JOB DESCRIPTION: Provisional Psychologist/Youth Care Coordinator

JOB DESCRIPTION: Provisional Psychologist/Youth Care Coordinator

Primary Position Purpose

To provide recovery orientated counselling and psychology services as part of headspace Tamworth’s vision to improve the mental and social wellbeing of young people. To work under supervision within professional practice and Agency guidelines. To creatively engage with the youth of the Tamworth community in a flexible, accessible, youth focused and supportive way. To work effectively as part of multidisciplinary team to provide clinical services to young people experiencing problems of life.

Key Objectives

The Youth Care Coordinator will be responsible for engaging with young people, 12-25 years accessing headspace Tamworth and the broader community. This position will facilitate initial assessment and care planning, referral to appropriate services for ongoing treatment and provide brief interventions and counselling as needed for young people, their families and carers.

Area of Key Responsibilities

1. This position involves working with children and young persons.
2. Identify young people 12-25 years of age who require assistance with early mental health problems/concerns, substance abuse problems, primary health concerns, education and training, other care or service needs using the HEADSS assessment and a strengths based, recovery framework.
3. Use creative and assertive approaches to engage young people around their issues of concern within the care co ordination model and promote a positive help seeking environment.
4. Select and administer specialist psychological assessments including specialised psychometric assessment (as appropriate), structured observations, clinical interviews, and to interpret and integrate this data.
5. Formulate psychological treatment plans that are specific to each client, based upon an analysis of complex factors contributing to the presentation, and selectively drawing on appropriate conceptual and theoretical models.
6. Deliver evidence based psychological treatments, monitoring outcomes drawing on a range of theoretical options. The ability to administer an appropriate risk management plan.
7. Work collaboratively with the young person, their family/carers and other agencies to determine care needs and assist with the delivery through the shared decision making processes.
8. Analyses situation and determine appropriate course of action in risk management using independent judgement and within a collaborative team environment.
9. Provide strength based, recovery orientated interventions as part of a coordinated plan where needed.
10. Provide early intervention focussed counselling to young people using evidence based practice as negotiated with Centre Manager.
11. Work collaboratively with the Clinical Care Coordinator and Centre Manager to provide high standard of service to young people and their families/ carer and ensure continuous improvement process.
12. Advocate on behalf of young people whose needs are being coordinated by headspace.
13. Take a pro-active role in developing relationships with schools, community service organisations and government sectors to facilitate pathways to and from headspace services.
14. Tailor and deliver group programs to meet the needs of local young people where needed for social connection, engagement and intervention.
15. Attend Case Review and care coordination meetings to ensure coordinated access to service pathways.
16. Advocate and positively promote headspace programs within the local community.
17. Represent headspace Tamworth at local youth network meetings as required.
18. Ensure appropriate security is applied to client files.
19. Maintain high standards of clinical record keeping and report writing through the electronic medical record and collection of minimum data set as required by headspace National office.
20. Receive regular clinical supervision according to Agency guidelines. Contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within the Centacare NENW and headspace teams by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in psychology and mental health.
21. Adherence to a supervised practice plan; within a 2 year internship completion date.
22. Adherence to AHPRA standards
23. Ensure compliance to all funding KPI standards and lead organisational quality requirements in consultation with the Centre Manager and Principal Psychologist.
24. Any other suitable duties as requested by the Centre Manager and Principal Psychologist.

Key Competencies

Mandatory

• The ability to work independently as a practitioner with the appropriate level of clinical and managerial supervision.
• The ability to maintain clinical service delivery standards.
• The ability to accept responsibility for specific tasks and be accountable in reporting.
• The ability to adapt and change to meet developing trends within Mental and Community Health.
• The ability to work with limited supervision, manage time efficiently and meet set deadlines.
• The ability to quickly establish a rapport with people from a variety of age groups, backgrounds and cultures.
• Adaptability and ability to respond positively to manage change.
• A willingness to undertake courses that may enhance the job criteria or personal development.
• A Working with Children’s Check and Police Check.

Planning and Organisation

• Able to prioritise to achieve headspace Tamworth program objectives, as they relate to this position.
• Reports and assessments provided with relevant statistics in accordance within agreed time frames.
• Monthly reporting via Centacare NENW/headspace staff and organizational meetings, including Centacare NENW Board, as required.

Communication/Presentation Skills

• Ability to communicate effectively in both written and verbal form to a broad audience.
• Sound operational knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, email and web based applications.

People Management

• Ability to work with and develop relationships with people within the Mental Health, commercial and community services environment.
• Ability to manage conflict and provide resolution where appropriate.
• Promote harmonious working relationships within headspace Tamworth and effective communications across teams.

Time Management

• Able to effectively organise daily priorities in line with program objectives to increase control and personal productivity.

Administration Management

• The ability to follow processes and systems to maintain accurate records.
• The ability to accept responsibility for specific tasks and be accountable in reporting.
• The ability to adapt and change to meet developing trends within the provision of program services.
• Assistance with the preparation of submissions for government and non government grants.
• To participate in team meetings, individual supervisions and team building activities.
• To participate in the ongoing evaluation and development of the service.
• Identify and initiate potential fundraising opportunities.

The position is required to liaise with the Principal Psychologist, headspace Manager and Clinical Care Coordinator for the coordination, development, implementation and delivery to maintain efficient service delivery in the Tamworth community.

Personal Attributes

• Self-motivated and able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to remain calm and supportive in psychological emergencies and/or crises when provided with appropriate supervision and direction.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgement, observe confidentiality and use discretion and initiative with clients and other staff members.
• Ability to receive and utilize constructive feedback regarding performance, presentation and relationships with others.
• Meet competing demands through effective prioritising in a results oriented environment.
• An enhanced level of self-awareness as to how he or she relates to others and an ability to effectively modulate this personal style as conditions warrant.
• To be trustworthy and deal appropriately with information of a confidential nature.
• Ability to be both consistent and flexible as circumstances warrant.
• To be responsive to and cope effectively with the changes that a growing and busy workplace in a decentralised organisation creates.

Work, Health & Safety

As per the Work, Health & Safety Act 2011 a worker must, while at work

• Take reasonable care for their own health and safety
• Take reasonable care for the health and safety of others
• Comply with any reasonable instruction by the PCBU
• Co-operate with any reasonable policies and procedures of the PCBU.

The term 'worker' includes any person who works as an: employee, trainee, volunteer, outworker, apprentice, work experience student, contractor or sub contractor, employees of a contractor or sub contractor, employee of a labour hire company assigned to work for a PCBU.

Risk Management

Centacare NENW is committed to the adoption and implementation set out in the Australian/New Zealand Standards on Risk Management (AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009).

All employees are required to be responsible and accountable for managing risk in so far as is reasonably practicable within their area of responsibility.

Legislation

Legislation that applies to this position are:

• Mental Health Act 2007
• Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998
• Anti Discrimination Act 1991
• Work, Health and Safety Act 2011
• Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW)

Key challenges Over Each 12 Month Period Include

• Maintain case load in accordance with the agreed service design
• Maintain fortnightly Activity Reporting and Time Tracking.
• Identify and promote opportunities to improve processes and systems in accordance with quality system methods.
• Contribute to the operation and enhancement of Centacare NENW quality accreditation system.
• Support and/or participate in initiatives that aim to improve ways of working (eg. reviews & development of procedures, quality projects)
• Actively creating and suggesting new ideas and strategies for future expansion

Selection Criteria

Essential

• 4 Year Degree in Psychology.
• Have provisional registration or be eligible to apply for provisional registration under the national registration scheme regulated by the Psychology Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
• Experience in the delivery of both individual and group counselling.
• Ability to effectively weigh and evaluate personal needs, client needs and the aims and policies of the agency and to respond and negotiate these competing needs as appropriate.
• Well-developed consultation skills to work within a multi–professional team.

Knowledge and Skills

• Knowledge and basic skills in counselling practices and methods.
• Ability to plan, implement, evaluate and report activities conducted.
• Knowledge of mental health as it relates to young people and intervention options for young people experiencing mental illness and other health related issues and interventions for same.
• Knowledge of assessment and collaborative care planning.
• Well-developed liaison, oral, written communication skills demonstrated with a wide range of individuals, organisations, stakeholders and consumers.
• Well-developed interpersonal skills to effectively develop and maintain positive relationships, networks and therapeutic relationships with young people.
• Experience in developing and delivering group programs or social connection activities with young people.

Work Plans

All Centacare NENW staff is required to partake annually in implementing an individual work plan to assist in meeting the requirements of their Job Description and program business plan. The Chief Executive Officer will oversee all work plans.

Verification

I acknowledge that I have read and understand the above Position Description.