Position overview

The Therapist (psychological interventions) position is based in the Therapies Team of the Adult Community Mental Health Services (ACMHS) program area. The key function of the Therapies Team is to provide high-intensity, evidence-based psychological and psychosocial interventions to adults, including psychological interventions, and functional and occupational interventions. The Therapies Team aims to maximize the application of concentrated interventions to enhance available treatment options for people who are clinically managed by a Community Recovery Service (CRS). As a function established under the ACMHS Model of Care, the Therapies Team provides targeted interventions that are unavailable elsewhere in the ACT and which are based on highest need within the ACMHS population.

The Therapist position is responsible for conducting clinical assessments and delivering high-intensity psychological interventions to adults who have a moderate to severe mental health disorder or illness and who may have experienced interpersonal and complex trauma.

Key Responsibilities

Under limited direction of the ACMHS Therapies Team Manager, you will:

1. Provide appropriate assessments and interventions using established principles, techniques and methods, to people with complex and serious mental health conditions. Clinical assessment and intervention include but is not limited to:
   • Case formulation and treatment planning.
   • Psychoeducation and structured psychological therapy interventions in two evidence-based therapies for complex mental health conditions and trauma.
   • Crisis management and safety planning based on psychological principles.
2. Include carers, 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 records and administrative data collection to standards.
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. Actively contribute to the implementation of clinical governance activities, quality improvement projects, research programs, and health promotion in areas relevant to service.
7. 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:

• Establish therapeutic and collaborative relationships with adult clients who have moderate to severe mental illnesses and may have experienced interpersonal and complex trauma.
• Provide high intensity, therapeutic psychological interventions to a disadvantaged population.
• Contribute to the functioning and work collaboratively and respectfully as part of a multidisciplinary team and in the wider service context.
• 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.
• Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team and adapt quickly to a changing environment.
• Commitment to achieving positive outcomes for mental health consumers.

Qualifications

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

Essential

Psychologists:

• Hold General Registration with the Psychology Board of Australia (APHRA) for psychologists.

Social Workers:

• Have professional membership or be eligible for professional membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
• Have registration under the ACT working with Vulnerable People Act 2011.

Desirable

• Training and/or experience in specific evidence-based psychological therapies (for example, CBT, DBT, Schema Therapy, EMDR), with a willingness to further develop skills in these modalities.
• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.

Experience

Specific experience includes, but is not limited to, the following.

Essential

• Minimum of 1 year’s post qualification experience.
• Provision of medium to long term, evidence based psychological therapies to clients of the service who are clinically managed by the Adult Community Mental Health Teams.
• Experience in working as a member of a multidisciplinary team.

Desirable

• Current driver’s license
• 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:

• 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.

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 experience as a therapist with an ability to provide a high level of skilled clinical assessment and interventions to people with complex mental health illnesses or disorders, including people from diverse backgrounds, consistent with the relevant professional association/registration body’s core competencies.
2. Demonstrated high level clinical skills and experience in the provision of therapy to people who have experienced childhood and/or adult violence, with expertise in the area of developmental trauma.
3. Demonstrated effective written and verbal communication skills including a demonstrated ability to work within multidisciplinary teams and prioritise workload according to clinical indicators, a risk management framework and organisational requirements.
4. Demonstrated ability to evaluate psychological and/or psychosocial intervention programs through quality improvement initiatives, and to plan and develop the service to meet the needs of people.
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.