Mental Health Navigator

As a Mental Health Navigator, you'll play a vital role in helping complex youth and adults build stability, improve their well-being, and access the supports they need before a crisis occurs. Working collaboratively with participants, community partners, healthcare professionals, and informal support networks, you'll coordinate personalized wraparound services that help people navigate complex social and mental health systems. By connecting participants with the right resources, supporting their mental health intervention plans, and addressing barriers to care, you'll help reduce reliance on 9-1-1 services for non-emergency situations while empowering individuals to achieve meaningful, lasting outcomes.

This role is grounded in a strength-based, recovery-oriented approach that values compassion, collaboration, and meeting people where they are. Every interaction is an opportunity to build trust, foster resilience, and support participants on their path toward greater independence and well-being.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver participant-centred social support services that address complex mental health needs in diverse community-based settings
• Assess, along with the intake team, the suitability for program participation and identify alternative supports
• Utilize a strength based, wholistic, recovery-oriented approach that recognizes and respects each participant's unique experiences and needs
• Identify needs and support individuals in accessing social supports related to subsidies, housing, mental health, addictions, and parenting
• Complete safety risk assessments using a variety of screening and tools, creating suicide prevention safety plans and family violence screenings  
• Work closely with the Supportive Outreach Services Mental Health Counsellor to implement social support strategies with participants and manage a caseload of individuals to ensure resource needs continue to be met while awaiting treatment
• Engage informal support people to assist in ensuring safety, risk mitigation, and supporting intervention strategies that maintain stabilization - this includes consultation and liaison with families, community service providers, schools and police
• Facilitate and participate in collaborative community tables for coordinated goal setting and case planning, supporting transitions to other providers, advocating for participant in service systems, as well as completing referrals to additional resources
• Meet participants, when safe to do so, in various environments conducive and appropriate for case management and intervention support (this may include office, home, virtual, community, or other agency settings)

Qualifications and Skills

• Post secondary Diploma or Degree in Social Sciences plus 4-6 years related experience (preference for fields with regulated practice)
• Required to attain and maintain appropriate registrations and certificates (eg: Alberta College of Social Workers)
• Minimum of 2 years' experience working in community mental health and supporting individuals (both youth and adults) in distress or complex, overwhelming situations is preferred
• Training and experience in suicide and family violence risk assessment and safety planning, neurodivergence, mental health and addictions is required
• Strong knowledge of current evidence-based practices and interventions for supporting individuals with complex needs, as well as applicable legislation (Mental Health Act, Child Youth and Family Enhancement Act, Drug-Endangered Children Act, etc.)
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment including families, community service providers, schools and police as part of the comprehensive support system and to achieve outcomes
• Experience and understanding of complex social systems, current knowledge of resources and referral processes, as well as experience collaborating with community partners from varying agencies
• Demonstrate strong communication (verbal and written) skills by expressing ideas, sharing information, and adapting messages to diverse audiences  
• Respond effectively to change by remaining flexible, adapting approaches as needed, and using feedback to enhance performance
• Maintain effectiveness in uncertain or high-pressure situations while encouraging others to adapt positively and respond constructively to change

Conditions of Employment

• Submission of a Satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Check and Child Intervention Record Check  
• Ability to obtain a RCMP Enhanced Reliability Security Clearance  
• Valid Alberta Class 5 Driver’s licence and submission of a 5-year Driver’s Abstract with less than 7 demerits  
• Reliable personal transportation is required - mileage for work use will be reimbursed in accordance with Strathcona County vehicle allowance policies
• Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule, including daytime, evenings and occasional weekends  

Who We Are

Strathcona County is a specialized municipality located in the heart of Alberta.  Our vision is to become Canada’s most livable community, where our workplace culture and identity are supported by our people plan and values of integrity, respect, safety, collaboration, and accountability.  

Why Join Strathcona County: (depending on position)

• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, which includes:
  • Extended health and dental coverage    
  • Health and wellness spending account    
  • Life and disability insurance
  • Retirement and pension programs  
  • Earned day off program
  • Employee and family assistance program
• Commitment to employee development, through internal and external training and development opportunities
• Well-being programs and a safety culture focused on physical and psychological health in the workplace

Equivalencies of education and experience may be considered.  

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies for similar positions within the next 6 months.  

Strathcona County is committed to an inclusive, respectful, and equitable workplace that represents the community we serve. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds who can contribute diverse perspectives and experiences.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.