CAMH- Crisis and Critical Care Unit 3
Year 2 Practicum
September 2025- April 2026
Name of Practicum Site, Unit or Program:
CAMH, Crisis and Critical Care Unit 3
Location:
CAMH 1051 Queen St West
*in-person*
Description of the practicum site and student activities:
Practicum Description:
The Crisis and Critical Care Unit 3 serves adult clients for short-term stabilization of acute mental health issues (e.g., psychosis, mania, suicidality, etc). Social workers on this unit work closely with an interdisciplinary team to provide assessments, psychoeducation (individual, family), referrals and discharge planning for inpatient clients. Students will need to feel comfortable working with severe mental illness. Placement is offered 3-, 4- or 5-days per week based on the student’s availability. The block placement is preferred (4+ days per week) given the high turnover of the unit.
Practicum Requirements:
- 100% in person (on unit), no option for hybrid/virtual work
- Vulnerable Sector Check
- Immunizations per PHA guidelines
- Covid Vaccinations
- Comfort with severe mental illness
- Report writing and documentation
Practicum Requirements:
(Click on all the boxes that apply.)
☒ Immunizations per PHA Guidelines
☒ N95 Respirator/Mask Fitting
☒ Covid Vaccinations
☐ Influenza Vaccination (Flu shot)
☐ Police Reference/Vulnerable Sector Check
☐ Driver’s License
☐ Use of Own Car
☐ Travel by public transportation between home visits, or satellite offices, or community meetings, etc.
☒ Comfort working with the population being served
☒ Comprehensive report writing and documentation
☐ Lived experience/Current member of the community being served
☐ Evening attendance
☐ Weekend attendance
☐ Changing shift attendance
☐ Language (specify in field below)
Other requirements:
Please select Fields(s) of Study:
(click on all boxes that apply.)
☐ Children and their Families
☐ Social Justice and Diversity
☒ Mental Health and Health
☐ Social Work in Gerontology
☐ Human Services Management & Leadership
Does your practicum require any previous experience?
– no experience required
– any background in psychology/discharge planning/case management/clinical social work is helpful but not necessary
– students can be trained during placement
Is this practicum in-person, remote or hybrid?
– completely in person, with no option for any remote work
Will this practicum involve direct work or a mix of direct and indirect?
– primarily direct, but there are options for indirect especially if this of interest to the student
Number of practicums offered:
– 1
Field Instructor name and credentials:
Rachel Spears, MSW RSW
Elissa Aknay, MSW RSW
Application deadline:
March 17, 2025
Do you require a resume? Or resume and cover letter?
-resume only, no cover letter needed
Accessibility Considerations:
- Will the student have access to a private space for notes or computer use? No
We work in a shared office, but there are some private spaces that can be used temporarily (e.g., for sensitive phone calls)
- Are there breaks between clients/patients/meetings? Sometimes
– daily lunch break and if the student requires a break this can be accommodated however the practicum is extremely fast-paced and there is a high volume of work
- Is the practicum considered fast-paced? Fast
-very fast
- Is there a high noise level in the practicum? High
– the environment is loud and often overstimulating (similar to an Emergency department)
- Is the site wheelchair accessible? Yes
- What are the physical demands of the practicum? Are there any other accessibility considerations that potential applicants with disabilities should be aware of?
– as there can be unpredictable safety issues, adequate hearing/vision/some mobility are necessary to ensure students’ safety
To apply for this practicum, please send a resume to miri.ben.dat@utoronto.ca by 4pm March 17, 2025. Applications will be sent to the site.