Meghan Blad
Paris,Ontario
Summary
Seasoned Community Mental Health Clinician bringing 15 years of experience working with individuals across varying demographics to promote healthy living and productivity. Strong background in crisis intervention and management. Skillfully builds support networks comprised of diverse healthcare providers and businesses, supporting community needs. Works with leaders and law enforcement to address health and safety issues. Collaborative social service employee developing targeted improvement plans and teaching valuable new skills. Strategic Community Support Specialist with s
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Community Support Councilor-Addictions Specailist
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
10.2020 - 08.2022
- Counsellor concurrent Disorders outpatient clinic
- Provision of case management and individual treatment planning for individuals with co-occurring mental health and addiction concerns
- Collaborate with community partners, including Mobile Crisis Response Team, police, probation and parole, physicians and other community partners
- Provision of same-day intake assessments, to determine suitability for CDOS programming and referral to other community agencies and programs as required
- Group provision over Zoom in ACT, DBT skills and addictions-related content
- Provision of direct clinical services in evidence-based treatment in individual and group-based counselling techniques and interventions (Motivational Interviewing, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Harm Reduction)
- Conducting screening, assessments and tools of patients with addiction and concurrent disorders, including the identification of risk factors (i.e
- CAGE-AID, GAIN Tool)
- Provision of ongoing mental status, symptom assessment, and response to treatment
- Adapting individual treatment plans to ensure immediate and appropriate interventions are provided in response to changes in the client’s mental status, behaviour and level of risk
- Organization and facilitation of individual and group social, recreational and life skills-building activities and groups
- Including cooking, home management, budgeting, problem-solving, self and personal care, medication management, transportation, personal goal setting, health and fitness, and social skills
- Provision of advocacy, coordination of legal and advocacy services, financial support, subsidies and benefits.
- Worked effectively in fast-paced environments.
- Applied effective time management techniques to meet tight deadlines.
- Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
- Demonstrated a high level of initiative and creativity while tackling difficult tasks.
Community Support Counsellor
Haldimand Norfolk Assertive Community Treatment
01.2014 - 10.2020
- Provision of intensive case management, crisis intervention and individual treatment planning in collaboration with a multidisciplinary treatment team of individuals with severe and persistent mental illnesses, including concurrent disorders, schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and schizoaffective disorder
- Strong focus on psychosocial rehabilitation principles, client-directed goals and harm reduction
- Intensive community supports and assessments include medication management, skills development, daily living and self-care activities, procurement and maintenance of safe and affordable housing, and access to required medical and health care
- Provision of ongoing mental status, symptom assessment, and response to treatment
- Organization and facilitation of individual and group social, recreational and life skills-building activities and groups
- Crisis Intervention via phone and in-person visits assisting clients through times of acute psychiatric crisis
- Collaborate with community partners, including Mobile Crisis Response Team, police, probation and parole, physicians and other community partners
- Maintain an active presence in the community with a calendar of community outreach events to promote ACTT and network with community partners
- Provision of advocacy, coordination of legal and advocacy services, financial support, subsidies and benefits.
- Worked flexible hours across night, weekend and holiday shifts.
- Adaptable and proficient in learning new concepts quickly and efficiently.
- Worked well in a team setting, providing support and guidance.
- Demonstrated leadership skills in managing projects from concept to completion.
Vocational Instructor
Schizophrenia and Community Integration Service
01.2013 - 01.2014
- Responsible for coordination of day-to-day operations of the hospital cafeteria, scheduling, payroll, program intake/discharge
- Procurement of food and supplies through major distributors
- Responsible for order/supply emergencies arising from Late Delivery, Late Order, Usual Supplier being out of stock, Stock Shortage
- Negotiation of contracts for Food and Beverage and General Supplies procurement with group purchasing program
- Crisis Intervention-assisting clients through times of acute psychiatric crisis
- Hands-on job coaching, skills teaching and mentoring of program participants
- Design and implementation of a supported employment food service Cafeteria Training Program
- Management of program budget, deficit and maintenance of cash floats and daily deposits, preparation of monthly purchases report for analysis
- Ability to identify barriers to employment and assist clients with such matters as job readiness, workplace behaviours and communication skills
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Mental Health Rehabilitation/Forensic Psychiatry
04.2007 - 01.2013
- Facilitated life skills groups and individual programs (cooking, bus training, social skills budgeting,
- Delivery of Occupational therapy interventions as assigned by the Occupational Therapist
- Worked on both secure and non-secure forensic inpatient units, and the outpatient teams
- Assist patient in developing strategies to compensate for behavioral and cognitive deficits
- Assist clients in meeting self-directed goals through one–on–one sessions in the hospital program and in the community
- Assisting clients through times of acute psychiatric crisis (EPT, COAST, Suicide Intervention)
- Development of new module-based programs and development of community contacts
- Usage and documentation of Forensic specific Risk Assessment tools (i.e
- HARM/AIS).
- Coordinated interventions with multidisciplinary treatment team.
- Implemented treatment interventions to support individual objectives in daily living, clinical, educational and vocational areas.
- Provided education to empower patients and families to understand conditions, treatments and treatment options for managing symptoms.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Community Health
Wilfred Laurier University
Brantford, ON04.2025
Diploma -
Sir Sanford Fleming College
Peterborough, ON04.2006
Diploma - undefined
Burford District High School, Secondary School
1999
CPI Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Certification -
CPI
07.2022
General Psychiatric Management for Borderline Personality Disorder – Harvard Medical -
Harvard School of Medicine
07.2022
Master Class: Core Skills in DBT -
Treatment Implementation Collaborative
07.2022
Act For Benninger Core Course -
I’m Learning ACT With Russ Harris
Online01.2020
Cannabis Education For Healthcare Providers -
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC09.2020
Motivational Interviewing for Addictions – Psychwire Certificate obtained -
Psychwire
03.2020
Addiction Care And Treatment Online Certificate -
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC09.2020
First Aid And CPR -
Red Cross
2019
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Level 1 -
The Linehan Institute
2016
Certificate in Intensive Tobacco Cessation Counseling -
University of Toronto
03.2012
Lean Healthcare Yellow Belt Certification -
Brantford General Hospital
2012
Skills
- Complex Problem-Solving
- Client Needs Assessment
- Community Outreach
- Residential Support
- Educational Outreach
- Compassionate Patient Care
- Relationship Issues Management
- Suicide Intervention
- Supporting Daily Living Needs
- Counseling
- Disability Support
- Behavior Modification
- Writing Client Reports
- Victim Assistance
- Community Integration
- HIPAA Regulation Observance
Timeline
Community Support Councilor-Addictions Specailist
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
10.2020 - 08.2022
Community Support Counsellor
Haldimand Norfolk Assertive Community Treatment
01.2014 - 10.2020
Vocational Instructor
Schizophrenia and Community Integration Service
01.2013 - 01.2014
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Mental Health Rehabilitation/Forensic Psychiatry
04.2007 - 01.2013
Bachelor of Arts - Community Health
Wilfred Laurier University
Diploma -
Sir Sanford Fleming College
Diploma - undefined
Burford District High School, Secondary School
CPI Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Certification -
CPI
General Psychiatric Management for Borderline Personality Disorder – Harvard Medical -
Harvard School of Medicine
Master Class: Core Skills in DBT -
Treatment Implementation Collaborative
Act For Benninger Core Course -
I’m Learning ACT With Russ Harris
Cannabis Education For Healthcare Providers -
University of British Columbia
Motivational Interviewing for Addictions – Psychwire Certificate obtained -
Psychwire
Addiction Care And Treatment Online Certificate -
University of British Columbia
First Aid And CPR -
Red Cross
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Level 1 -
The Linehan Institute
Certificate in Intensive Tobacco Cessation Counseling -
University of Toronto
Lean Healthcare Yellow Belt Certification -
Brantford General Hospital
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