POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position title / Partners In Recovery Support Facilitator
Reporting relationship / General Manager, Stepping Up
Full time equivalent / Full time, Fixed term
Location / Cranbourne

About Stepping Up

Stepping Up is a Consortium of four not-for-profit agencies; Interact Australia, Odyssey House Victoria, Task Force and Youth Projects. Stepping Up services the needs of community members by providing individualised support that helps people take control, improve the quality of their lives and face the future with confidence. The Stepping Up Consortium has significant experience in working with marginalised people with complex needs such as people with Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) problems, Mental Health issues, Intellectual Disabilities, Acquired Brain Injuries, Families, Job Seekers and those involved with the Criminal Justice System, pre and post-release.

SEMPIR Program Background

The South Eastern Melbourne private health network (SEMPHN) in partnership with a number of organisations, including Stepping Up, has formed a consortium to deliver the national Partners In Recovery program, locally. The program, called South Eastern Melbourne Partners In Recovery (SEMPIR), is a federally funded program that will see Support Facilitators assist people with severe and persistent mental illness with complex needs, and their carers and families.

Private health networks are primary health care organisations which will improve coordination and integration of primary health care in local communities, address service gaps and make it easier for patients to navigate their local health care system. Support Facilitators will help clients navigate through, not only the broader mental health system but also services and supports from other sectors the clients may come into contact with and could benefit from.

SEMPIR will facilitate better coordination of, and more streamlined access to, the clinical and other service and support needs of people experiencing severe and persistent mental illness with complex needs requiring a multi‐agency response.

Support Facilitator Position Description

Support Facilitators will be engaged by Stepping Up to undertake day to day tasks in supporting the role of SEMPIR.

Roles and Responsibilities

In delivering the benefits of system collaboration to clients, the Support Facilitator will:

·  receive and review referrals that come to SEMPIR and assess referred individuals against defined inclusion criteria (this could include facilitating the verification or arranging for the diagnosis of a severe and persistent mental illness if this is not immediately apparent or available through existing records);

·  following referral, undertake an assessment of the needs of PIR clients (which may involve reviewing previous assessments and require the engagement of appropriately trained specialists to determine the client’s clinical needs);

·  develop, monitor and regularly review a PIR Action Plan that will guide the necessary engagement and integration of required services. The action plan should sequence and prioritise efforts to gain access to services and supports so as to ensure a coherent and logical pathway through the service delivery system;

·  engage with existing case managers that may have a role in the care of the client, and ensure their support facilitation/coordination focus is maintained and not shifted to a case management focus.

·  where sufficient or effective case management functions do not exist for the client, Support Facilitators may undertake the case management role on an interim basis, with a view to establishing this function and identifying a substantive case manager early in the implementation of the PIR Action Plan;

·  in the main, be a coordinator of the service system, not a ‘service deliverer’ in the traditional sense; in working to improve the system response to a SEMPIR client, engage with and chase up services and supports, build service pathways and networks of services and supports needed (wherever possible, the Support Facilitator should try to secure access to existing services and supports, reinforcing the expectation of existing services and supports being available and accessible to assist PIR clients);

·  be a point of contact for SEMPIR clients, their families and carers when service arrangements are not working or the client becomes disconnected from required supports;

·  maintain the necessary reporting and information provision to SEMPIR organisation management to ensure effective administration of governance arrangements;

·  and have a role in the collection of data for the purposes of monitoring, reporting and evaluation of the initiative.

·  attend and contribute to Support Facilitator training and team building events when required.

·  Represent SEMPIR at local, regional and other events.

Key Competencies

·  build and maintain effective relationships and partnerships and have strong networking ability;

·  be confident in the appropriate use of authority (with clients and with the range of service providers within the region);

·  have strong communication and negotiation skills;

·  have capacity to engage with people who have often been difficult to work with

Selection Criteria

1.  Ability to use innovative approaches to complex case coordination among a range of agencies and organisations (such as tertiary mental health services, community health services, homelessness services, drug and alcohol services, health care, justice, financial planning, education, employment, mentoring and social inclusion).

2.  Proven mental health clinical experience with demonstrated capacity working with and assessing the needs of participants with complex mental health barriers;

3.  Good understanding of recovery principles and the National Standards for Disability Services;

4.  Passion for working with people with severe or persistent mental health barriers;

5.  Ability to collaborate with a team of service providers and community organisations to contribute to the recovery goals of participants;

6.  Excellent partnership and collaboration skills.

7.  High level of interpersonal skills, and negotiation and conflict resolution;

8.  Demonstrated ability to comply with confidentiality and privacy laws and to practice ethically;

9.  High level of competence using technology to coordinate services and to collect data consistently with a Quality Improvement and Governance Framework.

Qualifications

Mandatory – A tertiary qualification in social sciences (Social Work, Nursing, community services mental health and Alcohol and Drugs, Psychology, or similar fields).

Appropriate non-mandatory qualifications - Post initial qualifications, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) workshops or courses or professional networking will be viewed favourably.

Experience

Mandatory - Minimum 3 years’ experience in the field working with clients with mental health problems, their families or carers.

Appropriate non-mandatory experience - Senior staff member with networking experience and knowledge of a range of services and supports for people with mental health problems, their carers and families.

Compliance with organisational policies and procedures

The successful applicant will be expected to comply with policies and procedures and demonstrate a positive commitment to the highest level in the following:

·  Client focus

·  Confidentiality

·  Family friendly work practices

·  Occupational health and safety

·  Continuous quality improvement

Terms of Employment

·  Actual hours/days of duty will be negotiated with the General Manager, some out-of-hours may be required (time in lieu).

·  All offers of employment are subject to a 6 month probationary period.

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

·  Contract until 30 June 2017. Salaries and continuity of employment will be negotiated on an individual basis, with the General Manager subject to ongoing funding.

·  A current Victorian Driver’s Licence

·  Current First Aid and CPR

Personal Development

The successful applicant will be provided with opportunities to participate in continuing professional development and training to extend professional skills and knowledge.

Performance Appraisal

Performance review will be conducted annually.

November 2013, Shelley Cross - Stepping Up