Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To manage the clinical, administrative, and delivery of the INTERFACE Day Treatment services which include five section classrooms across York Region. The service is delivered in partnership with the York Region District and York Catholic School Boards. The service delivery includes comprehensive assessment, consultation, day treatment services, for children and youth up to the age of 14 years who have multiple social, emotional, and behavioural problems in conjunction with learning disabilities and developmental difficulties in collaboration with their families. To facilitate and coordinate linkages and treatment services in collaboration with the five section classrooms and community based services. To ensure that admission, treatment and discharge processes occur in an effective and timely manner. To develop and deliver staff training to Child and Youth Therapists engaged in direct service delivery and education initiatives to clients and their families/caregivers. To participate in research initiatives.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Thistletown Regional Centre for Children and Adolescents (TRC) is a children's mental health centre directly operated and funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services. INTERFACE (Integrated Resources for Family Assessment, Consultation and Education) is a Children's Mental Health Service developed to meet the needs of families with children under the age of 15 who are experiencing developmental, emotional, behavioural, social and/or psychological difficulties from early childhood. INTERFACEs catchment area is York Region, for Day Treatment services. The position:
• Plans, implements and coordinates Family and Day Treatment Services which includes administration, development of competency-based therapeutic treatment models, psychosocial, clinical and educational needs assessments and coordination of treatment for hard-to-serve children under the age of 15, in five section classrooms. Ensures service is implemented effectively by monitoring and evaluating clients/families behaviours and treatment progress and documentation/client records are maintained in accordance with the TRC policies and INTERFACE procedures.

• Develops and manages a responsive, comprehensive and integrated day service assessment and treatment service through effective communication, collaboration and liaison with other programs and clinical services within INTERFACE and TRC's Adolescent Services and TRE-ADD Program Units, Boards of Education and Children's Mental Health Community Agencies within York Region in addition to special case referrals from the Province.
• Develops the programs service delivery plans, and procedures including CAS to support the Facility's INTERFACE Program and mandate; determines program, systems and operational requirements, staffing levels, material and financial resources to support program activities of Child and Youth Therapists and administrative support staff in conjunction with Program Director.
• Participates in the planning and review of the service operations by developing competency-based therapeutic treatment models, standards, procedures, performance measures and reporting mechanisms, monitoring and evaluating program effectiveness and recommending/implementing changes. Supports and heads new Ministry/Community/ Internal service initiatives.
• Manages contentious or sensitive program delivery issues by investigating or participating in investigations and preparing comprehensive reports and recommendations for the Director, INTERFACE, and/or Facility Administrator.
• Participates as a member of INTERFACE Program Management Team to formulate recommendations for service realignment, quality control and assurance initiatives including client care and community-based services.
• Develops educational training for families to implement client programs and behavioural management strategies and provides related guidance and consultation. Provides regular updates to staff, community stakeholders/partners on current and revised treatment/assessment tools and trends, community referrals, interpretation and application of legislation and regulations for services provided.
• Administers and monitors service contracts pertaining to the Family and Day Treatment Service for compliance with Service Level Agreements terms and conditions in order to maximize services to clients/families and notifies the Director, INTERFACE, of non-compliance or critical service related issues.
• In collaboration with TRC Program Managers, supervisors and clinical multi-disciplinary teams, participates in clinical research by reviewing research proposals within respective services, identifying creative and innovative approaches, monitoring day treatment research initiatives and providing technical guidance to staff engaged in research projects.
• Exercises delegated authority for program and service related decisions relating Family and Day Treatment Services under the Child & Family Services Act; provides input and background case information to support TRC's position at the Child & Family Services Board hearings and Boards of Education forums.
• Represents TRC on community committees to promote TRC's service and to develop/foster partnerships with stakeholders (Children's Mental Health Agencies, Boards of Education) and CAS within the community.
• Manages clinical and staff, including recruitment, training, work assignments, performance management, approval of merits, vacations, leaves, handling of staff relations, staff grievances and disciplinary issues. Implements and coordinates management programs such as Occupational Health & Safety, Return-to-Work, Illness & Injury Management, Workers Compensation Claims of direct and indirect reports. Fosters positive staff relations with the bargaining agents and resolution of Stage 1 complaints through open and effective communication with staff. Provides support and information to support resolution of grievances at Stage 2 meetings and mediation/arbitration forums and acts as the Ministry's witness at the Grievance Settlement Board, Human Rights Commission and other dispute forums.
• Plans, forecasts and monitors program budgets and related expenditures related to human resources, training and education, equipment, accommodation and material requirements; authorizes expenditures as delegated and monitors fee-for-service and professional contracts for compliance with terms and conditions.
• Acts in absence of the Program Director, INTERFACE, as assigned.

Knowledge :

Knowledge of mental health, behavioural, social sciences/social work disciplines, legislation and regulatory provisions related to delivery of family and school-based/day treatment service for hard-to-serve children under the age of 15 who have multiple emotional and cognitive problems. Knowledge and understanding of service needs of children/adolescents with emotional, behavioural, developmental, social and/or psychological difficulties, and community based children's service system and agencies. Knowledge and application of Child & Family Services Act and legislation/program guidelines. Knowledge of Ministry's, Facility's and INTERFACE Services policies, procedures, guidelines and directives to manage family and day treatment service at front line direct service levels and to integrate/implement clinical/medical assessment and evidence-based, multi-disciplinary treatment tools and techniques. Knowledge of OPS administrative guidelines/directives, Human Resources Policies and Procedures, Collective Agreements, Occupational Health & Safety Act, Workers Compensation Insurance Program, Illness & Injury Management Program to supervise staff in an unionized environment, manage program budgets and training requirements. Program and project management skills to plan, organize and coordinate program activities; to evaluate service effectiveness and implement effective performance management of service and staff assignments; and to identify and provide training and education initiatives for staff and clients. Managerial and supervisory skills to allocate work, handle working conditions and employee grievances at the local level, to foster effective relationships with the bargaining agents and to motivate staff to deliver high quality service within community-based settings. Team leadership and knowledge of the function, role and dynamics of teams to provide direction to staff in relation to their roles on multi-disciplinary teams and in understanding team functioning issues. Creative, analytical skills to develop programs and service delivery strategies that are customized to meet specific needs of hard-to-serve clients. Highly developed communications skills to supervise staff in developing competency-based treatment models, in conducting clinical, psychosocial and educational assessments, in formulating treatment interventions and strategies using system theory and educational approaches, and to develop and monitor treatment progress of clients in care, to prepare contentious issues, progress/service status reports, clinical case assessments/consultations of treatment proposals. Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills to manage the resolution of complex client issues and specialized clinical or treatment-related circumstances both independently and within a multi-disciplinary, competency and community-based context. Sound knowledge of computer technology and services to support specialized program, administrative, training and educational requirements.

Valid Ontario Driver's Licence as some driving is required.

Judgement :

Work is performed under the general direction of the Program Director, INTERFACE, and within parameters established by Ministry/Facility guidelines, policies and procedures, statutory and regulatory frameworks and program philosophy and professional ethics, accreditation standards. Judgment is required to : recruit, supervise, evaluate and train clinical program staff; manage working conditions and resolve employee grievances at the local level; delegate and assign work tasks; plan treatment strategies for clients and families independently and within a multi-disciplinary team environment; evaluate and administer competency-based treatment interventions and programs in community based settings; consider availability and experience of staff in determining and selecting treatment plans required to meet the needs of a day treatment client population and utilize human and material resources available to achieve the optimum quality of services for clients participating in the family and day treatment service. Judgment is required to administer and monitor service delivery and expenditures related to fee-for-service contracts, for compliance with terms and conditions; to implement performance measures and evaluate program effectiveness; develop and implement training and education initiatives for hard-to-serve clients, families and staff; to represent the INTERFACE Service in community forums; to establish and maintain cooperative relations and constructive communication with peers within TRC, other Ministry facilities, community agencies, and to make effective decisions when acting in absence of the Program Director, INTERFACE.

Accountability - Programs :

Position is directly accountable for the clinical and administrative program management and delivery of the Family & Day Treatment Services at TRC; for coordinating service and treatment linkages with five section classrooms for provision of staff training to Child and Youth Therapists and to clients/families utilizing program services. Position is accountable for program decisions made when acting on behalf of the Program Director, INTERFACE.

Accountability – Personnel :

Position directly supervises 10 Child & Youth Therapists (CCW2's and CCW3's). Position coordinates the supervision and training of community college and/or university students in Child and Youth Work discipline. Position supervises program services contracted and delivered by community based agencies within the community schools for compliance with the INTERFACE service requirements.

Accountability - Finance and Materials :

Position is directly accountable for planning, forecasting, monitoring and approving program budgets and related expenditures related to human resources, training and education, equipment, accommodation and material requirements; position authorizes expenditures as delegated and monitors fee-for-service and professional contracts for compliance with terms and conditions.

Accountability - Impact of Errors :

Errors in judgment could result in inefficient and ineffective use of financial, material and human resources; strained relationships with representatives of agencies and professionals in the community which could impact negatively on the publics perception of the INTERFACE Service, TRC or Ministry. Failure to maintain relationships with clients and family members could impact on the health and welfare of vulnerable clients and create negative publicity. Failure to effectively manage service activities could create unsafe and unhealthy situations for clients and/or staff and cause financial/legal liability issues for TRC.

Contact - Internal :

Regular contact with Program Directors and other Program Managers to discuss service planning, development, administration and service review; to share information regularly with the Program Director, INTERFACE; to share information, receive supervision, guidance regarding difficult staffing concerns, program development, administrative or operational management issues; to provide updates while acting on behalf of the Program Director or in handling of issues/situations that have occurred while On Call; regular contact with Day Treatment Program staff to discuss work assignments, problems and issues and with other service staff to discuss operational concerns or multi-disciplinary treatment issues or case consultations. Contact as required with peers in other agencies to provide/obtain information or to share program related information.

Contact - External :

Regular contact with clients, families, service providers, community organizations and representatives of educational institutions (social workers, teachers, principals, medical personnel and staff from other children's mental health agencies) to discuss and implement service delivery in school based settings; with representatives of local municipal agencies and community colleges to provide/obtain information and to supervise cooperative work placements for students of colleges and universities.
Committees: Participates regularly on a member of the INTERFACE Program Management Committee and represents the program on community committees and discussion forums.