Position overview

Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol & Drug Services (MHJHADS) provide health services directly and through partnerships with community organisations. The services provided range from prevention and treatment to recovery, maintenance and harm minimisation. Consumer and carer participation is encouraged in all aspects of service planning and delivery. The Division works in partnership with consumers, carers and a range of government and non-government service providers to ensure the best possible outcomes for clients.

The Division delivers services at several locations, including hospital inpatient and outpatient settings, community health centres, detention centres, other community settings including peoples’ homes. These services include:

• Rehabilitation and Speciality Services
• Adult Community Mental Health Services (ACMHS)
• Adult Acute Mental Health Services (AAMHS)
• Alcohol & Drug Services (ADS)
• Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
• Justice Health Services (JHS)

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) provides assessment and treatment for young people up to the age of 18 years who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health issues.

This role will be based within CAMHS Acute Services, primarily the Adolescent Day Program (ADP). ADP offers short term intensive support to adolescents and their families/carers aged between 12-18 years. The CAMHS Adolescent Day Program service delivery model is informed by the stepped model of care. The program aims to support young people stepping down from a hospital presentation and integrate them back into their support networks and communities. It also provides a step-up approach by offering support to young people actively engaged in the CAMHS Community Teams and who are at risk of presenting to hospital.

The Day Program will offer a mixture of group and individual interventions to support the young person and their families/carers during a period of high mental health acuity.

The role will also require the team member to undertake professional development and supervision, participate in quality initiatives and contribute to the multidisciplinary team processes.

Key Responsibilities

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

Under limited direction of the CAMHS Acute Day Program Manager you will:

1. Provide appropriate and skilled music interventions to consumers with moderate to severe mental health issues, within the music therapy scope of practice and using established techniques and methods.
2. Participate in the therapeutic program, including evaluation of the program. Include carers, children, Nominated Persons, GPs, and other service providers in the recovery planning process, as required.
3. Adhere to risk management processes, identifying, and escalating issues appropriately.
4. Complete clinical and program records to standards required and meet data collection requirements.
5. Participate in clinical supervision, continuing professional development, and personal performance review process. Provide professional supervision and training to Health Professionals Level 1, students, Allied Health Assistants, and other support staff.
6. Participate in the development, analysis, evaluation, and planning of services in specific area of work, as required.
7. Actively contribute to the implementation of clinical governance activities, quality improvement projects, research programs, and health promotion in areas relevant to service.
8. Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.

Competencies

Specific competencies include but are not limited to the following.

To be successful in this position, it is expected the successful candidate will have the following attributes and abilities:

• Ability to manage confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to respond to and prioritise competing and often urgent requests in a calm and efficient manner while also maintaining high work standards and accuracy.
• Works cohesively within a multi-disciplinary team and adapts quickly to a changing environment.
• Commitment to achieving positive outcomes for mental health consumers.

Qualifications

Essential

• Master’s degree in music therapy.
• Professional membership or eligibility for professional membership of the Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA).
• Registration under the ACT Working with Vulnerable People Act 2011.

Desirable

• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.

Experience

Essential

• Applicants must have a minimum of 12 months paid work experience, post-qualification, in a related/relevant organisation/service.

Desirable

• Experience in public mental health and/or a psychiatric inpatient setting.

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.
• Be available to work within all program areas of CAMHS as service needs arise.

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. Proven ability to work collaboratively with adolescents and their families/carers with moderate to severe, acute, and/or complex mental illness and undertake relevant creative arts assessment, plan treatment, and provide creative arts interventions.
2. Proven ability to work independently while working effectively and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team.
3. Effective communication skills
   • High level verbal and written communication skills.
   • Ability to liaise and provide relevant handover information as appropriate to a multidisciplinary mental health team.
4. Demonstrated working knowledge of current mental health services, current mental health legislation and the National Standards to ensure best practice/evidence-based practice.
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.