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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Elements define the essential outcomes.
2. Prepare for initial assessment
   • Prepare for broad-based holistic assessment of the client’s needs based on referral or other documentation in line with organisation policy and procedures
   • Establish rapport with client and obtain their consent to participate in the assessment process
   • Identify additional stakeholders, including carers, natural supports and/or family members, whose input will assist the client in assessment process and outcomes
   • Identify the range of information, products and resources to be utilised in the assessment process
   • Work with the client to collaboratively identify opportunities to build on strengths, improve functional capacity, and participate in social and community activities
   • Organise appropriate time and place for assessment in conjunction with the client and carers, support workers and/or family
   • Identify and agree on appropriate assessment tools and processes according to organisation policy and procedures
   • Explain privacy and confidentiality principles, practices and procedures
   • Access and brief interpreter or cultural specific workers
3. Conduct assessment
   • Communicate with all people involved in the assessment in a language or form they understand
   • Clearly explain the assessment process and how information is used, including legal requirements and organisation policy and processes for mandatory reporting
   • Implement risk assessment processes and stratify risks to determine interventions based on client circumstances, needs and interests
   • Involve the client, their carers, natural supports, and/or family in the assessment process in a way that empowers the client and is in accordance with the client’s preferences
   • Use appropriate assessment tools and processes to identify, clarify and prioritise complex or multiple needs of the client, their carers and/or family
   • Collect and document information about the client, according to organisation requirements
   • Collaborate with stakeholders and service providers to avoid duplication experienced by the client and to share information and resources
   • Assist those involved in the assessment to identify and prioritise the client’s goals, needs and any risk factors
   • Where carers and/or families are involved, ensure the assessment focuses on, and strengthens the relationship, rather than treat the individual in isolation
   • Inform carers and/or family about their role and rights in the assessment and decision-making processes, including their right to an assessment of their own needs
   • Identify and assess work health and safety (WHS) risks and issues potentially associated with service and resource delivery
   • Implement risk management processes to maintain safety of client and others involved in the assessment, including workers
4. Respond appropriately to diversity
   • Use assessment processes and practices designed to build trust and confidence to work with mainstream services
   • Use assessment processes that are non-discriminatory and appropriate for each distinct but potentially overlapping population
   • Provide equitable access and culturally competent assessment processes for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
   • Provide appropriate interpreter support according to organisation protocols
   • Where appropriate, build and maintain relationships with ethno-specific and multicultural organisations
   • Where appropriate, build and maintain relationships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations and involve representatives in the assessment processes
5. Respond appropriately to people with different levels of needs, including people with complex needs
   • Support people with complex needs and circumstances and facilitate access to assessment
   • Develop and maintain inter-organisation relationships and agreements to address the client, family and/or carer needs
   • Recognise the need for secondary consultation, medication administration and monitoring or additional specialist assessment, including those undertaken by a specified health professional
   • Identify and refer when the client’s health is unstable to ensure the appropriate multi-disciplinary approach is applied
   • Identify and build on the client’s motivation to improve their functional capacity and set their own goals
6. Undertake ongoing assessment and review
   • Respond appropriately to informal monitoring of health and well being of all parties involved in the assessment processes
   • Undertake regular and systematic reviews to ensure assessed needs of clients are addressed effectively
   • Use regular reviews to re-prioritise client needs for service and to ensure equitable access based on ongoing appraisal of prioritised needs
   • Undertake reassessment of the client’s needs as specified in the client’s plan or as required by personal circumstances or changes in client or carer health
   • Maintain communication with all parties and document and report throughout processes, according to organisation protocols
7. Prepare for initial assessment
   • Prepare for broad-based holistic assessment of the client’s needs based on referral or other documentation in line with organisation policy and procedures
   • Establish rapport with client and obtain their consent to participate in the assessment process
   • Identify additional stakeholders, including carers, natural supports and/or family members, whose input will assist the client in assessment process and outcomes
   • Identify the range of information, products and resources to be utilised in the assessment process
   • Work with the client to collaboratively identify opportunities to build on strengths, improve functional capacity, and participate in social and community activities
   • Organise appropriate time and place for assessment in conjunction with the client and carers, support workers and/or family
   • Identify and agree on appropriate assessment tools and processes according to organisation policy and procedures
   • Explain privacy and confidentiality principles, practices and procedures
   • Access and brief interpreter or cultural specific workers
8. Conduct assessment
   • Communicate with all people involved in the assessment in a language or form they understand
   • Clearly explain the assessment process and how information is used, including legal requirements and organisation policy and processes for mandatory reporting
   • Implement risk assessment processes and stratify risks to determine interventions based on client circumstances, needs and interests
   • Involve the client, their carers, natural supports, and/or family in the assessment process in a way that empowers the client and is in accordance with the client’s preferences
   • Use appropriate assessment tools and processes to identify, clarify and prioritise complex or multiple needs of the client, their carers and/or family
   • Collect and document information about the client, according to organisation requirements
   • Collaborate with stakeholders and service providers to avoid duplication experienced by the client and to share information and resources
   • Assist those involved in the assessment to identify and prioritise the client’s goals, needs and any risk factors
   • Where carers and/or families are involved, ensure the assessment focuses on, and strengthens the relationship, rather than treat the individual in isolation
   • Inform carers and/or family about their role and rights in the assessment and decision-making processes, including their right to an assessment of their own needs
   • Identify and assess work health and safety (WHS) risks and issues potentially associated with service and resource delivery
   • Implement risk management processes to maintain safety of client and others involved in the assessment, including workers
9. Respond appropriately to diversity
   • Use assessment processes and practices designed to build trust and confidence to work with mainstream services
   • Use assessment processes that are non-discriminatory and appropriate for each distinct but potentially overlapping population
   • Provide equitable access and culturally competent assessment processes for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
   • Provide appropriate interpreter support according to organisation protocols
   • Where appropriate, build and maintain relationships with ethno-specific and multicultural organisations
   • Where appropriate, build and maintain relationships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations and involve representatives in the assessment processes
10. Respond appropriately to people with different levels of needs, including people with complex needs
    • Support people with complex needs and circumstances and facilitate access to assessment
    • Develop and maintain inter-organisation relationships and agreements to address the client, family and/or carer needs
    • Recognise the need for secondary consultation, medication administration and monitoring or additional specialist assessment, including those undertaken by a specified health professional
    • Identify and refer when the client’s health is unstable to ensure the appropriate multi-disciplinary approach is applied
    • Identify and build on the client’s motivation to improve their functional capacity and set their own goals
11. Undertake ongoing assessment and review
    • Respond appropriately to informal monitoring of health and well being of all parties involved in the assessment processes
    • Undertake regular and systematic reviews to ensure assessed needs of clients are addressed effectively
    • Use regular reviews to re-prioritise client needs for service and to ensure equitable access based on ongoing appraisal of prioritised needs
    • Undertake reassessment of the client’s needs as specified in the client’s plan or as required by personal circumstances or changes in client or carer health
    • Maintain communication with all parties and document and report throughout processes, according to organisation protocols