Job Description

Chief of Psychiatry - Specialized Services

Make a difference in a growing, innovative mental health organization and centre of excellence in people-centered care. Work with supportive colleagues who are passionate about improving lives and champions for quality and continuous learning.

As Chief of the Traumatic Stress Injury and Concurrent Program (TSICP) including Women’s Program, Guardians Program and Cornerstone Program, Integrated Mood, Anxiety & Concurrent Program (IMAAC) and Nexus, you will be an integral part of the Senior Management Team and a collaborative, inter-disciplinary team focused on delivering seamless services and programs to our clients and customers on site at the Homewood Health Centre in Guelph.

IMAAC

The Integrated Mood, Anxiety and Addictions Concurrent Program (IMAAC) provides a structured, evidence‑based inpatient treatment experience for adults living with mood or anxiety disorders, with or without concurrent substance use. Over a 9‑week stay, patients receive comprehensive psychiatric and clinical care supported by cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, peer recovery groups, addiction programming, and expressive therapies. The program is designed to support stabilization, develop skills for managing symptoms and emotions, and build resilience, while offering coordinated medical, clinical and therapeutic interventions throughout the treatment journey

NEXUS

Nexus is Homewood’s intensive stabilization program for patients experiencing acute distress, symptom escalation, or complex transitions in care. It provides structured inpatient support to help patients regain stability, build coping skills, and prepare for further treatment or community reintegration.

The program fills a gap between crisis intervention, specialty treatment, and discharge by offering short-term stabilization, treatment extensions, step-down care, support for interventional psychiatry treatments (ECT, rTMS, ketamine), and enhanced discharge planning. Nexus operates with stays ranging from 21 to 63 days and is designed to improve access, continuity of care, and patient flow across Homewood's continuum of services

Women’s Trauma and Concurrent Program

The Women’s Trauma and Concurrent Program provides a dedicated, trauma-informed inpatient treatment environment for women and gender-diverse individuals who have experienced trauma or PTSD and may also require support for concurrent substance use concerns. Through a 9-week stay, patients receive evidence-based treatment including cognitive processing therapy, CBT, DBT, motivational interviewing, and peer support within a specialized setting designed to promote healing, safety, and recovery. The program addresses the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual impacts of trauma while supporting long-term recovery and community reintegration.

Guardians Program

The Guardians Program is a specialized 9-week inpatient program for first responders, military personnel, and veterans experiencing mental health, trauma, and/or substance use challenges. Delivered within a peer-focused environment, the program combines physician-led multidisciplinary care with evidence-based therapies such as cognitive processing therapy, CBT, DBT, trauma-informed care, and addiction treatment. A key feature is the therapeutic community of peers who share similar occupational experiences, helping participants address the unique impacts of operational stress, trauma, moral injury, and recovery.

Cornerstone (Trauma Stress Injury and Concurrent Program)

Cornerstone is a 9-week inpatient trauma treatment program designed for adults who have experienced significant trauma and may also be living with concurrent substance use concerns. The program provides specialized, trauma-informed care through a multidisciplinary team experienced in treating PTSD and trauma-related conditions. Treatment includes cognitive processing therapy, CBT, DBT, addiction programming when required, motivational interviewing, and peer support. Cornerstone helps individuals build recovery skills, reduce trauma symptoms, and regain functioning within a supportive and structured therapeutic environment

If you are looking for a work environment where your physician colleagues are collegial and supportive, working hours are reasonable and predictable and call requirements are minimal, this is the place for you!

What you’ll be doing:

Leadership and Management (50%)

• Model the organizational Vision and Values to patients, families, referral sources/clients, community, team members/staff, the Ministry of Health, College of Physicians and other stakeholders
• Actively contribute to leadership, management, growth, efficiency, innovation and other initiatives on a broad scale.
• Provide input, strategic thought, recommendations and solutions in terms of HHC operations, infrastructure and strategic direction
• Initiate and lead relevant projects having long-term or substantial impact on the current or future viability of Homewood Specialized Services (HSS)
• Collaborate with the Senior Director, Clinical Services, Programs and Special Projects to achieve clinical and financial targets
• Facilitate the development of organizational and team member competencies and capabilities critical to current and future HHC success
• Manage medical staff by ensuring compliance with current policies procedures and regulations
• Facilitate medical staff involvement in continuing education and the utilization of current best practice standards
• Maintain and enhance relationship with McMaster University, maintain faculty appointment, provide mentorship and facilitate educational opportunities for medical learners
• Represent the hospital on a local, provincial and national level by attending conferences, writing expert medical reports as requested, providing expert presentations, meeting with ministry officials and others to educate on the services and programs of HSS
• Participate in scholarly and/or research activities including publication in academic journals, etc. in collaboration with the Homewood Research Institute (HRI)
• Participate in public relations activities including formal presentations and interviews, expert advice, etc.
• Maintain stakeholder relationships such as third-party referral sources, community partners, EAPs, and corporate partners

Clinical and Consultation (50%)

• Provide direct clinical care as needed including MRP coverage and expert clinical consultation/second opinions, when appropriate, across HSS
• Ensure current best practice and professional standards of clinical care are being met
• Promote the ongoing development and implementation of policies and procedures that guide and support the provision of quality clinical care in HSS
• Provide expert direction to physicians, teams and individual clinicians regarding the entire continuum of care

What you bring:

• Degree in medicine, license to practice in Ontario and a specialist certification in Psychiatry by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or College of Family Physicians of Canada with certification in Addiction Medicine
• Minimum 5 years of clinical experience
• Experience in a medical leadership position is highly valued
• Must have previous experience in leading an interdisciplinary team with proven record in driving growth, developing new programs and services and building high-performing teams
• Exceptional leadership skills and executive presence
• Demonstrated ability to think and act with strategic and tactical agility
• Strong ability to negotiate and influence
• Creative thinker with a strong knowledge of health care issues and trends and the latest clinical approaches
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate and develop knowledge exchange forums (i.e. communities of practice, rounds, on-line collaborative spaces, etc.)
• Action-oriented and produce optimal results
• Presentation skills as public spokesperson
• Strong business acumen
• Demonstrated ability to create and maintain positive relationships with community partners, organizations and customers
• Proficiency with computers and their applications, including Microsoft Office
• Experience with creating an environment that enhances team cohesion, morale and collaboration across the organization
• Ability to Inspire others to be accountable through action, decisions and/or communications
• Experienced in change management

As part of our commitment to the health and safety of our patients, staff and community from COVID-19, subject to any accommodation required by applicable human rights legislation, Homewood Health Centre requires that all staff have received all required doses of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada.

Why work with us?

Homewood Health is Canada’s largest and leading service provider for medically focused, evidence-based treatment of mental health and addiction disorders. Our organizational culture values service excellence, integrity, collaboration and innovation. Our people make a difference!

As an equal opportunity employer, Homewood Health is committed to employment accessibility, diversity, equity and inclusion. For this reason, we encourage applications from members of equity-seeking groups including women, racialized and indigenous communities, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions.

Join us at Homewood Health™ and be part of a diverse team helping Canadians live healthier, more productive and fulfilling lives.

For more information:

Please email/call the Director of Physician Relations, Catriona Forbes - CForbes@HomewoodHealth.com | 519-831-6437