Care Coordinator / Counsellor – Regional

What’s ACON’s Regional Services you say? Our regional teams engage with LGBTQ+ people, community members and people living with HIV (PLHIV) in providing care coordination, peer support, counselling services, delivering health promotion campaigns, undertaking community development and peer education initiatives, supporting community groups and events, providing training and support to mainstream services, and providing access to the needle and syringe program. Ok, so what’s the role? This position delivers a psychological counselling and care coordination service to NSW clients of diverse sexualities and/or genders (LGBTQ+ people), and people living with HIV. Clients may present in suicidal crisis, or they may require support for their mental health and resilience, sexual, domestic and family violence, homelessness, NDIS, substance use or for support with gender affirmation. The role is placed within the context of a state-wide, multi-disciplinary team of allied health professionals working within a short-term, trauma-informed framework. You will:

• Conduct psycho-social assessments and identify the need for immediate assistance for clients and making referrals for longer-term support in relevant cases.
• Maintain a caseload of clients providing short-term psychological counselling and care coordination services using a range of evidence-based strategies and interventions.
• Assess, manage, safety plan and deliver therapeutic interventions for people who are experiencing suicidal risk and/or sexual, domestic or family violence (SDFV).
• Conduct assessments and interventions via face to face and telehealth modes dependent on client preference, location and public health restrictions.
• Work with clients presenting with multiple and complex needs to develop care plans, navigate health, medical and community services, support applications and advocacy for Housing/Centrelink/NDIS and develop self-management skills.
• Support people who have been newly diagnosed with HIV, living longer term with HIV or are at risk of or affected by HIV.
• Maintain the consistent and accurate collection of clinical outcome measures (COMS) for the purposes of therapeutic intervention and to demonstrate service outcomes.
• Work in collaboration with crisis services and mental health services to ensure appropriate levels of care and support for the individual

Who are we looking for?

• Someone experienced in psychological counselling and/or care coordination experience in the fields of SDFV, or mental health or suicide prevention or HIV/sexual health or disability.
• A person with demonstrated understanding, knowledge, and commitment to working with people of diverse sexualities and/or genders, and people living with and affected by HIV.
• Someone experienced in undertaking trauma-informed psychosocial assessments, goal setting and care planning, advocacy, building referral pathways and using short-term evidence-based therapeutic interventions.
• A person with demonstrated knowledge and experience supporting clients to access the health and social services sector and other community-based organisations and mental health services.
• Someone who takes initiative and can work autonomously within a supportive team.

What else can we tell you? ACON provides a colourful, nurturing, and fun workplace. Our employees and volunteers are the foundation for our ongoing effectiveness and for our capacity to deliver innovative community engagement and health promotion programs and initiatives for our communities. To support the successful candidate in their new role at ACON we offer:

• Flexible working arrangements.
• Generous learning and development opportunities.
• Potential for tailored mentoring opportunities.
• Supportive working environment with a knowledgeable and friendly team.

What’s the remuneration and working details? Salary: $89,689 to $105,978 FTE (Gross per-annum, PLUS Superannuation and Leave Loading) – commensurate with skills, qualifications, and experience. Location: ACON’s Awabakal/Hunter office (Islington) or Bundjalung/Northern Rivers office (Lismore) with some flexible working options a possibility (WAFTO). Hours: Full-Time (70 hours per fortnight) or Part-Time (56 – 63 hours per fortnight) on a 12-month fixed term contract with the possibility of extension. We offer flexible working arrangements and a generous array of entitlements often above the National Employment Standards (NES) including:

• Salary Packaging up to $35,000 gross up value (i.e., currently up to $15,900 Expenses + $2,650 Meals, tax free).
• Generous pro-rata leave entitlements – including up to an extra week of paid leave for full time employees to be taken during our Christmas and New Year’s shutdown period.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – access to a comprehensive counselling service free to employees.

Details

Download Position Description

Essential Criteria

Essential: 1.              Professional Allied Health qualification (e.g. Psychology or Mental Health Accredited Social Worker) and current registration with appropriate professional body (e.g. AASW, AHPRA). 2.              Experience in psychological counselling and/or care coordination experience in the fields of SDFV, or mental health or suicide prevention or HIV/sexual health or disability. 3.              Demonstrated understanding, knowledge, and commitment to working with people of diverse sexualities and/or genders, and people living with and affected by HIV. 4.              Demonstrated experience undertaking trauma-informed psychosocial assessments, goal setting and care planning, advocacy, building referral pathways and using short-term evidence-based therapeutic interventions (e.g., ACT, solution-focused brief therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy). 5.              Demonstrated knowledge and experience supporting clients to access the health and social services sector including MyHousing, Centrelink, Victims of Crime, NDIS, gender-affirming care and other community-based organisations and mental health services. 6.              Risk assessment and management including suicide and SDFV risk. 7.              Advanced level of written and oral communication skills including case note documentation, outcome measure implementation, negotiation and conflict resolution management. 8.              Strong skills in using Microsoft Office Applications. 9.              Evidence of up-to-date recommended vaccinations to meet Department of Health requirements for the role.

Other Information

Want to be part of helping LGBTQ+ communities in Regional NSW? *   Positions available in Lismore and Newcastle. Part-time or Full-time opportunities available *   We’re on the lookout for passionate individuals to play a vital role in delivering client service provision in Regional NSW.

How to Apply

How can I find out more details and apply? If this sounds like you, we invite you to apply to join our team and help us make a meaningful impact on the lives of those we serve. By joining us, you will be part of a mission to create a healthier and more inclusive community. We’d love someone who has experience already in this area but people at all levels of experience are absolutely welcome to apply. We highly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from CALD backgrounds, people with disabilities, and people of all genders to apply. For more information on the role, please contact in Awabakal/Hunter: Kylie Voght on kvoght@acon.org.au or (02) 4962 7700; in Bundjalung/Northern Rivers: Phillip James on pjames@acon.org.au or (02) 6622 1555. If this sounds like the position and organisation you’ve been looking for, find out how to apply at www.acon.org.au/jobs. All applications must include:

1. Your completed ACON Employment Application Form – with all the details filled in where requested;
2. Your Cover Letter outlining how you meet the Selection Criteria (max. 4 pages); and
3. Your Resume (max. 4 pages).

ACON Health Limited

ACON is Australia’s largest health promotion organisation specialising in community health, inclusion, and HIV responses for people of diverse sexualities and genders. Established in 1985, ACON works to create opportunities for people in our communities to live their healthiest lives. We are grounded in the belief that diversity is our strength, our differentiator, and at the core of who we are and what we do. As part of our commitment to inclusion, we encourage applications from people living with HIV, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and LGBTQ people from culturally, linguistically and ethnically diverse, migrant and refugee backgrounds, and LGBTQ people of colour www.acon.org.au