Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide professional social work and classification services to male and female offenders at the Algoma Treatment & Remand Centre.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Provides social work services by:

• obtaining and analysing background information about newly admitted or assigned residents through file review and collateral contacts with ATRC and Ministry personnel and justice and social service agencies;
• completing psycho-social, suicide and risk assessments for the purposes of classification, crisis intervention, counselling, rehabilitation programs and parole proceedings;
• formulating treatment objectives and intervention strategies through analysing data from multiple perspectives, and relating relevant historical information and psychosocial theory to problem situations;
• operationalizing treatment objectives and intervention strategies by engaging and maintaining resident and staff participation, negotiating verbal or written contracts that convey respective responsibilities for participants, and employing specific practice methodologies;
• conducting individual and group counselling sessions;
• co-ordinating and monitoring residents' overall care plans; identifying and addressing needs and concerns, holding formal and informal case consultations and conferences and informing staff and management about developments and issues;
• monitoring and evaluating treatment and intervention effectiveness through direct observation, resident interviews, informal and formal interdisciplinary consultation, and record keeping and report writing;
• researching, collating and writing formalised reports including LSI-OR Assessments, Suicide Assessments, Occurrence Reports, Progress Reports, Final Reports, Parole Reports; maintaining social work and Ministry records and logs; written external correspondence as required;
• locating and arranging resources; researching appropriate resources, facilitating referrals, and advocating for resources;
• consulting with the supervisor on progress of cases and to clarify clinical and administrative problems;
• ensuring security and safety procedures are adhered to during social work programs and appointments.
• participating in various committees as assigned, such as program development and program evaluation;
• participating in staff training, inservice education and professional development activities;
• providing clinical teaching and training to staff, students and volunteers;
• participating in structured systems of data collection and analysis;
• participating in staff meetings, maintaining statistics, receiving supervision and activities related to personnel administration;
• Manager has the right to assign additional duties.

Staffing and Licensing :

Designation of Registered Social Worker in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.

NOTE: 1 complement has been assigned for the purpose of designated positions under the French Language Services Act. This position requires advanced oral communication skills in addition to all other skills and knowledge as outline in Section 4.

Knowledge :

Job requires in depth knowledge of theories, principles and practices of social work normally acquired through a Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) or Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) to develop rehabilitative treatment plans from a social work perspective and psycho-social rehabilitation/treatment theories, principles and techniques; e.g., psycho-social assessments, individual/group therapy, crisis intervention, and development and implementation of programs and rehabilitative plans for offenders to apply appropriate treatment to offenders. Job requires Designation of Registered Social Worker (R.S.W.) in good standing with Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.Job requires knowledge of relevant legislation; e.g., Ministry of Correctional Services Act, institutional ministry policies, procedures, rules of confidentiality, program support services and risk assessment tools to recommend appropriate classification for institutional program, or alternate institution placement to ensure proper and consistent treatment implementation, to provide information, interpretation and advice to institutional staff and to report observations to manager that may affect programs and offender activities. Job requires knowledge of community support services to assist offenders in formulating discharge plans. Job requires knowledge of computers and related software; e.g., OTIS, LSI-OR and word-processing software packages to input/retrieve offender data, prepare reports and maintain case documentation and statistics.

Skills :

Job requires analytical and problem solving skills to gather and compile data from multiple sources; e.g., offender, file history, ministry staff, family, other external treatment professionals, in order to identify offender needs and appropriate institutional classification, and develop or modify social work rehabilitative, treatment and case management plans in consultation with offender and case management team, and to make recommendations on appropriate classification of offenders. Job requires analytical and reasoning skills to assess offenders in crisis and apply appropriate therapeutic intervention. Job requires analytical skills to evaluate program treatment/services effectiveness based on composite of experience with crisis intervention, conflict resolution, counseling, therapy, observations of offenders and input from other concerned parties. Job requires oral communication skills to carry out assessments and counseling sessions with offenders and other concerned parties (e.g. family) to discuss issues or problematic cases with supervisor or other professionals, and to liaise with correctional staff and/or community support services. Job requires advanced written communication skills to prepare assessment, progress and statistical reports. Job requires interpersonal skills to advocate on behalf of offender in the institution or community, when motivating and counseling offenders, and other concerned parties (e.g. family), to adhere to specific social work treatment program. Job requires tact, discretion and sensitivity when discussing problems/options with offenders in crisis, maintaining confidentiality. Job requires planning and organizational skills to manage own priorities, meet needs of treatment team and prepare discharge plans. Job requires keyboarding skills.

Freedom of Action :

Job requires working in accordance with established program policies and procedures to write reports, to provide care to offenders, and provide information about social work services to professional/correctional staff.Job requires working within guidelines of relevant legislation and recognized and approved professional ethics and practices, and maintaining confidentiality. Job requires discussing development and modification of social rehabilitative treatment and case management plans with offender and consultation, as necessary with Supervisor. Job requires providing weekly work update to supervisor, who is consulted on unusual cases and situations not covered by established methods and procedure. Job requires exercising independence in direct dealings with offenders in social work counselling sessions, crisis intervention, liaising with correctional staff, and developing and modifying treatment, case management and discharge plans.