Position overview

This is an exciting opportunity to join the collegial Forensic Mental Health Services (FMHS).

FMHS is a unit of Mental Health, Justice Health, and Alcohol & Drug Services, Justice Health Services (MHJHADS). FMHS provides mental health care across the lifespan and across a range of settings, including a centralised community health facility, youth and adult custodial facilities, off campus community liaison, court settings, and secure inpatient units. The care provided is underpinned by the National Principles for Forensic Mental Health Services. The service aims to provide collaborative care guided by principles of Recovery and involving the consumer, their carers and other key 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
  • Dhulwa and Gawanggal Mental Health Units
• Forensic Community Mental Health Services 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)

This position would primarily be based in the Forensic Community Mental Health Service, within Forensic Mental Health Services, though could be based within other areas of the FMHS.

The Community FMHS is a specialist multidisciplinary tertiary mental health service that aims to provide expert assessment, knowledge, and skills to general mental health services (including community and inpatient services) and other stakeholders (including the police, the courts and custodial centres) regarding the treatment and support of people experiencing mental illness/disorder who are at high risk of offending or those already in the criminal justice system.

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 limited direction of the Clinical Lead, Community Forensic Mental Health, as a senior allied health clinician you will be expected to be able to provide mental health assessments to adults and young people presenting with mental illness who have had contact with the criminal justice system and for external stakeholders including community and inpatient mental health services, the ACAT and ACT Law Courts.  You will be required to prepare professional clinical reports and undertake forensic risk consultations with mental health clients including structured risk assessments for offending behaviours, and/or provide professional reports on mental health issues to the ACAT and the ACT Law Courts.  As part of a collaborative team of allied health professionals, nurses, and psychiatrists, you will also provide consultation and liaison to various stakeholders regarding the treatment and management of high-risk individuals and people at various stages in the legal process. You will have the opportunity to provide targeted therapeutic interventions for problem behaviours appropriate to your training and skills and will facilitate referral and follow-up where appropriate.

As a senior clinician in FMHS you will also be required to initiate and participate in quality improvement and service development activities, provide clinical supervision to other health professionals, and engage professionally and sensitively with a range of external stakeholders.  Senior clinicians working within FMHS are supported via access to specialist clinical supervision, a collaborative and multidisciplinary team environment, and continuing professional development opportunities appropriate to area of service provision.

You will:

1. Provide a high level of appropriate skilled clinical assessment and intervention to individuals experiencing mental illness who are involved with, or at risk of becoming involved with, the criminal justice system.
2. Exercise independent judgment in solving problems and managing complex cases.
3. Complete case and program records to a high standard and meet data local and national data collection requirements.
4. Liaise effectively with a range of stakeholders as required (including other mental health services, ACT Youth Justice and ACT Law Courts). This includes completion of professional written reports.
5. Provide professional supervision and education to Health Professional staff at level 1 and 2, students, or technical and other non-professional staff.
6. Contribute to the planning, development and evaluation of client programs and services.
7. Contribute to the evaluation and analysis of policies, procedures, and programs applicable to professional practice. Participate in and/or implement research programs in relevant areas of service delivery.
8. 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.

CHS is committed to workforce diversity and to creating an inclusive workplace. As part of this commitment, we welcome applications from all diversity groups. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability and people who identify as LGBTQIA+ are particularly encouraged to apply.

Behavioural Capabilities

• Adaptability and flexibility to accommodate change and respond to novel situations.
• Ability to communicate effectively and with influence on clinical issues.
• Resilience and calm in the face of conflict or uncertainty.

Qualifications

Essential

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

Desirable

• Postgraduate study or training in Forensic mental Health or a related field.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum three years of clinical experience post qualification.
• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, and all other related frameworks.

Desirable

• Previous experience in public mental health service or forensic/custodial service.
• Previous experience in an inpatient mental health facility.

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. Please address the selection criteria in a 2-page pitch.

1. Proven clinical competence in structured assessment, care and treatment planning, and risk management of individuals experiencing moderate to severe mental illness in a community setting.
2. Proven ability to formulate complex clinical presentations and behaviour with regard to established theory and evidence-based practice.
3. Proven effective verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to develop reports for professional audiences and provide professional clinical supervision.
4. Experience of the planning and delivering and evaluating specialised interventions and programs as part of a wider Quality Improvement or service development framework.
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.