HLTAHW073
Practise social and emotional wellbeing in a clinical setting


Application

This unit describes the required skills and knowledge to provide social and emotional wellbeing guidance and support to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients in crisis, in need and in the context of an ongoing supportive client/worker relationship.

It applies to senior Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers overseeing clinical aspects of the delivery of primary health care services and/or managing the overall delivery of primary health care services and programs to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities.

This unit equips Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Workers to provide support related to social and emotional wellbeing and does not infer that they are qualified counsellors.

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Elements define the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria specify the level of performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Differentiate between ways to conceptualise and treat mental disorders

1.1 Use mental health classification systems appropriately when diagnosing Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people

1.2 Identify situations where a traditional healer could make an effective contribution to the treatment and management of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients

1.3 Investigate treatment approaches to potentially reduce the stay in mental institutions for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and assist early return to their communities

1.4 Examine and evaluate the environment of mental health facilities/institutions in relation to potential impact on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients

1.5 Identify the impact of cultural and spiritual factors on the way mental health problems develop and present

2. Address the organisation’s role and function in the management and treatment of mental disorders

2.1 Identify ways in which the organisation’s administrative and health care staff can physically, spiritually and emotionally support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and their families

2.2 Identify community health organisation’s role and manner of preparing and supporting Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients to re-enter their communities

2.3 Identify organisation policies and procedures that acknowledge the importance of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people’s spiritual and emotional ties

2.4 Clarify and support links between agencies providing primary, secondary and tertiary care

2.5 Identify and access appropriately local government and non-government resources available to assist clients from remote areas

3. Develop and maintain inter-sectoral networks

3.1 Recognise the importance of cross-sector collaborations between agencies, particularly in the context of early intervention and treatment for clients with multiple diagnoses

3.2 Identify the roles and functions of members of multidisciplinary health care teams

3.3 Recognise different organisational cultures within a drug and alcohol service and a mental health service, and identify their impact on workers

3.4 Identify difficulties in addressing gaps in the system that impede continuity of care

3.5 Emphasise factors/attributes that contribute to a flexible, dynamic and productive health team

3.6 Recognise the importance of policies that reflect equal opportunity and ensure that staff participate in cross-cultural awareness programs

3.7 Identify ways case management can contribute to effective inter-sectoral service delivery

3.8 Identify staff development issues for inter-sectoral workers

4. Use clinical practices appropriate to social and emotional wellbeing work

4.1 Identify clinical practices relevant to social and emotional wellbeing work

4.2 Clarify the meaning of ‘culturally appropriate manner’ in general and specific cultural contexts

4.3 Discuss client treatment with other members of the health care team

4.4 Recognise the importance of accurate clinical baseline observations in practice

4.5 Take client history in accordance with the needs of the client and the health care setting

4.6 Undertake comprehensive reporting in line with organisation requirements

4.7 Identify instances where the social and emotional wellbeing worker might advocate for a client in accordance with the philosophy of the organisation

5. Practise social and emotional wellbeing work

5.1 Use a culturally appropriate manner in all interactions with the client (including active listening, clarifying, probing techniques)

5.2 Develop care plans and discuss implementation and evaluation with the health care team

5.3 Conduct client interviews, ensuring there is appropriate preparation and consideration given to opening, developing and closing the interview

5.4 Review existing records to ensure all appropriate information is taken into account when treating a client

6. Follow organisation’s occupational health and safety (OH&S) procedures

6.1 Consult organisation’s OH&S policy and procedures manual to clarify for a range of situations

6.2 Clarify and apply procedures for dealing with clients and their relatives who are verbally or physically threatening

6.3 Identify and apply organisation OH&S requirements for use in caring for psychotic clients

6.4 Ensure responses to clients who spit at or bite the worker reflect the appropriate order of priority for maintaining worker safety

Evidence of Performance

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role.

There must be evidence that the candidate has:

delivered social and emotional wellbeing services within a primary health care setting to at least three Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients including:

using clinical practices appropriate to social and emotional wellbeing work

appropriately identifying treatment and measures to specifically support Aboriginal and/Torres Strait Islander cultures, such as traditional healers

providing support and advice to clients

working in collaboration with other team members and staff as required

communicating with clients in culturally appropriate and safe ways to gain and provide information, and make assessments of social and emotional health

referring clients as required according to their specific social and emotional wellbeing needs

on at least one occasion, worked with other members of a multi-disciplinary team to identify:

ways to support social and emotional wellbeing of clients in the primary health care setting

barriers in providing support to clients, and ways to overcome these

specific cross-cultural issues which need to be addressed by the team

ways of working with others outside the team in other sectors, departments or agencies to support care of clients.


Evidence of Knowledge

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role.

This includes knowledge of:

role and responsibilities of a social and emotional wellbeing worker in a multidisciplinary team

the differences between the roles of a social and emotional wellbeing worker in a community controlled organisation and in a government organisation

organisational philosophies, values and beliefs

social and emotional issues associated with mental health of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients

clinical aspects of mental health assessments, treatments and services

relevant OH&S requirements for practice, including (but not limited to):

duty of care

confidentiality

debriefing

universal precautions

hazard/incident reporting procedures.


Assessment Conditions

Skills must be demonstrated working:

in a health service or centre

as a senior member of and/or supervising a primary health care team

with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients.

In addition, simulations and scenarios must be used where the full range of contexts and situations cannot be provided in the workplace or may occur only rarely. These are situations relating to emergency or unplanned procedures where assessment in these circumstances would be unsafe or is impractical.

Simulated assessment environments must simulate the real-life working environment where these skills and knowledge would be performed, with all the relevant equipment and resources of that working environment.

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.

Assessment must be undertaken by a workplace assessor who has expertise in this unit of competency and who is:

an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Worker

or:

accompanied by an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person who is a recognised member of the community with experience in primary health care


Foundation Skills

The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.