Position Description s30

Position Description Senior Clinician Complex Youth, Suicide Prevention Liaison & Suppport

Location: headspace Werribee/Sunshine/Glenroy/Craigieburn

Division: Clinical Division

Salary range: $80-92k EFT

Employment Type: Full time till June 30, 2018

Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2010 Level 3

Approved By: John Moran, COO

Date Approved: September 2016

Agreed By: Liz Burgat, Director of Clinical Programs

Date Agreed: September 2016

1 POSITION SUMMARY The Senior Clinician will work within the clinical team of each centre providing increased capacity to engage and support young people with complex needs to seek and maintain their treatment within an enhanced primary care setting. This role will also support those young people at risk of self-harm and suicide who are presenting to the emergency departments. Working with an identified emergency department this clinician will identify and addres the barriers and challenges to access appropriate service pathways and effective treatment . This role will work closely with GP’s, Psychiatrists, centre-based intake clinicians and allied health contracted staff to facilitate coordinated care and treatment for moderate and complex mental health disorders. Reporting to the Clinical Services Manager , this role will work with all in the clinical team, providing assessment, care planning, referral, advice and consultation services to young people, their families/carers and community professionals/agencies, and will have involvement in service development.

1 2 POSITION CONTEXT headspace is a world-first youth mental health initiative that supports young people who are going through a tough time; whether it’s depression, anxiety, relationship break-ups or alcohol and other drug issues. The youth-friendly services at headspace are aimed at teenagers and young adults in recognition of the fact that 75 percent of mental disorders emerge before the age of 25 years. Orygen The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health has been funded by headspace: the National Youth Mental Health Foundation to operate a headspace centre and associated services in Werribee. headspace Werribee aims to improve access to services and continuity of care for young people across four core streams of service including: mental health; alcohol and other drugs (AOD); primary care; and social recovery/vocational services.

3 ORGANISATIONAL INFORMATION

Orygen Youth Health Research Centre (OYHRC) was established in 2002.

Our Vision is that Young people enjoy optimal mental health as they grow into adulthood.

We aim to reduce the impact of mental ill-health on young people, their families and society by creating, applying, and sharing knowledge, and by informing public policy reform.

OYHRC achieves this through running an extensive program of research studies, managing clinical services for young people, and providing resources and training.

Our strategic objectives are to:

 achieve changes in public policy and resources that improve access to quality innovative service systems in youth mental health.  develop evidence for improved understanding of aetiology, interventions, treatments and service systems in youth mental health through the conduct of research.  translate evidence for improved interventions, treatments and service system scaling-up and innovation in youth mental health through the dissemination of skills and knowledge.  implement evidence for improved interventions, treatments and service systems in youth mental health through the provision of exemplar clinical services.

Our operating principles and values are:  Young people: young people have the right to timely access to high quality, evidence-based, age- appropriate and respectful mental health care  Participation: young people, families, and the community are key partners in improving young people’s mental health  Evidence: policy, practice and services in youth mental health should be informed by the best available evidence of what works  Innovation: new approaches to prevention and care have enormous potential to improve mental health outcomes for young people  Optimism: with appropriate supports young people can and do recover from mental ill-health and go on to achieve great things with their lives  Our people: the quality and commitment of our team is integral to our success

Orygen has major collaborative partnerships with other research centres, and clinical-research organisations in Australia and around the world. These partnerships allow for the development and conduct of major research studies that will contribute to a better understanding of appropriate interventions and service systems for young people at different stages of mental ill-health.

2 Orygen is contracted via the NorthWestern Primary Health Network and partners with headspace: the National Youth Mental Health Foundation, and Orygen leads four headspace centres in the northern and western areas of Melbourne.

Orygen also partners with a specialist regional youth mental health service (Orygen Youth Health Clinical Program (OYHCP) run by Melbourne Health), which operates from the same site as OYHRCs main site at 35 Poplar Road Parkville. OYHCP offers specialist care to over 800 young people with serious mental disorders per annum.

The work of Orygen over the past decade has had a profound impact on early intervention and youth mental health, leading what could be argued is the most significant change in the mental health field during that time. This work has created a new approach and constructive attitude to the prevention and treatment of mental disorders, and new models of care for young people with emerging disorders. It has been translated into a world-wide shift in services and treatments to include a substantial focus on early intervention in health system approaches to mental disorders.

4 KEY RESPONSIBILITIES/OUTCOMES

The Senior Clinician will:

 Work under the direction of the Clinical Services Manager to engage in and deliver shared care with Access Team clinicians (centre-based intake and assessment team), medical, colocated/contracted staff to support the provision of youth-friendly early intervention services at headspace for young people with moderate and complex mental health disorders including assessment and short-term outreach support in accordance with best practice and clinical guidleines for the treatment of that disorder.  Work in partnership with other senior clinicians across the region including the headspace centres of Orgyen and YSAS to support emergency departments and identify those young people at increased risk of self-harm and suicide. The incumbent will work to identify, understand and address the barriers and challenges to access of appropriate service pathways and effective care,  Promote coordination of intake and referral processes both within headspace and external services particularly emergency departments and GP’s and assist other team members with this.  Manage intake, assessment and referrals processes for more complex and ‘higher risk’ young people and assist others in the team to do so.  Manage caseload of complex and higher risk young people which may include providing community outreach.  Deliver evidence-based brief interventions, including group interventions, with young people and their families/carers.  Maintain accurate and timely case notes and records in approved database systems.  Participate actively in Clinical Review Meetings.  Promote and monitor activities supporting research projects conducted at the centre.  Promote positive working relationships between the Access Team and other staff and contracted professionals at headspace.  Promote the headspace program, communicate regularly with, build and maintain collaborative working relationships with health and welfare agencies and the general community.  Participate in and develop community awareness activities, relationship building activities and appropriate community and agency meetings.  Assist in covering clinical service management tasks when required.

5 SELECTION CRITERIA

The following criteria must be met for consideration for this position:

3 5.1 Essential  Approved tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline and minimum of 5 years of experience in senior role ideally in the area of youth mental health.  Passion, energy and determination to make a difference to health outcomes for young people.  Extensive experience in the planning and provision of mental health care, including completion of mental health assessments, crisis intervention, psychoeducation and short-term treatment interventions to young people experiencing mental health and/or substance use, and/or other social difficulties, including current evidence-based approaches.  Extensive service system knowledge, relevant legislation, government policy and strategic directions in relation to mental health and alcohol and other substances particularly as it relates to young people.  Demonstrated capacity to problem-solve effectively and work creatively with young people, particularly within an early intervention framework.  Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team in a health setting and to provide leadership and supervision to staff and students if required as part of the senior clinical team.  Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal) to effectively liaise, build relationships and partnerships, consult and negotiate with a wide variety of stakeholders.  Commitment to supporting clinical research within the service. 5.2 Desirable  Previous experience in providing leadership and supervision.  Experience in the planning, provision and evaluation of group interventions for young people and their families/friends.  Experience in the planning and provision of community engagement and capacity building activities.

6 JOB COMPLEXITY, SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE

6.1 Level of Supervision/Independence  This position will report to the Clinical Services Manager.  Subject to broad direction, while working with a considerable degree of autonomy.  Supported by regular staff meetings and supervision (both operationally and clinically).

6.2 Problem Solving and Judgement/Risk  The incumbent will be required to be self motivated and directed, demonstrating a sound ability to proactively oversee and lead decisions in relation to the intake/assessment services and young people’s suitability for ongoing treatment/support services at the centre. This will require proven skills in decision- making, problem-solving and risk management.

6.3 Professional and Organisational Knowledge

The Senior Clinician will be expected to have:

 Knowledge and support of the headspace framework of early intervention, de-stigmatisation, diversity, inclusion, and non-discrimination.  Knowledge of the common mental health, substance use and social problems faced by young people and the indicated evidence-based treatment/support options for these.  Well-developed knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, government policies and strategic directions in relation to mental health and alcohol and other substances, particularly as it relates to young people.

4  A breadth of understanding of the different types of organisations involved in mental health and drug and alcohol service delivery to young people.  An understanding of and commitment to ethics and confidentiality issues, particularly in relation to the health and allied-health professions.  Excellent computer skills with a demonstrated ability in word processing, PowerPoint and databases as required.

6.4 Breadth of the position  High-level liaison with internal and external stakeholders.  The role may incorporate other service development activities and responsibilities as directed by the Clinical Services Manager. 6.5 Special requirements  A current Victorian driver’s licence.  OHSE training is essential and is provided by Orygen.  All workplaces are non-smoking environments.  A current full unrestricted work permit/visa for Australia.  Current Working with Children Check will be required.  A current National Police Check will be required.  Any offer of employment is conditional upon receipt and maintenance of a satisfactory Working with Children Check.  You may be required to work across more than one of Orygen’s sites, which are currently located within the north and west of Melbourne.

7 POLICIES AND WORKPLACE PRACTICES

All Orygen employees are required to familiarise themselves with the organisation’s policies and procedures and to adhere to them at all times.

It is expected that at all times, employees will:

 be respectful towards Orygen, supervisors and other colleagues, young people engaged in Orygen activities and their families, and the general public  be aware of and work to the objectives of Orygen  work collaboratively with all colleagues and external organisations engaged in Orygen activities  act in a safe and responsible manner at all times

8 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH and SAFETY (OHS)

All staff are required to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of other personnel who may be affected by their conduct.

These include general staff responsibilities and those additional responsibilities that apply for Managers and Supervisors and other Personnel.