| Reference #: | Mental Health Lead- June 23 2025 |
| Location: | Brantford, ON |
| Date Posted: | Jun 23, 2025 |
Job Description
Mental Health Lead
Grand Erie District School Board represents more than 28,000 students in 58 elementary schools and 14 secondary schools within the City of Brantford and the counties of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk, as well as students from Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. With a dedicated staff of more than 2,900, Grand Erie is committed to learning, leading and inspiring.
Position Overview:
The Mental Health Lead provides system-wide leadership for the promotion, coordination, and continuous improvement of student mental health services in Grand Erie. This includes leading the development and implementation of the board’s mental health and addictions strategy in alignment with Ministry priorities and the expectations of School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO). The role emphasizes proactive, evidence-based practices that promote mental health, build staff capacity, and support student well-being across all schools.
This position also assumes local responsibility for the clinical supervision and oversight of a Social Workers and Child and Youth Workers.
Responsibilities:
Note: This position involves both system-level mental health leadership and direct clinical supervision of staff. Candidates must be comfortable managing operational, strategic, and crisis-response responsibilities in a complex and high-demand environment.
Familiarity with practical, evidence-informed planning and execution, and demonstrated ability to work effectively with multi-disciplinary teams and to collaborate to achieve desired outcomes are considered assets. Knowledge regarding evidence-based prevention and intervention programs and services; experience with adult learning; professional learning and training; and experience working in an educational system are also assets.
All submissions are to include a complete cover letter, resume, qualifications, and the names of three (3) professional references at least one of which must be a current supervisor (one document if submitted electronically). All new employees are required to provide an original Police Record Check (which includes a “vulnerable sector search”) acceptable to the Board prior to the commencement of employment.
Applicants with a disability that requires an accommodation to enable their participation in the interview process should advise the Board when contacted for an interview. Any assessment and selection materials and processes used in the interview process can be made available in an accessible format, upon request in advance.
All submissions are subject to a screening process and some applicants may not be granted interview.
Grand Erie District School Board represents more than 28,000 students in 58 elementary schools and 14 secondary schools within the City of Brantford and the counties of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk, as well as students from Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. With a dedicated staff of more than 2,900, Grand Erie is committed to learning, leading and inspiring.
Position Overview:
The Mental Health Lead provides system-wide leadership for the promotion, coordination, and continuous improvement of student mental health services in Grand Erie. This includes leading the development and implementation of the board’s mental health and addictions strategy in alignment with Ministry priorities and the expectations of School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO). The role emphasizes proactive, evidence-based practices that promote mental health, build staff capacity, and support student well-being across all schools.
This position also assumes local responsibility for the clinical supervision and oversight of a Social Workers and Child and Youth Workers.
Responsibilities:
- The Mental Health Lead works closely with senior administration, school teams, and community mental health partners to build a coordinated, responsive system of support for students
- Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based practices that align with Ministry of Education direction and emerging best practices in school mental health
- Develop, monitor, and report on the board’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategy in alignment with the Multi-Year Strategic Plan and Annual Learning and Operating Plans
- Support oversite of program implementation, process and training of practices and strategies for consistent program alignment
- Design and coordinate the delivery of professional learning for educators, administrators, and school teams on student mental health
- Support the implementation of trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and inclusive mental health practices
- Provide guidance on navigating student mental health concerns, including referral pathways and the use of school and community supports
- Foster strong partnerships with community mental health agencies, health care providers, and child and youth service networks to ensure coordinated and responsive supports for students
- Represent the board in regional and provincial mental health networks; collaborate with School Mental Health Ontario and Ministry of Education partners
- Lead the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data related to student mental health needs, service delivery, and program effectiveness
- Prepare reports, presentations, and recommendations to support evidence-informed planning
- Monitor consistency and quality of mental health case management practices across the board
- Provide direct clinical supervision and performance management registered Social Workers in accordance with OCSWSSW standards.
- Provide leadership and organizational oversight for a team of Child and Youth Workers
- Coordinate school-based assignments, caseloads, and service alignment
- Lead and coordinate board-wide responses to tragic events, including development and execution of crisis response protocols.
- Oversight of events and campaigns to promote mental health literacy among students, staff, and parents
- Perform other related duties as assigned by the Superintendent of Education
- Master’s degree in social work (MSW), with current registration in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), or a comparable regulated professional body (e.g., College of Psychologists of Ontario, College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario), with authority to provide clinical supervision under their scope of practice
- Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in child and youth mental health, including direct clinical service and team supervision.
- Experience in providing clinical services to children, adolescents, and/or families is required
- Demonstrated experience supervising mental health teams, including clinical supervision and operational leadership (e.g., workload distribution, performance management, and team coordination
- Proven ability to lead crisis response planning and provide support during tragic events
- Strong understanding of trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and anti-oppressive practice
- Familiarity with implementation science, professional learning design, and evidence-based prevention/intervention strategies
- Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
Note: This position involves both system-level mental health leadership and direct clinical supervision of staff. Candidates must be comfortable managing operational, strategic, and crisis-response responsibilities in a complex and high-demand environment.
Familiarity with practical, evidence-informed planning and execution, and demonstrated ability to work effectively with multi-disciplinary teams and to collaborate to achieve desired outcomes are considered assets. Knowledge regarding evidence-based prevention and intervention programs and services; experience with adult learning; professional learning and training; and experience working in an educational system are also assets.
| Job Specifications | |
| Hours of Work | 7 hours per day/35 hours per week |
| Rate of Pay | Hiring Range $103,028-$113,566 Salary Range $103,028-117,077 A competitive benefits plan is available through a provincial benefits trust plan (extended health, dental, life insurance, AD&D). OMERS pension plan. Flexible summer schedule. |
| Effective Date | As soon as can be mutually arranged |
| Supervisor Title | Superintendent of Education |
| Is this an existing vacancy? | Yes |
| Apply to | Applicants may apply by clicking the apply button below by July 2nd, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. |
All submissions are to include a complete cover letter, resume, qualifications, and the names of three (3) professional references at least one of which must be a current supervisor (one document if submitted electronically). All new employees are required to provide an original Police Record Check (which includes a “vulnerable sector search”) acceptable to the Board prior to the commencement of employment.
Applicants with a disability that requires an accommodation to enable their participation in the interview process should advise the Board when contacted for an interview. Any assessment and selection materials and processes used in the interview process can be made available in an accessible format, upon request in advance.
All submissions are subject to a screening process and some applicants may not be granted interview.
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