Rural Counsellor - Towards Zero Suicide Initiatives, Snowy Monaro

Counsellor Lvl 3: $54.77 - $56.54 per hour
Psychologist: $37.70 - $55.17 per hour

Senior Psychologist: $58.09 - $62.94 per hour

Social Worker Lvl 3: $54.77 - $56.54 per hour

Hours Per Week: 19
Southern NSW Local Health District covers a large area of the southern half of NSW. Surrounding the ACT on three sides and all the way down to the Victorian border, it extends from the pristine beaches of the NSW South Coast, the farmlands of the Southern Tablelands, across the picturesque Great Dividing Range and the spectacular Snowy Mountains. We have 18 facilities and our hospitals take care of more than 200,000 people. As we are a major local employer, our staff are a part of our local communities. To find out more on what it is like to live and work in Southern NSW LHD click here – We are Southern.

What we offer

•    Salary Packaging – up to $9k for living expenses + $2.6k meal & entertainment + Novated leasing
•    Corporate Health and Fitness program
•    11% Superannuation on top of your gross income
•    Annual Leave Loading

Where you'll be working
There is an abundance of lifestyle benefits available to you in country NSW and you will be amazed at what you will have access to and it all comes without the queues and crowds of a big city. Cooma is the largest town in the Snowy Mountains, with bushwalking, mountain biking, horse-riding, fishing and white-water rafting all on the door-step of the ski-fields. The wilderness experiences are unforgettable, with Australia’s highest peak in Kosciuszko National Park. It’s just over 60 minutes’ drive to Canberra and 80 minutes to Merimbula the gateway of the beautiful Sapphire Coast. Imagine Rural  - Southern NSW Local Health District

What you'll be doing Providing advanced clinical services to people experiencing suicidality and their families, including a range of therapeutic responses such as safety planning, brief interventions, groups, specialist clinics and referral; contribute to the development of pathways to care; ensure clinical services are accessible and culturally safe for Aboriginal people; provide high level consultation to Mental Health clinicians as part of the NSW Towards Zero Suicides in Care initiative. 

Selection Criteria

1. Tertiary qualifications and current registration with AHPRA for Psychologists, OR Tertiary qualifications and eligibility for membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers for Social Workers and Counsellors. Social Worker with at least 4 years full time equivalent post graduate experience; Senior Psychologist or eligible for senior Psychologist grading (with no less than 12 months service at the 9th year of service and thereafter rate); or for a Counsellor, the Bachelor of Health Science Mental Health with substantial clinical experience and demonstrated advanced knowledge, practice skills and professional reasoning in mental health.
2. Understanding of the psychosocial factors associated with rural adversity that contribute to poorer mental health outcomes for individuals, families and communities, with ability to deliver effective relevant psychotherapeutic interventions
3. Extensive specialist counselling or broad generalist knowledge, clinical proficiency and ability to work with minimal supervision, and collaboratively as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
4. Ability to effectively prioritise and organise own work / caseload across a regional area.
5. Demonstrated high level written, interpersonal communication skills with the proven capacity to negotiate, influence and develop relationships with stakeholders and develop referral pathways to promote access to a range of services
6. Applied understanding of the principles of person-centred care, trauma-informed care and recovery in the context of suicidality.
7. Evidence of a current unrestricted drivers' licence and the ability to maintain. Ability and willingness to drive/travel as the role requires. This may involve driving long distances and overnight stays.

Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination against Specific Diseases
This is a Category ‘A’ position, please read and understand NSW Health policy directive PD2022_030.  All new employees must agree to comply with the requirements outlined in this policy. OASV requirements also include proof of vaccination against influenza and is compulsory for NSW Staff that enter any Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) or who work in NSW Health owned and operated RACFs.

All NSW Health Category A workers are required to have received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. You will be required to provide a record of your COVID-19 vaccination status if successful. 

Australian Work Rights
Please note that to apply for this position you must be an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident of Australia, or be able to independently and legally live and work in Australia by way of your own Temporary Visa. For more information, please see www.immi.gov.au

At Southern NSW Local Health District we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, where we don’t just accept differences but we honour and support them. Committed to providing a working environment that thrives and values diversity, we encourage people of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background, people with a disability, and people from the LGBTQI+ community to apply.

Need more information?

  1) Click here for the Position Description
  2) Find out more about applying for this position
For role related queries or questions contact Kira Van Klink on *************@health.nsw.gov.au or phone: 02 6455 3***.

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