Counsellor (1-year contract)

Institution: Institute of Mental Health

Family Group: Allied Health

Position: Counsellor (1-year contract)

Department: Department of Emergency and Crisis Care

Join us in Adding Years of Healthy Life Through Life-Changing Careers, Where Passion Meets Purpose. Make a meaningful difference whilst growing in a supportive environment that nurtures your wellbeing and career aspirations

Job Description

Provide counselling for call-in patients or subjects and triage calls to the IMH Crisisline. This role operates on a shift basis to support 24-hour service coverage.

Job Responsibilities

• Manage calls through the IMH Crisisline
• Triage calls based on the risk and issues presented by the callers
• De-escalate crisis situations through the phone
• Conduct phone-based risk assessment on person-of-interest (POI) to determine the risk of harm to self and others
• Obtain a comprehensive history of the POI (e.g. medical, social, psychological, forensic)
• Formulate and carry out appropriate management plans, in consult with the IMH ES consultant if necessary
• Provide clinical, administrative and referral information to callers
• Arrange for onsite visits or make referrals to community partners
• Ensure accurate and timely documentation of calls
• Escalate difficult cases to Reporting Officer for advice
• Provide onsite crisis intervention or counselling
• Conduct onsite visits to perform risk and psychosocial assessments for POI
• Determine management plan in consult with IMH ES consultant
• Escort POI to IMH or other Restructured Hospitals for further treatment if necessary
• Assist to reschedule POI's outpatient appointment for earlier review if necessary
• Provide psycho-education to POI and their family members
• Refer POI to appropriate community partners where necessary
• Conduct counselling or therapy sessions for referred inpatients during their admission
• Post-intervention follow-up
• Monitor cases to ensure follow up with the next care provider
• Conduct a warm handoff to the next care provider
• Community training and outreach
• Attend road show, meetings, networking sessions as assigned
• Conduct training sessions as assigned
• General administration
• Perform general administrative duties e.g. correspondence with internal and/or external partners
• Support collaboration of statistics and maintenance of database
• Attend multi-agency case conferences as assigned
• Perform other duties or projects as assigned
  

Requirements

Competency

• Team player with a passion for patient care and community support
• Strong interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills
  
  

Educational And Professional Requirements

• Recognised Degree in Psychology, Nursing, Social Work or Counselling
• Willing to work on a rotating shift and be mobilised to conduct crisis intervention in the community
• 2 to 4 years of experience in mental healthcare or counselling is preferred
• Able to commit to shifts (7am-2.30pm / 10am-5.30pm / 2pm-9.30pm / 4pm-11.30pm / 9pm-7.30am)
  
  

About IMH

The Institute of Mental Health (IMH) in Singapore, established in 1928, is a premier 2,000-bed psychiatric hospital nestled in Buangkok Green Medical Park, providing comprehensive mental health services across 50 inpatient wards and 7 outpatient clinics, while also playing a pivotal role in training the next generation of mental health professionals through the NHG-AHPL Residency Programme and collaborations with local academic institutions.