Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Mental Health Therapist (Provincial)

🎯 Role Definition

As a Mental Health Therapist (Provincial) you will deliver high-quality, evidence-based mental health services across community and provincial programs. You will perform comprehensive assessments, develop individualized treatment plans, provide individual and group therapy, and coordinate care with multidisciplinary teams and community partners. This role requires strong clinical judgment, knowledge of provincial mental health legislation and standards, excellent documentation skills, and the ability to deliver culturally safe, trauma-informed care in in-person and virtual settings. The successful candidate will contribute to program development, supervision, and continuous quality improvement initiatives to improve client outcomes at a provincial scale.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), Registered Social Worker (RSW), Registered Psychologist, or Mental Health Nurse
Addiction counsellor or community mental health worker with provincial program experience
Clinical roles within non-profit mental health agencies, primary care networks, or hospital outpatient services

Advancement To:

Senior Clinician / Clinical Lead (Provincial Programs)
Program Manager, Provincial Mental Health Services
Clinical Supervisor or Training Lead
Specialized Clinical Roles (e.g., Trauma Program Lead, Perinatal Mental Health Specialist)

Lateral Moves:

Case Manager or Care Coordinator (provincial/community)
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Clinician
Community Outreach or Health Promotion Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Conduct comprehensive, structured psychosocial and mental health assessments (including risk, safety, and capacity assessments) for clients across the lifespan, integrating clinical interviews, standardized screening tools, and collateral information to inform diagnosis and level-of-care decisions.
Develop individualized, evidence-based treatment plans that outline measurable goals, therapeutic approaches (e.g., CBT, DBT, trauma-focused therapies), expected outcomes, and timelines; review and revise plans collaboratively with clients and stakeholders.
Provide high-quality individual psychotherapy using evidence-based modalities (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, trauma-focused CBT, etc.) tailored to the client’s needs, culture, and stage of change.
Facilitate therapeutic group programs (e.g., DBT skills groups, psychoeducation, relapse prevention, anxiety management) including curriculum planning, group process management, and outcome evaluation.
Deliver brief interventions and crisis stabilization services, including immediate safety planning, de-escalation, short-term crisis counseling, and referral to urgent psychiatric or emergency services when required.
Conduct suicide and violence risk assessments using validated tools and collaborate with clients and families to implement robust safety and follow-up plans.
Provide coordinated care and case management for complex clients by liaising with psychiatrists, primary care providers, addiction services, housing and social services, child protection, schools, and justice system partners to ensure continuity of care.
Prescribe or recommend appropriate referrals for psychiatric assessment and medication management in partnership with prescribing providers, and follow up on medication adherence and side-effect monitoring as part of treatment planning.
Maintain timely, accurate, and provincially compliant clinical documentation (progress notes, assessments, treatment plans, discharge summaries) in the electronic medical record (EMR) per regulatory and organizational standards.
Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings, care conferences, and case reviews to coordinate treatment, share clinical recommendations, and document collaborative decisions.
Apply trauma-informed care principles and culturally competent practices (including Indigenous cultural safety and LGBTQ2S+ affirming care) to reduce barriers and improve outcomes for marginalized and priority populations.
Provide telehealth and virtual mental health services aligned with provincial telepractice guidelines and privacy legislation, ensuring therapeutic effectiveness and confidentiality in virtual settings.
Implement and monitor outcome measurement tools (e.g., PHQ-9, GAD-7, outcome inventories) to track client progress, inform treatment adjustments, and contribute to program evaluation.
Design and lead psychoeducational workshops for clients, families, and community partners on mental health topics, coping skills, relapse prevention, and system navigation.
Participate in intake triage processes to prioritize referrals, allocate resources efficiently, and match clients to appropriate levels of care within provincial services.
Provide specialized interventions for concurrent disorders, integrating substance use treatment principles, harm reduction strategies, and referral to addiction services as needed.
Comply with provincial legislation, professional regulatory requirements, privacy and confidentiality standards (e.g., health information acts), and organizational policies governing clinical practice and reporting.
Supervise, mentor, and provide clinical consultation to junior therapists, practicum students, and allied health staff; support professional development and reflective practice.
Contribute to program planning, policy development, and quality improvement initiatives (e.g., audit, workflow redesign, service expansion) to enhance access and clinical effectiveness at the provincial level.
Respond to community and stakeholder inquiries, support outreach and partnerships with Indigenous communities, schools, workplaces, and community organizations to promote mental health services and reduce stigma.
Develop discharge plans and transition supports for clients moving between levels of care, including linking to community resources, follow-up appointments, and crisis supports to minimize gaps in services.
Maintain current knowledge of best practices, evidence-based modalities, provincial service models, and research in mental health care by attending training, supervision, and professional development activities.

Secondary Functions

Participate in data collection for program evaluation (service utilization, wait times, client-reported outcomes) and provide clinical context for quality improvement initiatives.
Support the development of provincial clinical tools, assessment templates, and standardized treatment pathways to improve consistency across sites.
Assist in scheduling, waitlist management, and triage processes to optimize client flow and service access.
Represent the program in community committees, provincial working groups, and stakeholder engagement sessions to inform service design.
Deliver training sessions and in-services to non-clinical staff on mental health literacy, de-escalation, and trauma-informed approaches.
Aid in the identification and escalation of systemic barriers to care and contribute to recommendations for policy or resourcing changes.
Support grant applications, program proposals, or service expansion initiatives with clinical evidence and needs assessments.
Contribute to public-facing resources (fact sheets, program guides, website content) to improve navigation and visibility of provincial mental health services.
Participate in on-call rotations or after-hours crisis response when required by provincial program operations.
Ensure clinical supplies, resources, and materials for groups and workshops are maintained and accessible across program sites.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Clinical assessment and diagnosis skills (DSM-5/ICD-10 informed), including standardized screening instruments and structured interviews.
Proficiency in evidence-based therapeutic modalities: CBT, DBT, trauma-focused therapy, motivational interviewing, and brief solution-focused interventions.
Strong risk and safety assessment capabilities (suicide, self-harm, violence risk) and development of safety plans.
Experience delivering services via telehealth platforms and familiarity with provincial telepractice standards and digital privacy/security requirements.
Competence with electronic medical records (EMR) systems, clinical documentation standards, and outcome measurement tools (e.g., PHQ-9, GAD-7, OQ-45).
Case management and care coordination skills, including cross-sector collaboration with psychiatry, primary care, social services, and justice systems.
Knowledge of provincial mental health legislation, professional regulatory requirements, privacy laws, and reporting obligations.
Group therapy design, facilitation, and curriculum development skills for psychoeducation and skills-based groups.
Ability to deliver culturally safe, trauma-informed care and integrate cultural consultations and adaptations into treatment.
Data-informed practice: ability to use client outcomes and service metrics to inform clinical decisions and contribute to program quality improvement.

Soft Skills

Advanced clinical judgment and ethical decision-making under complex and high-risk conditions.
Empathetic communication and active listening skills to build therapeutic alliance with diverse populations.
Strong interpersonal skills for multidisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder engagement.
Resilience, stress tolerance, and self-awareness to manage high caseloads and vicarious trauma.
Time management, organization, and prioritization skills to balance direct clinical work with administrative duties.
Cultural humility, inclusivity, and a commitment to anti-oppressive practice.
Clear written communication for concise, defensible clinical documentation and reporting.
Coaching, mentorship, and supervision skills to support the development of junior staff and students.
Adaptability and problem-solving to manage system constraints, changing provincial directives, and evolving client needs.
Coaching and leadership presence when presenting clinical recommendations to teams and partners.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Master’s degree in Counselling Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Social Work, Psychiatric Nursing, or equivalent clinical graduate degree recognized by provincial regulatory bodies.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree plus current registration/license with the provincial regulatory body (e.g., Registered Social Worker, Registered Psychologist, Registered Clinical Counsellor).
Additional certifications in trauma-informed therapy, DBT, or specialized clinical modalities are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Clinical/Counselling Psychology
Social Work (MSW)
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing
Clinical Counselling or Psychotherapy
Addiction Counselling or Interdisciplinary Mental Health

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–7 years of direct clinical experience providing mental health services; provincial program roles often require 3+ years for mid-level positions.

Preferred:

3–5+ years delivering evidence-based individual and group psychotherapy in community, primary care, or provincial mental health settings.
Experience with crisis intervention, risk assessment, and working with complex/priority populations (e.g., Indigenous communities, youth, perinatal, justice-involved, concurrent disorders).
Prior experience with provincial or large-scale program implementation, quality improvement, or clinical supervision is highly desirable.