Position overview

Forensic Mental Health Services (FMHS) is one service with three distinguishable, yet integrated service components as follows:

• Custodial Mental Health services (CMH) including:
  • CMH – Child and Adolescent at Bimberi Youth Justice Centre (CMH – CA)
  • CMH – Adult at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (CMH – A)
• Forensic Inpatient Mental Health Services (FMHIS)
  • Dhulwa and Gawanggal Mental Health Units
• Forensic Community Mental Health Services (FCMHS) including:
  • FMHS Forensic Consultation and Intervention Service (FoCIS) including:
  • ACT Fixated Threat Assessment Centre (ACT FTAC)
  • FMHS Mental Health Court Assessment and Liaison Service (MHCALS)

As a specialist area, clinicians within FMHS are provided with specialist training and specialist clinical supervision and are consistently encouraged to be involved in a collaborative and multidisciplinary team environment. Clinicians are supported to maintain any continuing professional development requirements, appropriate to area of service provision, such as attendance to group supervision, research groups, and/or in- services.

Key Responsibilities

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

Under direction of the Team Manager, Custodial Mental Health, you will be expected to be able to provide, under supervision, quality mental health assessments and intervention to adults and young people presenting with mental illness who have had contact with the criminal justice system, including community mental health consumers and detainees within the ACT’s two correctional centres - the Alexander Maconochie Centre and Bimberi Youth Justice Centre. You will be required to work collaboratively with a team of clinical staff of nursing, medical, and allied health professionals. You will actively liaise with other health professionals, the ACT Law Courts, ACT Corrective Services, youth justice services, other community and inpatient mental health services, and community stakeholders to support effective risk management and for consumers of MHJHADS services in custody and in the community.

Staff working within FMHS are supported via access to regular clinical supervision, a collaborative and multidisciplinary team environment, and professional development appropriate to area of service provision. You will report to a Team Manager and will support them via keeping effective records and data sets, maintaining mandatory learning and professional registration, and participating in quality improvement activities and other service development processes.

1. Provide appropriate skilled assessment and interventions to individuals experiencing mental illness or presenting with self-harm risk who are involved with the criminal justice system.
2. Exercise independent judgment on routine matters and under decreasing professional supervision when performing novel, complex or critical tasks.
3. Complete clinical and program records and prepare professional reports to standards required and meet local and legislated documentation and data collection requirements.
4. Liaise effectively with a range of stakeholders as required including other mental health services, and both government and non-government organisations.
5. Undertake clinical supervision and professional development activities and assist in the supervision and education of Health Professional 1, psychology interns, technical and other non-professional staff.
6. Participate in the analysis, evaluation, planning and implementation of services including quality improvement projects or research in specific area of work, as required.
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.

• Proven ability to work effectively and collaboratively as part of a diverse or multidisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated high level verbal and written communication skills.
• Adaptability and flexibility to accommodate change and respond to novel situations.
• Ability to communicate effectively and develop rapport with complex and challenging clients.
• Resilience and calm in the face of conflict or uncertainty.
• Curiosity

Qualifications

Essential

• Psychologists: Registered or eligible for general registration with the Psychology Board of Australia under AHPRA.
• Social Workers: Degree in Social Work and a member or eligible for membership of the AASW and hold a WWVP card.
• Occupational Therapists: Registered or eligible for general registration with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia under AHPRA.

Desirable

• Postgraduate study or training in a related field.
• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 1-year full time equivalent clinical experience post qualification.

Desirable

• Prior experience in forensic mental health or a related field (i.e., custodial settings, police, secure inpatient settings).
• Experience of working in public or acute mental health services or via other services engaged with public mental health clients.
• 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) Act2011is 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 and must be addressed in your application:

1. Proven ability to undertake collaborative mental health assessments, treatment planning and intervention for people experiencing significant mental health conditions.
2. A demonstrated understanding of the principles of Recovery and the implications for practice in a forensic population.
3. Proven effective verbal and written communication skills, including excellent clinical record keeping, and the ability to communicate clinical concepts effectively to a range of stakeholders.
4. A working knowledge of current mental health service provision in the community and other support services relevant to the successful care of mental health consumers in the community.
5. Demonstrates understanding of, and adherence to, safety and quality standards, work, health and safety (WH&S) 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.