Clinical Nurse Specialist, Community Mental Health
Company : IWK Health
Req ID: 226840
Department/Program: Halifax Community Mental Health, Mental Health And Addictions
Location: Halifax
Type of Employment: Permanent Hourly FT (100% FTE) x 1 position(s)
Start Date: October 2026
Union Status: NSNU Nursing, Nursing Bargaining Unit
Compensation: $47.4865 - $58.6442 /hour
Closing Date: September 27, 2026 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)
IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia. People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other’s talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values, and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients, families and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.
Promoting an anti-racist environment, and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care, is important to us. We are located in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Working in Mi’kma’ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportions of transgender and non-binary people than any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.
The Opportunity
Reporting to the Manager of Community Mental Health, the Clinical Nurse Specialist will work with children, youth and families, utilizing the Choice and Partnership Approach (CAPA) to deliver care to children and youth up to 19 years of age in an ambulatory mental health care setting. This is done in accordance with the mission, philosophies and vision of the IWK Health Centre. Interventions and follow-up may be provided utilizing a direct, consultative or supervisory approach. Responsibilities include clinical work with children, youth and their families specific to their mental health needs, with an emphasis on individual and family therapy as well as delivery of evidence based group interventions.
Hours of Work
Monday to Friday; 8:30am - 4:30pm. Some evening work and flexibility required depending on caseload.
Your Qualifications
- Masters Degree in Nursing required.
- Licensed or eligible for licensure by the provincial regulator is required.
- Certification in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Canada.
- Minimum five (5) years recent clinical nursing experience required. Minimum three (3) years experience in mental health and addictions required.
- Experience working in a pediatric mental health and addictions setting preferred.
- Current successful completion of a CPR Level C Health Care Provider or Basic Life Support (BLS) course required within the last 12 months.
- Demonstrated knowledge of MHA disorders and evidenced treatment modalities.
- Experience in assessment and treatment planning required.
- Experience in individual, family and group interventions preferred.
- Ability to match criteria for clinical treatment protocols to identified patient and family needs.
- Ability to assess risk of harm to self and others and triage appropriately.
- Knowledge of the Choice and Partnership Approach (CAPA) model of service delivery, preferred.
- Knowledge of a harm reduction approach to care.
- Knowledge of the mental health and addictions services offered within the IWK Health Centre, the community and the Provincial Health District Authorities to assist in the navigation of services for patients and families, preferred.
- Demonstrated knowledge and experience of clinical case management.
- Demonstrated excellent communication, organizational, problem solving and administrative skills.
- Ability to use databases to collect patient information and retrieve reports related to patient demographics and wait time.
- Demonstrated ability to work both as a member of a multi-disciplinary team and independently in a family-centered atmosphere.
- Competency in other languages an asset.
Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.
Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.
This is a Nursing bargaining unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units or employment status, are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position.
An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials.
If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.
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