Position overview

The Older Persons Mental Health Community Team (OPMHCT) is a specialist mental health service that provides community-based specialist assessment, care planning and treatment for older adults experiencing (or suspected of experiencing) a mental illness or mental disorder who are living at home or in a Residential Aged Care Facility within the ACT.

The position is situated within Adult Community Mental Health Services (ACMHS), providing evidenced based and personalised care planning, collaborating with carers, nominated persons, supports and other key stakeholders. ACMHS teams operate across the Australian Capital Territory, adhering to both the Adult Community Mental Health Model of Care and the Older Persons Community Mental Health Model of Care.

ACMHS program area services the community’s mental health needs in the areas of intake, recovery, supported and therapeutic accommodation, therapy, older persons, neuropsychology, assertive community outreach, homeless outreach, and intensive home treatment. The Intake Services Teams – ACMHS, includes Access Mental Health Team (AMHT) - Triage and Comprehensive Services, Home Assessment and Acute Response Team (HAART) which includes Police Ambulance Clinician Early Response (PACER), Rapid Response, and Intensive Home Treatment (IHT) service.

OPMHCT offers specialist advice, expertise, consultation to other health care providers, plus a range of interventions including assessment, advice, advocacy, short term treatment and interventions, intensive or assertive outreach treatment, clinical management, physical health review, Clozapine initiation / review, and care coordination.

The successful applicant may be asked to work with any of the areas as directed by the OPMHCT Team Leader. The position reports to the OPMHCT Team Leader and is supported by a cohesive multidisciplinary team (including Nurses, Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, and Medical Officers). This is an exciting opportunity for someone who may be interested in working in a program that comprises access, hospital diversion, assertive outreach, and community recovery and therapy services.

Key Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Provide high standard clinical discipline-specific expertise, actively apply recovery-based intervention principles, and work collaboratively with people, carers, and community agencies/other stakeholders to provide care co-ordination and educative practices.
2. Complete case notes to the required standard in the Digital Health Record (DHR) and meet reporting and data collection requirements, as well as initiating, coordinating and leading quality improvement activities.
3. Undertake duties as directed including participating in clinical supervision and engagement in professional development activities.
4. Work within the scope of practice of the Mental Health Act 2015 and other relevant legislation, and if appointed as a Mental Health Officer, then to meet the requirements of this role and apply these principles in crisis decision making.
5. Assist in the provision of primary, secondary, and tertiary consultation services, community development and education, liaison and linkage to other government and non-government agencies that also provide care to people experiencing acute mental illness.
6. Compliance with the frameworks around clinical audits, incident management, occupational violence, staff orientation, clinical review, the National Standards for Mental Health Services, the National Safety and Quality Health Service standards and the National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standards.
7. Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.

Competencies

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following.

• Advanced Mental Health Assessment experience working with specialised client group/s.
• Assisting with consumer needs around accommodation, social support, income, post suicide attempt support, and recovery partnership programmes and providing consultation liaison services and education to consumers, families, direct and non-direct care workers and agencies.
• Understanding of the Mental Health Act 2015 and how it informs treatment options, rights, and care.
• Application of recovery-based interventions, trauma informed care, and strengths-based approaches to care provision.
• Understanding risk and appropriate escalation of concerns through the team leader and team, such as MDT processes, RISKMAN, clinical supervision and other supportive frameworks.
• DHR competence and ongoing standard expectations for updating skillset to ensure statistical and data collection requirements are met.
• Clear communication skills in both verbal and written ability to work with carers, consumers, nominated persons, and support services/government agencies in accordance with the Mental Health Act 2015.
• Understanding of the frameworks encompassing the National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standards, and the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.

Qualifications

Essential

For Occupational Therapy:

• Degree in Occupational Therapy.
• Be registered or be eligible for general registration with Occupational Therapy Board of Australia under the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

For Social Work:

• Degree in Social Work.
• Professional membership or eligibility for professional membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
• Registration under the ACT Working with Vulnerable People Act 2011.

For Psychology:

• Degree in Psychology.
• Be registered or be eligible for general registration with Psychology Board of Australia under the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

Desirable

• Post Grad Qualification in relevant discipline or another relevant stream.
• Approved as a Mental Health Officer under the Mental Health Act 2015, or eligible to be approved as a Mental Health Officer and is ready to undertake and complete that training.
• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.

Experience

Essential

• Relevant Tertiary qualifications and a minimum of 12 months experience in your respective discipline.

Desirable

• Experience working in community mental health teams, as well as understanding the partnership with emergency services personnel that promotes the spirit of cooperation and collaboration, respect for each other’s philosophy, priorities, knowledge, skills, and experience
• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, and all other related frameworks.

Prior to commencement

Appointment to this position is conditional on being granted and retaining appropriate clearances:

• Pre-employment National Police Check.
• Current registration issued under the Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011 is required.
• Comply with Canberra Health Services Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination policy.
• Comply with CHS credentialing and scope of clinical practice requirements for allied health professionals.

Important information

All employees are required to:

• Adhere to the Canberra Health Services Values and the ACT Public Service Code of Conduct.
• Act in accordance and comply with all relevant Safety and Quality policies and procedures.
• Comply with all relevant clinical and/or competency standards.

CHS is leading the drive to digitally transform health service delivery in Australia through the implementation of a territory wide Digital Health Record. Computer literacy skills are required which are relevant to this role as you will be responsible for completing required documentation and becoming a proficient user of the Digital Health Record and/or other Information Technology systems; once proficient, you will need to remain current with changes, updates, and contingencies.

What you Require (Key Selection Criteria)

These are the key selection criteria for how you will be assessed in conjunction with your resumé and experience.

1. Under supervision, demonstrate an ability to undertake relevant assessment of people with mental illness, providing support within the multidisciplinary team, using evidence-based knowledge to ensure that practice supports safe and quality health outcomes in partnership with consumers and carers.
2. An ability to demonstrate an understanding of the principles of recovery and the National Standards for Mental Health Services.
3. Effective communication skills and an understanding of and willingness to participate in, research, quality improvement activities and clinical supervision. An ability or willingness to learn record keeping that assists with service delivery with specific Partnership Programs to improve service delivery, trends or needs.
4. Applied knowledge of current mental health services (both government and non-government) within the ACT and a knowledge of current mental health and other relevant legislation.
5. Demonstrates understanding of, and adherence to, safety and quality standards, Work Health and Safety and the positive patient experience. Displays behaviour consistent with CHS’s values of reliable, progressive, respectful, and kind.

Work environment description

The following work environment description outlines the inherent requirements of the role and indicates how frequently each of these requirements would need to be performed. Please note that the ACT Public Service is committed to providing reasonable adjustments and ensuring all individuals have equal opportunities in the workplace.