Position overview

Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services (MHJHADS) provides support to children, youth and adults through inpatient and outpatient settings, community health centres, justice health facilities and other community settings, including people’s homes. We partner with our health care consumers, their family, carers, government, and community organisations to ensure that they receive the best possible care during their treatment and recovery.

All care that we provide is driven by our values of being kind, reliable, respectful, and progressive. We’re also guided by contemporary mental health and human rights legislation which means we operate within a framework that ensures the rights and dignity of people are promoted and protected.

MHJHADS services include:

• Adult Community & Older Persons Mental Health Services
• Adult Inpatient Mental Health Services
• 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 children and young people who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health issues. CAMHS provides governance for the Eating Disorders Services in the ACT.

The Eating Disorders Service, comprising of a number of programs: Eating Disorders Clinical Hub, Eating Disorders Program, Short-Term Recovery Intervention for Disordered Eating (STRIDE) Program  and Eating Disorders Residential Treatment Centre (EDRTC) provides support and treatment to children, adolescents and adults who are experiencing an eating disorder as their primary presenting issue.

The Eating Disorders Program (EDP) is a specialist outpatient tertiary service that provides assessment and treatment for children, adolescents and adults who are experiencing an eating disorder as their primary presenting issue. The CAMHS EDP team is made up of multi-disciplinary mental health professionals who provide assessment and treatment within a recovery framework.

The EDP is seeking a dynamic and experienced mental health clinician to undertake the role of Therapist. Under the limited direction of the Eating Disorders Program Manager, you will be responsible for conducting comprehensive assessments and delivering evidence-based interventions to children, adolescents, and adults experiencing eating disorders. This includes both individual and family-based therapeutic work.

You will work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team and provide clinical support and supervision to Health Professional Level 2 and Level 1 clinicians, Allied Health Assistants, and students. The role also involves active participation in professional development, clinical supervision, quality improvement initiatives, and contributing to multidisciplinary team processes.

In addition, the clinician will be required to provide occasional support to the Eating Disorders Clinical Hub (EDCH) as needed and must be available to work across all program areas within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in response to service demands. This is a full-time, 5 day a week position.

Key Responsibilities

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

Under the limited direction of the Eating Disorder Services Manager, you will:

1. Conduct clinical assessments and deliver evidence-based interventions, including meal therapy, for children, adolescents, and adults with eating disorders, including those with complex needs. Collaborate with individuals and their families/carers to develop recovery-oriented treatment plans.
2. Participate actively in a multidisciplinary team, including involvement in clinical reviews of current clients.
3. Provide liaison, consultation, and education to other agencies, families, and carers regarding eating disorders.
4. Contribute to team development and service initiatives as an engaged and collaborative team member.
5. Engage in clinical supervision and professional development activities to maintain and enhance clinical competencies.
6. Support service development through participation in relevant committees and working groups.
7. Work in accordance with mental health and other relevant legislation, including assisting in the preparation and facilitation of CAMHS Eating Disorders Program clinical groups.
8. Undertake other duties appropriate to this classification level that support the effective operation of the organisation.

Competencies

Specific competencies include but are not limited to the following.

• To be successful in this position, you will have a demonstrated track record of working in a multi-disciplinary team environment and supporting and contributing to a healthy workplace that embraces diversity, encourages collaborative teamwork and complies with all the applicable regulatory and legislative requirements set out for such a role.
• To be successful in this position, it is expected that the successful candidate will have the following attributes:
  • Commitment to achieving positive outcomes for people presenting with eating disorders, their families and/or carers.
  • Ability to work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team and be flexible, adaptable and comfortable with a changing working environment.
  • Ability to respond to and prioritise competing demands in a calm and efficient manner while maintaining high work standards.

Qualifications

Specific qualifications include, but are not limited to, the following.

Essential

• Relevant qualifications in social work/psychology/occupational therapy.
• Must hold a current driver’s license.

For Occupational Therapy:

• Be registered or eligible for registration with Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.
• Eligibility for professional membership of Occupational Therapy Australia.

For Psychology:

• Be registered or be eligible for general registration with Psychology Board of Australia.

For Social Work:

• Degree in Social Work.
• Eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers.
• Registration or eligibility for registration under the Working with Vulnerable People Act 2011.

Desirable

• Experience and or knowledge of working with people with eating disorders is desirable, however not essential.
• Experience in working with children and young people.
• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.

Experience

Specific experience include, but are not limited to, the following.

Essential

• A minimum of 3 years (ideally 5 years) paid work experience, post qualification, in a related/relevant organisation/service field.
• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework and all other related frameworks.

Desirable

• N/A

Please note prior to commencement successful candidates will be required to:

• Undergo a 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 the 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. Demonstrated ability to conduct comprehensive assessments and deliver evidence-based treatment within a community setting to children, adolescents, and adults experiencing eating disorders and complex needs, within a recovery-oriented framework.
2. Proven capacity to effectively liaise and collaborate with families, carers, and a range of health professionals and external agencies to support coordinated care.
3. Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and to provide professional consultation and support to non-clinical staff.
4. Evidence of active participation in clinical research, quality improvement initiatives, training, teaching, and the provision of clinical supervision.
5. Demonstrated understanding of, and commitment to, safety and quality standards, workplace health and safety (WH&S), and the delivery of a positive patient experience. Exhibits behaviours aligned with Canberra Health Services’ values of reliability, progressiveness, respect, and kindness.

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.