The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria, Required Skills and Knowledge, the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency:

The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills

Work will be assessed in accordance with professional standards of care commensurate with the telephone counselling role

Assessment must occur in the workplace or similar environment conducive to professional work over a number of occasions

Access and equity considerations:

All workers in community services should be aware of access, equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work

All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment

In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, workers should be aware of cultural, historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues, in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients and communities

Context of and specific resources for assessment:

This unit can be assessed independently, however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged

Resources for training in and assessment of crisis intervention competencies needs to be available to:

provide initial and ongoing training

ensure baseline knowledge and skills following basic training

observe implementation of these competencies in actual counselling situations and simulated role plays

facilitate learning through reflection on practice and integration of supervisory feedback

Method of assessment:

Consistent performance and development would be expected to be demonstrated involving a combination of oral and written media while also featuring simulated and actual practice

Examples might include:

group exercises

written (e.g. journal) and verbal responses to questioning

simulated exercises

observation of practice on telephone shifts

response to and integration of supervisory feedback

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit.

Essential 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

These include:

Awareness that suicide risk may potentially feature in any call

Knowledge of common indicators or signs of potential suicide risk

Principles and practices of suicide intervention - particularly the tasks of suicide risk assessment, risk management, development of safety plans and facilitation of access to ongoing support

Principles and practice of crisis intervention, including relevant laws, ethical guidelines and policy requirements which affect duty of care

Applications of crisis intervention principles and practices to the telephone counselling medium

Procedures for facilitating referrals and emergency interventions

Awareness of personal attitudes, beliefs and values and how these might facilitate or impede suicide intervention

Examination of common notions about suicide in the light of available evidence

General awareness of how mental health issues may impact on crisis intervention and suicidal crises

Principles of self care and support-seeking relevant to involvement in crisis and suicide intervention work

Essential skills:

It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to:

Demonstrate the capacity to work competently and independently according to the principles of their training and within the general context of the supervisory relationship

Demonstrate accountability for own professional conduct and practice including:

carrying out assigned tasks

working effectively under the pressure of crisis situations

maintaining the quality of services to the organisation's callers

strengthening links to life-sustaining options and supports for calls featuring suicide

demonstrating a commitment to attend to the pain of persons considering or affected by suicide and to work toward life-affirming outcomes

Identify calls which may feature suicide risk or bereavement

In addition, the candidate must be able 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

These include the ability to:

Demonstrate competent telephone counselling skills in:

engaging callers in an empathic, respectful, collaborative helping relationship

implementing effective crisis intervention principles and practices

providing competent suicide intervention over the phone including:

recognition

assessment

safe management of immediate suicide risk

facilitating links to further emergency help or ongoing care as needed

facilitating links with higher levels of care including emergency services where necessary

practising self-monitoring and self care

seeking and integrating supervisory support

maintaining documentation as required, including effective use of relevant information technology in line with OHS guidelines

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.

General context of the suicide intervention work:

Telephone counselling will normally be provided in the context of a 24-hour telephone counselling service within the framework of the organisation's guidelines and competency requirements that reflect good suicide intervention practice

Telephone counsellors will have received training in generalist telephone counselling skills and in the principles and practices of crisis intervention

Supervision on 24-hour call may be accessed during a call when needed and must be consulted in certain mandated situations such as a potential suicide in progress

Other professional community resources such as Poisons Information Service, Ambulance or Police should be accessed as needed

Intervention builds on the caller's desire for help and links to living, evident in making the call, despite the ambivalence about living and dying that is often present

Identify and assess a caller's current suicide risk involves:

Vigilance about the potential for suicide risk in any caller

Recognising the wide range of warning signs that invite help and prompt enquiry about suicide

Asking directly about thoughts of suicide where there are any grounds for concern

Risk assessment involves:

Recognising that any suicide thoughts or acts of deliberate self-harm signal significant distress, pose potential risk of injury or death and should be taken seriously

Assessing factors that indicate suicide risk which include, but are not limited to, the following:

concern is aroused by the presence of suicide thoughts and things often associated with these thoughts, such as:

a desire to escape pain that feels unbearable

a sense of hopelessness

current difficulty seeing alternatives to suicide

feeling alone

immediate risk is increased when a person has begun acting on their suicide thoughts or is preparing to do so and/or has expressed suicidal intent - for example:

possible suicide in progress

presence of a suicide plan

available means

risk can be exacerbated if the caller is under the influence of excessive alcohol or other drug use

pertinent background factors, particularly prior suicidal behaviour and the presence of significant mental health problems should be carefully assessed

A wide variety of contextual or personal considerations help inform assessments and may include such things as:

significant loss

trauma

the impact of another person's suicide

a pattern of extreme agitation, anger/violent behaviour

Identifying sources of safety and support within the caller (such as coping skills and beliefs) and around them (such as friends, family and community services)

Connections to life and living are usually present alongside thoughts of suicide and can provide foundations to build upon in increasing caller safety

Safety outcomes include:

Recognising that:

vigilance about safety with all suicide related thoughts or behaviours is essential, even though the caller may have been influenced by a wide range of motives in considering or engaging in deliberate self-harm

risks to life and safety can often be greater than callers recognise or intend, so safe outcomes are a primary focus, regardless of stated caller intentions, especially given the limited contextual information available in a telephone counselling intervention

Implementing suicide safety plans that should be tailored to the caller, but typically include:

affirm and build on the desire for help and safety implicit in the call

work with the caller to identify and act on clear cooperative steps for reducing immediate risk of suicide or any self-harm during and immediately after the call

focus specifically on factors, plans and behaviours, including unsafe use of alcohol and other drugs, that endanger the caller at this particular time and seek to engage them cooperatively in steps that safely manage and reduce that risk

enable prompt, timely action that increases support, mobilises access to emergency medical help when needed and reduces the likelihood that the person will act on their suicidal thoughts

seek to create a calm environment that promotes safety for the person at risk and others involved in the situation

access support and follow up advice from the organisation's supervisor/coordinator that reflects lawful good suicide intervention practice and follows crisis management and emergency procedures

The range of available resources include:

Informal support

Professional help

Future use of telephone counselling service

A productive connection between the caller and counsellor that accompanies risk assessment and safety management can strengthen hope and motivation to commit to the safety plan and engage further with helping resources

Appropriate counselling support to people with thoughts of suicide will include:

The following general practices as a context for risk assessment and safety management:

developing an empathic, collaborative counselling relationship

recognising that the presence of any thoughts of suicide elevate risk and require plans to increase safety

understanding how these thoughts are linked to particular events or experiences - particularly involving loss, a suicide death or trauma - and the person's reaction to them

hearing feelings often found behind these thoughts such as pain, and the desire to escape it

listening for perceptions such as the caller's current difficulties in seeing alternatives to suicide

conducting careful assessment and management of suicide risk

developing and implementing a safety plan based on this assessment that includes safely reducing access to suicide methods and generally minimising the harm of any suicidal acts already in progress (e.g. mobilising an emergency medical response)

addressing problems in living and strengthening supportive life links and relationships once immediate safety has been addressed

Appropriate counselling support to people concerned about someone at risk include:

The above set of actions and deciding on:

the role the caller might have in reaching out to the person at risk and

who else may need to be involved

Appropriate counselling support to people impacted by someone's suicide includes:

Determining the nature of the caller's relationship to the person who died by suicide

Exploring and responding to the pain and impact of the loss in feelings such as sadness, anger, guilt or remorse

Asking the caller what aspects of the death or the loss they most need to focus on now and attend to these concerns

Assessing for suicide risk in the caller

Exploring internal coping strengths and external supports likely to provide support

Internal referral systems may include:

Training

The organisation's referral database and files

Supervisory and on call network

Support personnel

Protocols for supervisory consultation during a suicide call and accessing emergency services when necessary

Literature - including books and brochures

Ethical guidelines and policy requirements that affect duty of care include:

Awareness of appropriate standards of care in suicide intervention

Observance of any relevant laws

Compliance with the organisation's ethical code, policies and procedures related to delivery of the telephone counselling service

Policies about disclosure and confidentiality, including any limits that may apply in suicide intervention

Responsiveness to caller requests

Meeting the organisation's training standards

Seeking assistance and providing referrals

Participation in supervisory activities and professional development and training