RECOVERY ALBERTA: Physician with special interest in C&A Addiction and Mental Health NAYRC (Multiple Positions Available)

This position is part of Recovery Alberta, supporting our ongoing efforts to enhance healthcare services across the province.

 Recovery Alberta is seeking Family Physicians, Pediatricians, and Psychiatrists (CCFP, FRCPC, or equivalent) with a special interest in child and youth addiction and mental health to join the clinical team at the Northern Alberta Youth Recovery Centre (NAYRC).

NAYRC is a specialized recovery-oriented inpatient treatment centre dedicated to supporting children, adolescents, and their families who are experiencing complex substance use challenges, including youth receiving services both through voluntary and involuntary care pathways. Recognizing that recovery takes time, NAYRC supports youth through assessment, stabilization, treatment, recovery, and transition planning within an interdisciplinary care environment that integrates addiction treatment, mental health care, family supports, education, and recovery planning. The program is designed to help youth rebuild relationships with family, reconnect with community and culture, develop recovery capital and life skills, and establish a foundation for long-term wellness and recovery.

This opportunity is designed for physicians at various stages of their careers who are interested in developing or expanding expertise in child and youth mental health and addiction medicine. Recovery Alberta is committed to supporting physicians through mentorship, educational opportunities, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ongoing professional development.

The successful candidate will provide evidence-informed, recovery-oriented, patient-centered medical care to children and adolescents experiencing substance use disorders and related health conditions within a specialized inpatient treatment environment. Many youth may also present with co-occurring mental health concerns and concurrent disorders requiring integrated assessment and treatment. Physicians will participate in admission assessments, treatment planning, medication management, family engagement, and transition planning. The role also includes supporting youth requiring intensive intervention, stabilization, participating in risk assessment, clinical decision-making, and providing care within applicable program requirements and legislation including the Compassionate Intervention and the Mental Health Act.

Recovery Alberta is committed to providing evidence-informed, compassionate, and patient-centered care for children, youth, and families. Physicians joining NAYRC will become part of an innovative and collaborative clinical team dedicated to improving outcomes and supporting recovery for young Albertans experiencing addiction and mental health challenges.

Education and Training Program:

Physicians will participate in a structured education, training, and mentorship program designed to support the development of knowledge and clinical expertise in child and youth addiction and mental health. The program combines self-directed learning, experiential clinical opportunities, and mentorship from experienced Addiction Medicine physicians and medical leaders. Curriculum and clinical rotations are designed to provide foundational knowledge in Addiction Medicine and Concurrent Disorders care.

Phase 1: Foundational Learning

The curriculum includes:

• Asynchronous online learning modules
• Recorded lectures and educational sessions
• Assigned physician mentors
• Evidence-informed clinical resources
• Regular educational discussions and case reviews

Topics will span the breadth of Addiction Medicine including:

• Core principles of Addiction Medicine
• Opioid agonist treatment (OAT)
• Withdrawal management
• Concurrent mental health and substance use disorders
• Trauma-informed care
• Virtual care models
• Harm reduction and recovery-oriented practice
• Emerging and innovative treatment approaches
• Youth addiction and mental health care

Phase 1 concludes with an online competency-based examination.

Phase 2: Clinical Training and Mentorship

Physicians will participate in short targeted supervised clinical rotations and mentorship experiences across Recovery Alberta Addiction Services to provide or supplement relevant knowledge and experience.

Clinical training opportunities may include exposure to:

• Youth addiction and mental health services
• Urban, rural and inpatient Addiction Medicine programs
• Outpatient RAAM clinics which manage the full spectrum of addiction care including OAT and Narcotic Transition Service (NTS)
• Concurrent Disorders Units
• Award-winning Virtual Addiction Medicine services
• OAT prescribing and management
• Mental health hospitalist services

During this phase, physicians will receive robust, ongoing mentorship and support from experienced Addiction Medicine physicians and medical leaders.

Compensation will commence during Phase 2 clinical training and will be provided through a combination of Fee-for-Service and Alternative Relationship Plan (ARP) funding models, depending on site and service.

Responsibilities / Accountabilities:

Working as part of an interdisciplinary team, the physician will assess, diagnose, and manage youth receiving inpatient addiction treatment services and may function as the most responsible practitioner for assigned patients. The physician will support recovery-oriented models of care that promote long-term health and wellness.

Clinical responsibilities include comprehensive medical, addiction, and mental health assessments, diagnosis, treatment planning, medication management, ongoing medical monitoring, and participation in transition planning. Physicians will provide care to youth requiring varying levels of intervention and stabilization, including those receiving treatment under applicable legislation, voluntary admission pathways, and program requirements. Physicians will have access to ongoing virtual consultation and support from Recovery Alberta’s virtual addiction services to support assessment, treatment planning, and management of complex substance use presentations.

The successful candidate will be expected to identify and manage co-occurring medical and psychiatric conditions and support safe, high-quality care throughout a patient's treatment episode. Physicians will actively participate in interdisciplinary case conferences, clinical consultations, and treatment planning activities to support positive outcomes for youth and families.

In addition to clinical responsibilities, physicians will contribute to continuous quality improvement initiatives, program development activities, and ongoing professional education. The successful candidate will support Recovery Alberta's commitment to innovation, evidence-informed practice, and excellence in child and youth addiction and mental health services.