Canadian Mental Health Association jobs

Posting Closes: August 26, 2026 at 5:00pm

About Us:

The Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington (CMHA WW) provides a full care system for those with addictions, mental health or developmental needs. We serve everyone from children to adults to seniors, all under one roof. Our programs help individuals and families to lead lives filled with meaning and promise. We have 400 staff at offices in Cambridge, Waterloo, Kitchener, Guelph, Fergus, and Mount Forest.

We are fully accredited by Accreditation Canada and are proud of our Exemplary Status (the highest standing) received at our most recent accreditation exercise.

Why Join our Team:

Competitive Compensation and Benefits: Our compensation package includes a competitive salary and generous benefits supporting the wellness of our staff. We are proud to be members of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) offering one of Canada’s largest and most respected defined benefit plans.

Career Development Opportunities: Our wide range of services and supports allows for varied opportunities for career growth. Our multi-disciplinary approach to care offers cross collaboration and enhanced opportunities for learning. A formal succession planning process is key to our internal leadership recruitment.

Values that include: Mutual Respect, Accountability, Integrity and Excellence and Innovation and a culture that is welcoming and inclusive.

Commitment to Health and Safety: We have a strong health and safety culture at CMHA WW and work tirelessly to address the health and safety needs of staff and the people we serve.

The Opportunity:

We are recruiting a MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTANT (Children's Services)

• This is a regular part-time position (21 hours per week between the hours of Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) based at 737 Woolwich St. Guelph.

Reporting to the Manager, Children's Services, this role will provide consultation to licensed Child Care Programs, Before and After School Programs and EarlyON Programs in Guelph and Wellington County to enhance Early Childhood Educators and parents’ ability to support the early social/emotional development of the children in their care.

Responsibilities:

MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTATION ACCOUNTABILITY

• Develop and support a consultative team approach where caregivers, supervisors, and family meet regularly to discuss strategies and progress.
• Observe children in the child care setting to assess functioning, relationships with educators and other children, and interaction with the program.
• To meet with educators to better understand the impact of mental health concerns in the child care setting
• Meet with families to complete assessments, provide mental health consultation and guidance, as well as facilitate additional referrals including linkages to clinical services for the child or family.

CONSULTATION, EDUCATION, AND CAPACITY BUILDING ACCOUNTABILITY

• Observation and assessment of the child care setting
• Attend meetings with child care educators and the supervisor to provide information and resources, consult, and model techniques to support child care programs in adapting their curriculum to promote the participation, interaction, and social/emotional development of children and promote the overall capacity of the child care educators.
• Discuss and problem-solve effective mechanisms for supporting parent participation in the consultation process, as requested.
• Provide education and training as requested to support implementation of the Reaching In, Reaching Out program as well as to support the implementation all components of the Enhanced Support System in Child Care.
• Participate in child care community initiatives as appropriate.

CASE MANAGEMENT AND CLINICAL TREATMENT ACCOUNTABILITY

• Collaborate with schools and other community agencies to provide support for children’s transition to school.
• Advocate for children’s service system collaboration to meet the stated needs of child care programs, school programs, and the child and family.
• Identify issues that would benefit from clinical treatment with the child and/or family and include these in the overall treatment plan.
• To support educators and caregivers with referrals as clinically indicated

Qualifications:

• Diploma or degree in Early Childhood Education plus an Infant Mental Health Certificate OR Bachelor’s degree in social services including Child Studies, Social Work, Nursing, or Psychology.
• A minimum of 3 to 5 years of experience working with children birth to 12 years with mental health concerns, social/emotional and behavioural needs.
• Experience consulting with child care, EarlyON, Before and After School programs
• Building capacity with child care educators
• Sound understanding and demonstrated knowledge of:
  • development in children birth to 12 years
  • unique needs of children with mental health and social/emotional challenges
  • screening and assessment tools
  • Principles of Early Childhood Education
  • Infant Mental Health Principles
  • Group facilitation skills
  • Pedagogy in child care
  • Programs and services in the community for children and families;
• Demonstrated sensitivity and awareness of social and cultural diversity..
• Ability to work collaboratively as a member of a self-directed work team.
• Ability to work collaboratively with formal and informal community services/resources and the developmental services system.
• Excellent problem recognition and problem-solving skills
• Able to handle multiple responsibilities with competing priorities in a fast-paced progressive environment
• Must be well organized, self-directed, set priorities and manage time effectively
• Strong interpersonal skills and must be able to interact patiently, effectively and professionally with staff and physicians
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Committed to service excellence and client safety
• Strong alignment with CMHA WW’s Mission, Vision, Values and Philosophy
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft office programs and technology including internet and intranet
• A valid driver's license, vehicle and insurance as travel is required

Qualified candidates are invited to submit a resume and cover letter outlining how your skills, qualifications and experience meet the position requirements.

COMPENSATION AND RATE OF PAY: Level 5 (OPSEU) - $33.07 to $40.30 per hour

CMHA WW, as an equal opportunity employer, embraces diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive workplace. Our goal is to attract, develop and retain talented employees from diverse backgrounds, allowing us to benefit from a wide variety of experiences and perspectives. We welcome applications from all qualified persons.

• We do not use AI in our screening process.

Experience

• 3 year(s): Social/Emotional Support
• 3 year(s): Behavioural Support
• 3 year(s): Children's Mental Health

Education

• College Diploma or better in Early Childhood Education or related field