AVI Health & Community Services (AVI) increases health equity by providing highly responsive, harm reduction -based HIV, hepatitis C, substance use, sexual health, mental health, and other community health services, and is informed by the voices of people with living experience. We envision a community where people can experience optimal health and wellness, and be free from stigma, marginalization, and criminalization.

For more information see www.avi.org

Our work takes place in Kwakwaka'wakw, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Coast Salish territorial regions on what is colonially known as Vancouver Island. The rich and beautiful lands and waters of this Island have been home to over 50 First Nations for time immemorial; we respectfully acknowledge their past, present, and future sovereignty.

AVI CRISIS RESPONSE. COMMUNITY LED (CRCL):
The AVI CRCL (Crisis Response. Community Led) Team, Victoria is funded by the Province of British Columbia and the Canadian Mental Health Association. CRCL is a peer-assisted care program and a mobile crisis response team, led by persons with lived/living experience and mental health professionals who are able to de-escalate crises and develop community care plans with persons experiencing crisis.

The CRCL Team is an approach to responding to someone in crisis that focuses on health, well-being and community support. Utilizing a community-based, client centered, trauma-informed response, a peer-assisted model of care has been proven to help individuals navigate mental and social care services and reduce engagement with the justice system and emergency services.

The CRCL Victoria Team provides services on the territories of the Ləkʷəŋən peoples (Kosapsum and Songhees nations), as well as the W̱SÁNEĆ Nations.

JOB SUMMARY:
The CRCL Victoria Team will provide acute mobile crisis support and de-escalation services for persons 13 years of age and older experiencing mental health and/or substance use related crises.

Working in collaboration with all team members, the Crisis Responder is responsible for providing rapid point of service mental health crisis management and de-escalation, including assessment, suicide intervention and safety planning, as well as acute care planning, referrals to alternative services or escalation to emergency services.

Alongside the team, this role is grounded in person-centered, harm reduction and trauma informed approaches to care, which centers the needs and agency of the service user.

The Crisis Responder position is made up of two streams of applicants; persons with lived and living knowledge and persons with educational knowledge.

This posting will consider applicants from either stream. Please refer to the Qualifications section for further details.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE:

Emotional Resilience and ability to center the needs of the person in crisis

Humility, flexibility and conscientiousness

Ability to critically assess, make ethically informed decisions, and remain grounded in complex and dynamic situations.

Ability to manage hostile interactions using non-violent communication, situational awareness and diffusing techniques.

Ability to work mandatory, where and as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS:
The following qualifications must be outlined in your application, in order to be eligible:





This is not an entry level position:

Minimum 3-5 years relevant experience, including within mental health services, including crisis de-escalation, mobile crisis response and acute mental health services.

One of the following 2 streams:
Experiential Stream Qualification:
Demonstrated experience utilizing lived/living knowledge in service delivery and advocacy

Lived/living knowledge of mental health and mental health related crisis, including navigation of mental health and emergency services interventions, experience of victimization and persecution of mental health experiences, and/or criminalization of mental health experiences.

Education Stream Qualification:
Degree in the mental health field (i.e., counselling, social work, psychiatric nursing, criminology and psychology)

Additional Education related to crisis support and acute mental health care is an asset.

Demonstrated knowledge and use of crisis intervention and de-escalation best practices, including:

Situational Awareness, Scene Safety and Risk Mitigation Practices

Effective nonviolent/nonjudgemental communication skills, including active listening, high-guidance and assertive communication practices.

Demonstrated crisis intervention skills, including extensive experience with suicide and homicidal assessments, as well as demonstrated knowledge and experience developing safety plans

Demonstrated skills, experience, and knowledge of harm reduction and health promotion practices.

Demonstrated practice of cultural humility and trauma-informed approaches to care.

Demonstrated commitment to personal development and ethical practice, including:

Awareness of personal stressors and triggers, with active engagement in selfcare practices

Demonstrated awareness of personal and implicit biases

Reflexive practice that supports examination of personal motivations, judgements and feelings that may be activated by crisis work

Demonstrated capacity to uphold skilled boundaries.

Demonstrated knowledge of the harmful effects of colonization, including relevant or applicable training/knowledge and experience in anti-racism, culturally safer care and decolonization.

Demonstrated capacity to uphold a collaborative and team-based approach, including:

Outstanding, strength-based problem-solving skills

Outstanding trauma informed, direct communication skills

Capacity to engage in self-reflection and personal accountability.

Valid Class 5 BC Driver’s License, with “Normal Drivers Status”.

Employment subject to criminal record check for working with vulnerable populations

Employment requires already successfully completed CRCL Training Curriculum

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
CLCR is an emergency response team, supporting persons and their community/family experiencing mental health and substance use related crises.

As such, all team members are expected to perform the following duties and practices.





Working on an Emergency Response Team
At all times, the Crisis Responder is expected to:

Remain responsive to incoming calls up until the end of shift, and/or when Mandatory Emergency Overtime is in effect

Remain ready and able to attend back-to-back emergency mental health calls

Demonstrate emotional resilience, including and especially within complex situations

Work effectively as a team, including respectful communication throughout and following an emergency crisis response

Continuously center the needs of the person experiencing crisis

Effectively and professionally engage other care providers, including when advocating for a person in crisis, and/or when critically assessing and determining the next course of action

Perform all other job duties, as needed.

Crisis Response

At all times, the Crisis Responder is expected to:

Be ready and able to respond to mental health and substance use related crises

Perform in-person assessments and adjust responses depending on presenting acuity

Think critically and respond quickly, especially in critical situations and when deciding the next course of action

Develop rapport with service users, while appropriately assessing safety, vulnerabilities and presenting needs, and determining the next course of action

Utilize a range of skill sets to de-escalate, diffuse and establish safety for all persons resent

Utilize a range of skill sets to effectively provide crisis care, including:

Active listening

Co-regulation

Suicide and Homicide and Vulnerable persons assessments

High-Guidance and direct communication

Systems Navigation

Safety Planning

Develop comprehensive safety plans and establish post-crisis follow-up care

Effectively and professionally engage other care providers, including when advocating for a person in crisis, and/or when critically assessing and determining the next course of action

Perform all other job duties, as needed.

Situational Awareness, Scene Safety and Unpredictable Working Conditions
CLCR Works in environments and conditions that may change quickly, including with persons who may be or become escalated.

All kinds of weather

For extended periods

Within and around diverse types of substance use

Within and around respiratory illnesses

Within potentially hazardous dwellings

Within unknown and unpredictable environments

At all times, the Crisis Responder is expected to:

Utilize a trauma informed approach, including with persons who are escalated and who use language or express beliefs that could be offensive or triggering for staff

Decenter themselves to provide care to all persons accessing our services

Utilize situational awareness, assessment, de-escalation, and mental health training to work safely within changing and unpredictable environments

Be prepared for and able to adapt to changing work environments, including:

All kinds of weather

For extended periods

Within and around diverse types of substance use

Within and around respiratory illnesses

Within potentially hazardous dwellings

Within unknown and unpredictable environments

Perform over the phone and in-person assessment to critically assess and determine the next course of action

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📌 CRCL Crisis Responder- Friday to Sunday- Part Time (British Columbia)
🏢 AVI Healthmmunity Services
📍 British Columbia