Mental Health Clinician

Are you a compassionate clinician who believes in meeting people where they are at? Are you ready to help create safer, healthier futures for people navigating complex mental health and substance use challenges? If this sounds like the kind of work you’ve been looking for, we invite you to apply!

What We Do

Since 1973, The Alex has been a community-based, not-for-profit organization providing integrated primary health care, community support services, and housing-focused programs to individuals and families who experience barriers to accessing traditional health, housing, and social service systems. Services are grounded in principles of health equity, low-barrier access, trauma-informed practice, cultural safety, harm reduction, and person-centered care.

HomeBase is a scattered-site Recovery Oriented Supportive Housing program operating through an Intensive Case Management (ICM) model. Participants live independently in apartments throughout the community and receive individualized, flexible supports focused on housing stability, health coordination, system navigation, income and benefits support, crisis intervention, and community integration. 

Mental Health Clinicians (MHCs) can be found across The Alex in Housing and our medical clinics. The MHC in HomeBase offers evidence-based therapies to individuals in both office and outreach settings, facilitates skills and process groups, assists program participants in meeting basic needs, and is responsive to Housing First Team duties. While carrying a case load and completing required assessments, evaluation instruments, and other documentation, MHCs seek to resolve clients’ issues and support their move to independence or to other community support where appropriate.

This is a contract, part-time position until March 31, 2027.

What You Will Do: 

• Provide single-staff, assertive in-office and outreach services to individuals with significant mental health and addiction concerns.
• Offer solution focused interventions with the intention of stabilizing participants and bridging needs until participants are accepted into longer term mental health therapy services in the community.
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team to provide evidence-based therapies and services consistent with the Intensive Case Management model.
• Uphold the principles of Recovery Oriented Supportive Housing.
• Offer culturally sensitive services.
• Complete required documentation with excellence, in accordance with agency policy and procedures, and respective of professional college requirements.
• Conduct assessments as appropriate and contribute to individualized service plans.
• Use evidence-based treatments in the areas of mental health and substance abuse to address participant needs.
• Work from a harm reduction and trauma informed approach.
• Work collaboratively with program participants, families, and community partners to assist clients in achieving treatment and recovery goals.
• Facilitate group programming for clients, using principles of psychoeducation, CBT, and other evidence-based models, when appropriate.
• Provide access to clients with same-day therapy, when required, appropriate, and applicable to The Alex program.
• Assist in data collection, and entry, as directed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

What You Bring: 

• Master's degree in psychology, Social Work, or a related field.
• An active registration with a professional discipline in Alberta is required.
• Social Workers must be authorized to perform restricted psychosocial activities or be willing to qualify for this practice enhancement.
• Minimum two years of experience providing mental health therapy.
• Specialized training in evidenced-based therapies is an asset (e.g., cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectal behavior therapy, solution focused therapy, etc.).
• Experience in single session therapy is an asset.
• Ability to set goals and work with clients within appropriate timelines and refer to other agencies/programs if needed.
• Awareness of the importance of evidence-based treatments and flexibility to practice from different perspectives.
• Experience working with vulnerable populations with significant mental health and substance use issues.
• Comfort meeting individually with participants in the community in a broad variety of settings, with a safety-first mindset.
• Demonstrated understanding of harm reduction and trauma informed care.
• Exceptional communication, organization, advocacy, teaching, and rapport-building skills.
• Commitment to contributing positively to team culture.
• Ability to work in high-stress situations with clear and open communication.
• Openness to a wide scope of practice with commitment to innovation and flexibility.
• Strong initiative in times of limited supervision.
• Awareness of the value that research and evaluation brings to therapy.
• Strong initiative in times of limited supervision.
• Class 5 driver’s license, personal vehicle for business use, clean 3-year drivers abstract, and $2 million liability coverage are required.
• Minimum of 21 years of age and three (3) years of driving experience to drive an Alex fleet vehicle.
• First Aid (Basic or Intermediate) – Level C CPR & AED within 30 days of hire date; certification must be valid for a minimum of 6 months upon hire.
• A satisfactory vulnerable sector criminal record clearance is required.
• Demonstrated knowledge, understanding and commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action is preferred.

Work Environment and Hours: 

• The Alex Community Health Centre: 2840 – 2 Ave SE, Calgary, AB and outreach in the community.
• Standard hours are 8:30 am to 4:30pm, Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
• 0.6 FTE (22.5 hours / week)
• Continuous extended periods of sitting, with some standing and walking (sometimes up or down stairwells).
• Occasional physical action requires the ability to bend/crouch, reach above shoulder height, kneel/crawl, and carry objects (up to 20 lbs.).
• Work tasks require the physical dexterity to work on a computer and handle small objects, near and far vision, and verbal interactions with clients, colleagues, and the public on a regular basis.
• Frequent time outside in all weather conditions.
• Frequent driving as part of work duties.

Driving on behalf of The Alex: 

This position requires the use of a personal vehicle for work-related purposes (and driving an Alex fleet vehicle). Candidates must show proof of a class 5 driver's license, a personal vehicle, and a clean 3-year drivers abstract. Candidates must consent to the possibility of an annual driver's abstract review to meet our insurance provider’s requirements. When driving clients is required, candidates must also agree to maintain $2 million liability insurance on their personal vehicle. Mileage will be reimbursed in alignment with the CRA guidelines. Driving a fleet vehicle at The Alex also requires that staff are at least 21 years of age with a minimum of three (3) years’ driving experience.

How to apply:

If you are as passionate as we are about making a difference in people’s lives, please visit our career centre: Jobs at The Alex | The Alex. 

This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. We will make every effort to accommodate candidate’s schedules and needs in all parts of the hiring process. 

The Alex is committed to embedding the principles of equity, inclusion, and diversity across the organization. We are committed to removing barriers to employment that are faced by equity-seeking groups and encourage (but not require) members of these groups to self-identify as such in their cover letters. 

In accordance with our strategic priorities, we particularly encourage applications from individuals who self-identify as racialized* or Indigenous (First Nation, Metis, or Inuit).

*The term “racialized” is used here instead of the more outdated and inaccurate terms “racial minority, “visible minority”, “person of colour”, or “non-White”.

For further information about The Alex and its programs, we encourage you to visit our website at www.thealex.ca

At The Alex, we place a high value on strong, ethical, and professional relationships between clients and primary care providers. Clear boundaries are essential to ensuring safe, respectful, and effective care. To protect clients, medical professionals and staff, employees and contractors of The Alex are not permitted to access internal physicians, nurses, mental health clinicians, or other allied health professional services during their employment.

We recognize that some applicants may have had, or may currently have, meaningful care relationships with The Alex at the time of applying. If you are currently a client and wish to continue in our recruitment process, you are asked to disclose your service provider relationship. Should you be hired, you will be required to transition your care to an external provider within your first 90 days of employment and maintain this external care relationship for the duration of your employment. Reasonable extensions of the 90-day deadline may be considered where absolutely necessary and in the sole discretion of The Alex.

This approach helps us maintain clear boundaries, uphold professional standards, and protect our workers’ rights to privacy and confidentiality.