity and needs of individual and care provider(s) onsite.
• Incorporates knowledge, skill and ability in crisis assessment and intervention, de-escalation, harm reduction, suicide prevention, anti-oppressive practice, trauma-informed practice and culturally competent care to support individuals and families experiencing a crisis.
• Develops service plans to address immediate, intermediate and long-term client needs.
• Maintains accurate and timely clinical and non-clinical records and reports.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• University degree in Health or Social Services or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• A minimum of five years of community mental health and addictions experience with a strong knowledge of clinical and crisis assessments and intervention.
• A minimum of two years in a supervisory position.
• Knowledge of the mental health classifications, issues and literature.
• Demonstrated skill in client-centred care, trauma and violence informed practice, skill development and counselling.
• Understanding and knowledge of working with persons with mental health and/or addictions issues as well as an understanding of the intersectionality of systemic barriers and social determinants of health.
• Knowledge of systemic and structural factors that impact Black, Indigenous, racialized and LGBTQ2S+ communities.
• Knowledge of common drugs, their effects, and the toxic drug crisis.
• Advanced overdose recognition and response training.
• Current First Aid and CPR certification.
• NVCI Training.
• Ability to maintain a non-judgmental and non-stigmatizing approach is required.
• Willingness to participate in on-the-job ongoing training and outside training.
• Strong verbal, written communication and problem-solving skills.
• A valid Class 5 driver’s license is required.