Social Worker, Heartwood Centre for Women – BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services

Social Worker (MSW)

BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services

Vancouver, BC

What is Heartwood Centre for Women

Heartwood Centre for Women (Heartwood) is a 30-inpatient bed, trauma informed, integrated treatment facility for women (19+), including members of Two-Spirit and gender-diverse communities, across B.C, who struggle with severe substance use and mental health challenges. We believe that people, when properly supported, have the strength and resiliency to manage their lives.

Learn what it means to be apart of the Heartwood team.

Watch this video to learn about working with BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services!

What you’ll do

• Conduct comprehensive mental health and/or addiction, and family assessments by methods such as interviewing the patient and family, obtaining relevant information, gathering social data regarding the patient and family and formulation of assessment and plan of intervention, in accordance with professional practice standards and clinical policies.
• Provide mental health clinical intervention in the context of evidence based care to children, youth, women and their families through individual, family and group therapy. 
• Support patients and their families by providing education, short-term counselling and crisis intervention during the adjustment to hospitalization, new diagnosis of mental health and/or addiction issues, and change or loss in mental health functioning.
• Facilitate comprehensive mental health and/or addiction discharge planning with the team, patient, family and community agencies to ensure psycho-social follow-up.
• Establish and maintain effective collaborative and constructive liaison relationships with a variety of individuals and groups, including patients and families, community providers, MCFD social workers, schools, hospitals and other agencies, in order to coordinate services across the continuum of health care.
• Participate in program planning and development as part of an inter-professional team within BC Children’s Hospital and BC Mental Health and Addiction Services and the continuum of health care.  Identify, promote and participate in program planning strategies to enhance system processes and resources for patients and their families.
• Promote patient and family care by participating in relevant committee work within the Social Work discipline, specialized program, hospital-setting, and/or continuum of health care. Collaborate with team members in many forums, both informal and formal, in case consultations by attending team meetings, rounds, and psycho-social forums relevant to family centered care.

What you bring

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Social Work from an accredited School of Social Work, including relevant graduate level mental health courses and mental health practicum.
• Minimum 1 year recent related clinical experience working within a child, youth and women’s mental health and addictions setting relevant to the service area within BC Mental Health & Addictions Services; must include experience in child protection, child development and grief and loss, women’s issues, women abuse and harm reduction model; or an equivalent combination of education, training or experience.
• Current full registration with the British Columbia College of Social Workers.
• Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the historic and ongoing impacts of settler colonialism and systemic racism on Indigenous Peoples within social and health contexts. This includes understanding how these factors contribute to current health disparities and barriers to care. Show a clear commitment to identifying, challenging, and eradicating Indigenous-specific racism and all forms of discrimination impacting equity-deserving groups within healthcare settings. This involves recognizing personal biases, institutional barriers, engaging in anti-racism education and training and advocating for systemic change.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of legislative obligations and provincial commitments within BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services contexts found in the foundational documents including Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study, BC Human Rights Code, Anti-racism Data Act and       how they intersect across the health care system.

Core Competencies

• Brings an understanding of the Indigenous specific racism and the broader systemic racism that exists in the colonial health care structure, and has demonstrated leadership in breaking down barriers and ensuring an environment of belonging. Embed Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility into all aspects of work. This means creating an environment where Indigenous patients feel respected, valued, and understood. Foster trust through respectful communication, active listening, and honoring equity-deserving people's perspectives on health and wellness. Commit to ongoing education and training on Indigenous health issues, cultural safety, and DEI principles. Participate in workshops, cultural immersion experiences, and continuous professional development to stay informed and responsive to equity-deserving groups. Provide patient-centred care that respects Indigenous ways of knowing and healing, respects BIPOC experiences and world views ensuring that care plans are culturally relevant and holistic.
• Knowledge of social, economic, political and historical realities of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples and familiarity with addressing Indigenous-specific anti-racism, anti-racism and Indigenous Cultural Safety and foundational documents and legislative commitments (The Declaration Act, the Declaration Action Plan, TRC, IPS, Remembering Keegan, etc.).

Skills & Knowledge

• Comprehensive knowledge of Social Work theory and practice.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct and document a comprehensive psychosocial and family assessment in mental health.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and ability to provide crisis intervention, short term counselling and individual, family and group therapy.
• Knowledge of the psychosocial needs of children/families with mental health conditions. 
• Knowledge of the normal development of children.
• Demonstrated knowledge of mental health diagnoses as they relate to children and youth
• Demonstrated knowledge and ability to work with mental health and addiction issues including DSM and mental health assessment of depression, suicide and anxiety.
• Demonstrates a commitment to beginning and continuing their personal learning journey related to Indigenous-specific racism and dismantling systems of oppression, as well as addressing racism more broadly. Shows willingness to articulate and share their learning experiences to contribute to a culture of motivation and inspiration among peers.
• Demonstrates foundational knowledge of the social, economic, and political realities of settler-colonialism and its impacts on Indigenous peoples and equity-deserving groups within social and health contexts. Understands the impact of social determinants of health-on-health outcomes. Shows a commitment to learning about and upholding legislative obligations and provincial commitments outlined in foundational documents such as the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan, Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study, the BC Human Rights Code, Anti-Racism Data Act, and the Distinctions Based Approach.

What we bring

Every PHSA employee enables the best possible patient care for our patients and their families. Whether you are providing direct care, conducting research, or making it possible for others to do their work, you impact the lives of British Columbians today and in the future. That’s why we’re focused on your care too – offering health, wellness, development programs to support you – at work and at home.

• Join one of BC’s largest employers with province-wide programs, services and operations – offering vast opportunities for growth, development, and recognition programs that honour the commitment and contribution of all employees.
• Access to professional development opportunities through our in-house training programs, including +2,000 courses, such as our San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training course, or Core Linx for Leadership roles.
• Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including municipal pension plan, and psychological health & safety programs and holistic wellness resources.
• Annual statutory holidays (13) with generous vacation entitlement and accruement.
• PHSA is a remote work friendly employer, welcoming flexible work options to support our people (eligibility may vary, depending on position).
• Access to WorkPerks, a premium discount program offering a wide range of local and national discounts on electronics, entertainment, dining, travel, wellness, apparel, and more.

Job Type: Temporary, Full-Time (Until September 30, 2026)
Wage: $42.27 - $52.81 per hour
Location: 4500 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1
Hours of Work: Monday – Friday; 0830-1630
Requisition # 185218E

What we do

BC Mental Health & Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS) cares for people with complex mental health and substance use challenges.

BCMHSUS program is part of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA).

PHSA plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include: Respect people – Be compassionate – Dare to innovate – Cultivate partnerships – Serve with purpose.

PHSA and BCMHSUS are committed to employment equity, encouraging all qualified individuals to apply. We recognize that our ability to provide the best care for our diverse patient populations relies on a rich diversity of skills, knowledge, background and experience, and value a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment.

Learn more about PHSA and our programs: jobs.phsa.ca/programs-and-services

PHSA is committed to anti-racism and equity in our hiring and employment practices. With learning and compassion, we are addressing existing inequities and barriers throughout our systems. PHSA is seeking to create a diverse workforce and to establish an inclusive and culturally safe environment. We invite applications and enquiries from all people, particularly those belonging to the historically, systemically, and/or persistently excluded groups identified under the B.C. Human Rights Code.

One of PHSA’s North Star priorities is to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism, which includes ongoing commitments to Indigenous recruitment and employee experience as well as dismantling barriers to health care employment at every level. We welcome Indigenous individuals to apply and/or contact the Sanya’k̓ula Team (Indigenous Recruitment & Employee Experience) for support at indigenous.employment@phsa.ca.

Indigenous-specific anti-racism initiatives are rooted in addressing the unique forms of discrimination, historical and ongoing injustices, and exclusion faced by Indigenous peoples. These initiatives align with an Indigenous rights-based approach, recognizing the inherent rights and title of BC First Nations and self-determination of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. PHSA is mandated to uphold legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents including the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study.

Attention current employees of PHSA:

You must apply via your internal profile at http://internaljobs.phsa.ca.

The internal job posting expires on June 26, 2025 and will no longer be accessible. If the internal job posting has expired, please e-mail internaljobshelpu@phsa.ca with the six-digit job requisition number and your PHSA employee ID number to be considered as a late internal applicant. Please do not apply for the external job posting.

If you have not yet set up an internal profile, please e-mail internaljobshelpu@phsa.ca with your PHSA employee ID number to obtain your temporary password. Our business hours are Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm, excluding Statutory Holidays and a Help Desk Representative will respond to you with 1-2 business days.

If you are not a current employee of PHSA and require assistance with your application, please contact the External Careers team at careers@phsa.ca.