Job description Mental Health Worker in Canada

Find out what work is like for a mental health worker in Canada. This work description is applicable to all Social and community service workers (NOC 42201).

Social and community service workers

Description

Social and community service workers administer and implement a variety of social assistance programs and community services, and assist clients to deal with personal and social problems. They are employed by social service and government agencies, mental health agencies, group homes, shelters, substance abuse centres, school boards, correctional facilities and other establishments.

Work week duration

Social and community service workers usually work between 35 to 40 hours per week.
Between 35 to 40 hours

Job duties

Here are some of the main activities and tasks that Social and community service workers have to perform, and some of the physical demands they involve:

  • Review client background information, interview clients to obtain case history and prepare intake reports
  • Assess clients' relevant skill strengths and needs
  • Assist clients to sort out options and develop plans of action while providing necessary support and assistance
  • Assess and investigate eligibility for social benefits
  • Refer clients to other social services or assist clients in locating and utilizing community resources including legal, medical and financial assistance, housing, employment, transportation, day care and other services
  • Counsel clients living in group homes and halfway houses, supervise their activities and assist in pre-release and release planning
  • Participate in the selection and admission of clients to appropriate programs
  • Implement life skills workshops, substance abuse treatment programs, behaviour management programs, youth services programs and other community and social service programs under the supervision of social services or health care professionals
  • Meet with clients to assess their progress, give support and discuss any difficulties or problems
  • Assist in evaluating the effectiveness of treatment programs by tracking clients' behavioural changes and responses to interventions
  • Advise and aid recipients of social assistance and pensions
  • Provide crisis intervention and emergency shelter services
  • Implement and organize the delivery of specific services within the community
  • Maintain contact with other social service agencies and health care providers involved with clients to provide information and obtain feedback on clients' overall progress
  • Mobilise and coordinate volunteer resources and activities for a range of organizations such as human service agencies, health care facilities, arts and sports, etc.
  • May maintain program statistics for purposes of evaluation and research
  • May supervise social service support workers and volunteers.

Physical demands Help - Physical Demands

  • Sitting

Physical demands

Physical demands are the physical activities that the job requires the worker to do. Physical demands are selected according to the likeliness that workers will have to perform them for at least half of the time they spend at work.

Workplaces and employers

Here are the typical workplaces where Social and community service workers are employed and some of their main characteristics:

  • Social service agencies
  • Shelters
  • Group homes
  • Government agencies
  • Correctional facilities
  • Substance abuse centres
  • Mental health agencies
  • Community organizations and establishments
  • School boards

Work environment Help - Physical Work Environment

  • Indoors, environmentally controlled
  • Sound and noise

Physical proximity from others Help - Physical proximity from others

  • Close (at arm’s length)

Work environment

The work environment refers to the physical setting in which people work. The characteristics and conditions of the work environment are selected according to the likeliness that workers will be exposed to them at least once a week.

Physical proximity from others

Physical proximity from others refers to the physical distance between individuals in the workplace. The likeliness that the job requires to perform tasks while being physically close to other people is rated on a scale with 3 levels: "Somewhat close", "Close" and "Very close".

Related job titles

Here are some other related job titles that are found in the same occupational category (NOC 42201), and a list of similar occupations:

  • Aboriginal outreach worker
  • addictions worker
  • child and youth worker
  • community development worker
  • community service worker
  • crisis intervention worker
  • developmental service worker
  • drop-in centre worker
  • family service worker
  • group home worker
  • income maintenance officer - social services
  • life skills instructor
  • mental health worker
  • rehabilitation worker - social services
  • social services worker
  • veteran services officer
  • welfare and compensation officer
  • women's shelter supervisor
  • youth worker

Similar occupations Help - Similar occupations

Similar occupations

This section lists other occupations that are part of the same broad occupational category as Social and community service workers in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). These occupations involve similar core qualifications but involve different responsibilities. To see more similar occupations, use the Job Transition Tool.

Sources Occupational and Skills Information System & National Occupational Classification

Labour Market Information Survey
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