Position Description s16

Position Description

Position Title: Non-residential withdrawal service Caseworker – South East Melbourne

Program: Withdrawal and Coordinated Care

Reports to: Manager Withdrawal and Coordinated Care

Supervise: No direct reports

Date of review : 31/01/2017

Our Mission

Helping people to rebuild their lives.

Our Vision

We will provide a range of complementary treatment services to support individuals and families to assist them to recover from the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol. We will draw on our specialist expertise to increase community understanding of drug and alcohol related issues and we will develop a pro-active, educative focus to our work.

Our Principles

·  Provide a range of approaches and give attention to all aspects of an individual.

·  Provide unflagging belief and support for individuals who wish to change and grow.

·  Respect differences in culture, religion, gender, age, family situation, background and economic status.

·  Commit to honesty and respect in all our relationships.

·  Draw on our expertise to develop new approaches to support treatment information and community education.

·  Develop processes and practices that are open, fair and honest.

What we believe

We believe that people can rebuild their lives.

Organisational Background

Windana was established in 1984. It is an independent organisation, incorporated under the Associations Incorporation (Amendment) Act 1997 and managed by a Board of Management.

Both Commonwealth and State drug and alcohol objectives are adopted involving the utilization of harm minimization approaches, a focus on minimal/brief interventions and the provision of medium to long term support. Windana currently operates various programs that aim to empower drug users to improve their quality of life. These are:

The Withdrawal and Coordinated Care Program costs of both state wide and catchment based services including:

·  Adult residential withdrawal unit, St Kilda (15 beds)

·  Youth residential withdrawal unit, Dandenong (5 beds)

·  Non-residential withdrawal services (Casey, Cardinia, Dandenong, Frankston/Mornington Peninsula and Barwon)

·  Clinical Lead Nursing

·  Admissions and Care Coordination Team – Admissions Coordinator, Youth and Family Services Clinician, Care and Recovery Coordination and Dual Diagnosis

Further information about Windana’s underpinning philosophy and more detail about services provided are available on the Windana website www.windana.org.au.

Windana receives recurrent funding from the Victorian Department of Human Services and the Federal Department of Health and Ageing. Some services are statewide and others focus on the Southern Region.

Central administration functions are located in St Kilda. The organisation employs 95 EFT staff and has a budget of over $7 M.

Organisation Context:

This position has been established as a result of the AOD sector reforms and aims to deliver timely, high-quality non-residential withdrawal for people seeking neuroadaptative reversal. Non-residential withdrawal will include a clinical withdrawal assessment, withdrawal treatment in the person’s home or at an AOD service and referral and information provision via face to face and telephone modalities. The services will be provided to clients that are low risk with an alcohol and/or drug dependence; clients with support of family and or friends, stable housing and clients accessing shared care arrangements. Clients will be assessed as either complex or standard and treatment plans will reflect such.

There are various non-residential withdrawal services located across a number of metropolitan and rural catchments including Geelong, Berwick, Dandenong and Frankston/Mornington Peninsula.

Non Residential case work will be operationally and professionally accountable to Windana but will work in the context and established governance framework of the relevant AOD Consortium of which Windana is a member.

Scope of role:

The primary focus of this position is to provide support to the Registered Division 1 nursing staff in the South East Melbourne catchment to supplement health care interventions to clients undergoing non-residential Alcohol and Other Drug Withdrawal. The role will report to the Clinical Lead Nursing and work with the Registered Nurses Division 1 to support clients to safely achieve neuroadaptation reversal through an abrupt cessation or a gradual reduction regime, in coordination with medical services such as hospitals and general practitioners.

Objective of the position:

·  To provide withdrawal assessment, withdrawal treatment, referral, information and support to clients face-to-face and by telephone in collaboration with the Registered Nurses Division 1

·  To build on the comprehensive intake and assessment plans to determine the bio psychosocial components of the withdrawal treatment required

·  Develop a tailored withdrawal plan in conjunction with the Registered Nurse Division 1, the client and their family members

·  Develop and foster relationships with GPs across the catchment and work closely with the Pharmacotherapy Network in partnership with the Registered Nurse Division 1.

·  Provide sound case management practices based on evidence and supported by a comprehensive repertoire of clinical experience.

·  The role will utilise evidence based withdrawal management, pharmacotherapy and behavioural therapies.

Position responsibilities: SPEC

·  Work in collaboration with the Registered Nurse Division 1 to ensure the safe management of clients undertaking withdrawal from alcohol and other drugs or those participating in substitute pharmacotherapy treatment programs.

·  Provide a range of therapeutic interventions and programs that meet the needs of the client inclusive of various modalities of individual, group or family sessions.

·  Assist in the provision of assessments as required

·  Provide clinical treatment services to clients that have a harm minimisation and recovery focus inclusive of delivering appropriate evidence based interventions, referring to appropriate specialist services and assisting clients to exit from the service on achievement of treatment goals.

·  Contribute to creating an environment and culture of respect and honesty through actively seeking and integrating client feedback into all aspects of service delivery.

·  Review withdrawal plans regularly with clients, family members and the Registered Nurse Division 1

·  Liaise and work collaboratively to develop shared care plans with the aim to provide seamless service provision with other relevant health and welfare services and Consortium programs.

·  Provide active follow-up of clients to offer continued counselling, support, referral etc.

·  Identify and respond to any likelihood or evidence of significant harm to client’s family or children in accordance with organizational protocols

·  Document and report on follow-up activities and appropriately record outcomes

·  Ensure data entry & ACSO reporting is accurate, up-to-date with all relevant information included, ensuring attention to significant treatment goals within reporting time frames.

·  Ensure a high standard of documentation which complies with accountability structures according to professional, legislative, service contractual obligations and organisational standards.

·  Where required attend weekly and monthly meetings and present a report on workload, issues related to the effectiveness of the service, training etc.

·  As part of the annual performance plan identify professional needs and attend relevant training, as approved by manager.

·  Participate in regular individual and group clinical supervision.

·  Participate in regular Team meetings as scheduled.

Selection criteria

Mandatory Skills & Competencies:

·  Empathetic to values of Windana

·  Commitment to continuous quality improvement and OH&S

·  Criminal records check

·  Working with Children Check

·  The ability to abide by the Agency’s undertaking re: confidentiality

·  Ability to work within a team environment and autonomously

·  A demonstrated knowledge of problematic alcohol and other drug use and experience in working in the alcohol and drug field or related fields

·  High level interpersonal and communication skills

·  Experience working with people with mental health issues

·  A proven capacity to work with a variety of community agencies and develop effective working relationships.

·  Demonstrated experience in working with people with complex needs, including alcohol and other drug issues and an ability to work in an outreach capacity.

·  The ability to work with people from a diverse background

·  Awareness of legislation affecting Windana services e.g. Equal Opportunity, Mental Health, Disability Services, Children and Young People’s Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act.

·  A current full driver’s license.

Mandatory qualifications and experience:

·  Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs

·  Registered Nurse Division 2 qualifications and experience would be highly regarded

·  Minimum two years working in the AOD sector

·  Case management experience

·  Previous experience working in an outreach and/or community based setting

·  Awareness of local community agencies and networks likely to be of value to clients

·  Intermediate level computer skills in MS Office 2007 and internet navigation.

Preferred qualifications and experience:

·  Experience and training related to the management of clients with a co-occurring AOD and mental health presentation

Dual diagnosis knowledge, skills and experience is highly regarded. If the applicant’s skills and experience are not evident, then a commitment to undertaking professional development as part of the employment contract will be required.

Employment Conditions

Salaries will be negotiated on an individual basis, dependent on qualifications, skills and experience within the limitations that exist around resources as determined by funding agreements. This position is available part time at 0.6 EFT and will be located in Dandenong to cover the Casey, Cardinia and Greater Dandenong catchments.

All offers of employment are subject to a six month probationary period.

A condition of employment is that applicants are required to give written consent to a (confidential) police check and Working with Children Check in accordance with Department of Human Services Policy. All offers of employment are provisional pending the satisfactory outcome of such a check.

Remuneration Packaging is available in accordance with current legislation.

Windana operates a flexible time-in-lieu system.

Windana operates under an Equal Opportunity Policy and Occupational Health & Safety Policy in accordance with current legislation.

Effective risk / quality management is a core competency expected of everybody involved in Windana administration, including all staff, management and volunteers. Leaders will be accountable for applying agreed risk / quality management policy and strategy in their area of responsibility.

The Non Residential Withdrawal Worker is expected to conduct her/himself with professional integrity towards clients according to the “Staff Code of Ethics” and maintain their professional responsibilities in line with the “Bill of Rights for Members and Clients”.

Under the Accident Compensation Act, it is the applicant’s duty to advise Windana of any pre-existing condition, which could be aggravated by the type of employment they are applying for. Failure to do so seriously jeopardises any entitlement the employee might have for a work-related aggravation of that non-disclosed pre-existing condition.

A current Victorian Driver’s License is required and agency vehicles are available for authorised use and these should be used at all times for work-related purposes.

Windana is a smoke-free environment.

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