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

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 agile 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 su

📌 CRCL Crisis Responder- Casual Call (Victoria)
🏢 AVI Healthmmunity Services
📍 Victoria