Position overview

The position is situated within Adult Community Mental Health Services (ACMHS), under the Intake Services Teams, which is a specialist mental health service that provides health care and support for people aged from 18 years old.  ACMHS provides evidenced based and personalised care planning for recovering people while also 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 - Adult Community Mental Health Services (ACMHS) includes the Home Assessment and Acute Response Team (HAART) and includes a Police Ambulance Clinician Early Response (PACER) service.

HAART provides acute and crisis interventions to facilitate hospital diversion, outreach assessment and treatment to people experiencing and living with a moderate to severe mental illness and complex needs in a community setting.  HAART provides assessments and intervention for acute mental health presentations.

PACER is a tri-service mental health co-response capability which works in partnership with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and ACT Ambulance Services to provide a Police Officer, Ambulance Paramedic, and a Level 3 Mental Health Clinician who will provide a timely mobile response to people experiencing mental health crisis.

HAART, inclusive of PACER operates seven days a week, including weekends and public holidays, and has an overnight on call arrangement. The position holder will be required to work a rotating roster of 8 and 10-hour shifts, including on call arrangement overnight and reports to the HAART Team Leader.

Note: Applicants may apply using the CHS online employment website and must attach two recent referee reports, a current resume and no more than a two-page written response that demonstrates your experience against the selection criteria.

Key Responsibilities

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

Under limited direction of the HAART Team Leader and or Clinical Lead/CNC you will perform assessment and crisis intervention for people presenting with acute mental health issues. You will:

1. Provide early/immediate advanced mental health assessment and treatment, including where a person may require a joint police/ambulance/clinician response when experiencing a mental health crisis.  Note that the PACER service does not form part of the level 2 duties expectation as PACER is a level 3 Clinician requirement.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Undertake duties as directed including participating in clinical supervision and engagement in professional development activities.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
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.

• Advanced Mental Health Assessment experience working with specialised client group/s.
• 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 & Experience

Essential

• Relevant Tertiary qualifications and a minimum of 12 months experience in your respective discipline.
• For Psychology: Be registered or be eligible for general registration with Psychology 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), and registration under the ACT Working with Vulnerable People Act 2011.
• For Occupational Therapy: Be registered or be eligible for general registration with Occupational Therapy Board of Australia under the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
• The successful applicant will need to have a current driver’s license.
• The successful applicant will need to work on a roster that includes weekends and after-hours work.

Desirable

• Post Grad Qualification in relevant discipline or another relevant stream.
• 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
• 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.
• Understand how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.
• Fulfil the responsibilities of this role in alignment to the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, Clinical Governance Framework, Partnering With Consumers 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.
• The successful applicant will need to work on a roster that includes weekends, after-hours work and nightshift.

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 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.