Jobs and Volunteering - Gerstein Crisis Centre

Employment Opportunities

Access Facilitator – TCCS-TTC Pilot Project

Position Title: Access Facilitator, TCCS – TTC Project, Full Time, 12-month
Contract

Reports To: Manager, TCCS – TTC

Salary: $67,918.56 per annum with comprehensive benefits package

Closing Date: Sunday October 26, 2025, 5:00 PM

Background:

Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS) is a community mental health and addiction crisis
support service program operated by service partners across Toronto. Gerstein Crisis Centre
(GCC) is the anchor for south central Toronto and south Etobicoke. The TCCS Pilot Project with the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is an extension of TCCS which aims to provide crisis support and services for TTC service-users experiencing crisis within the TTC Downtown U-Zone of Line 1.

Gerstein Crisis Centre (GCC) strongly believes that early intervention for mental health needs
provided by a mental health worker, rather than an enforcement service, can facilitate access to help sooner, reduce stigma, discrimination and unnecessary police involvement. This partnership with the TTC builds on our many years of experience and commitment to collaborate, partner, and ally with others across the city to build a strengths-based, integrated, accessible, community-based, anti-racist and socially-just crisis response system.

Job Summary:

The Access Facilitator receives requests for the TCCS – TTC team from TTC communications;
provides immediate telephone intervention and facilitates access to a mobile team visit in the community, leveraging all crisis services to provide a timely response.

Successful Applicants Will Have:

At least five years of experience working in community mental health, crisis intervention, substance use specific services, or experience in a related field
A demonstrated commitment to working through an Anti-Racist, Anti-Oppression, Trauma informed lens
The skills to provide leadership and promote a respectful and supportive team environment
Broad understanding of the intersecting factors that impact an individual’s mental health and well-being including the social determinants of health, trauma, poverty and homelessness
The ability to provide and adapt crisis interventions and de-escalation within high traffic, public spaces
Knowledge and skills to provide suicide risk assessment and interventions using the ASIST model
Can demonstrate how to use a harm reduction framework to address substance use and concurrent disorders
A demonstrated understanding of issues related to involvement in the Mental Health and Justice System, including current knowledge of relevant legislation, including the Mental Health Act and P.H.I.P.A.
A demonstrated ability to adapt interventions to a diverse client group including Persons with Disabilities, Black, Indigenous, Racialized, LGBTQI2S+ and Neurodiverse communities
An extensive working knowledge of community supports available in the City of Toronto
Ability to coordinate services and collaborate with TTC Special Constables, Transit Control, Community partners and frontline staff while making appropriate use of resources
Strong organizational, time-management, oral and written communication skills in English
A demonstrated ability to navigate multiple computer and communication systems
A valid Ontario ‘G’ Driver’s License

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Receive requests for TCCS –TTC mobile team from TTC communications
Assess to determine appropriate course of action, including brief telephone crisis support when required
Provide direct crisis response and intervention, support and follow-up to service users, as required
Communicate relevant information to and arrange for mobile crisis team to respond
Facilitate connection to available GCC mobile crisis services when required to provide timely response
Monitor and provides support for the coordination of follow up services within 48 hours post crisis call as well as subsequent follow-up
Participate in collection of data regarding client demographics and referral pathways, as per GCC established policy and protocols
Provide CCIW staff with on-shift supervision, guidance and support, including feedback when needed
Problem-solve emergent issues regarding clients, personnel, community access or referral
Participate in team meetings, reflective practice sessions, internal and external training as required

Hours and Location:

24/7 Shifts include week/weekend days, evenings and overnight shifts
Work at a designated office location within the TTC

We are particularly interested in hearing from individuals who represent the cultural diversity of Toronto, Black and Indigenous, LGBTQI2S+ individuals and those with lived experience of the mental health system.

All GCC employees are required to provide proof of full vaccination for COVID-19.

Please send cover letter and resume to:jobs@gersteincentre.org.

Gerstein Crisis Centre is committed to equity in employment and to upholding the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005 (AODA) in all its practices and policies. We will provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities at all stages of the hiring process. If you are a person who requires accommodation under the OHRC or AODA during the hiring process, please request in writing to admin@gersteincentre.org.

Community Crisis Intervention Worker – TCCS-TTC Pilot Project

Position Title: Community Crisis Intervention Worker, TCCS-TTC Pilot-Project, fixed-term, full
time

Reports to: Manager, TCCS-TTC

Salary: $65,422.50 per annum, with comprehensive benefits package

Background: Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS) is a community safety and crisis support service program operated by service partners across Toronto. Gerstein Crisis Centre is the anchor for the downtown project. In July 2024, services expanded to include geographies east, west, and south of the downtown core. The TTC-TCCS Pilot Project is an extension of TCCS which aims to provide crisis support and services for TTC service-users experiencing crisis within the TTC Downtown U-Zone of Line 1.

Gerstein Crisis Centre (GCC) strongly believes that early intervention for mental health needs
provided by a mental health worker, rather than an enforcement service, can facilitate access
to help sooner. This reduces stigma, discrimination and unnecessary police involvement. Our
three decades of experience has demonstrated that early intervention can facilitate essential
supports while avoiding unnecessary engagement with emergency services such as hospitals
and police.

GCC has been involved with TCCS since 2022, bringing established experience and building on community partnerships to continue to create a local, strengths-based, integrated, accessible, anti-racist and socially just crisis response system.

Job Summary:

The Community Crisis Intervention Worker (CCIW) provides crisis intervention, de-escalation,
crisis management, and follow-up services and referrals to individuals in the community who
are experiencing mental health and/or substance use crisis. The CCIW in the TCCS-TCCS Pilot
Project will work collaboratively with TTC customers, staff, and community partners to provide help and assistance that is adapted to diverse needs and includes diversion away from unnecessary police or medical emergency response.

Successful Applicants Will Have:

At least five years of experience working in community mental health, crisis intervention, substance use specific services, or experience in a related field
Broad understanding of the intersecting factors that impact an individual’s mental health and well-being including the social determinants of health, trauma, poverty and homelessness
The ability to provide and adapt crisis interventions and de-escalation within high traffic, public spaces
Knowledge and skills to provide suicide risk assessment and interventions using the ASIST model
Can demonstrate how to use a harm reduction framework with issues related to substance use and concurrent disorders
A demonstrated understanding of issues related to involvement in the Mental Health and Justice System, including current knowledge of relevant legislation, including the Mental Health Act and P.H.I.P.A.
A demonstrated ability to provide and adapt interventions to a diverse client group including Persons with Disabilities, Black, Indigenous, Racialized, LGBTQI2S+ and Neurodiverse communities
An extensive working knowledge of community supports available in the City of Toronto
Ability to coordinate services and collaborate with TTC Special Constables, Transit Control, Community partners and frontline staff while making appropriate use of resources
Strong organizational and time-management skills
Strong oral and written communication skills in English
A demonstrated ability to navigate multiple computer and communication systems
A valid Ontario ‘G’ Driver’s License

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Exercise sound judgement and provide timely in-person crisis intervention to individuals and families including assessment, de-escalation, conflict mediation, and suicide intervention
Work collaboratively with individual in crisis to identify, develop and fulfill the goals they identify as meaningful and relevant
Use TCCS supports to provide transportation to shelter or community supports when needed. When appropriate, this may include accompaniment in crisis vehicle or provision of taxi or TTC
Work with Access Facilitator to request support of Emergency Services or Special Constables only when required
Provide referrals to community supports and services including substance use and wellness supports, housing support and referral, psychiatric assessment
Where indicated, refer to TCCS supports and partners for follow-up crisis management and/or wellness checks
Work collaboratively with community partners to maximize support of the client, ease movement through systems and help to create pathways to recovery goals
Actively participate in data collection and analysis required by project by documenting client interactions as per established policy and protocols
Participate in team meetings, reflective practice sessions, internal and external trainings as required

Please Note:

Gerstein Centre services are 24/7. This position is in person, on-site, working a rotating shift schedule that will include days, evenings, overnights, and weekend shifts
All direct service staff may be scheduled for rotating shift schedules that may include days, evenings, overnights, and weekend shifts
Work will primarily take place within the TTC Line 1 loop but may include travel across all TCCS service geographies.
We are particularly interested in hearing from individuals who represent the cultural diversity of Toronto including, Black and Indigenous, LGBTQI2S+ individuals and those with lived experience of the mental health system
All GCC employees are required to provide proof of full vaccination for COVID-19.

Please send resume and letter of interest jobs@gersteincentre.org by Sunday, October 26 @ 5pm.

Please send resume and letter of interest to jobs@gersteincentre.org.

Kits for a Cause Event

Are you a group or company that is looking for a fun group or corporate volunteer program that engages your team while making an impact? Help Gerstein Crisis Centre build Personal Care Success Kits to support individuals with hygiene items and other basic necessities. To find out more, check out the Kits For a Cause website.

Volunteer Cook

Due to COVID-19, our volunteer cook program is on hold until further notice.

We are always looking for volunteer cooks to prepare evening meals for 10-15 people. If you are able to offer a minimum of 4 hours per month and feel comfortable cooking tasty, healthy meals in large quantities, please contact Nicki Casseres, Coordinator of Training and Community Education at (416) 929-0149 ext. 232 or by email at ncasseres@gersteincentre.org.