| Clinical teams and structure of psychology |
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Psychologists are supported by a strong professional structure which includes a Psychology Advisor who represents the profession on the NWMH Executive, an Area or Program Senior Psychologist (P4) in each of the six clinical programs, two Senior Academic Psychologists jointly employed across universities and the Mental Health Program, and a solid distribution of P3 positions. There are opportunities for psychologists interested in combining a clinical and research career, and for those interested in advancement there are a broad range of professional leadership roles both within the discipline, and service-wide through management pathways.
Please click here to see the structure of psychology across the service.
The teams at NWMH
Psychologists work across Orygen Youth Health, adult Area Mental Health Services and the Aged Persons' Mental Health Program.
Over 30 clinical psychologists and clinical neuropsychologists are employed at the internationally renowned youth mental health service, ORYGEN Youth Health. For information about the Neuropsychology Unit at Orygen Youth Health click here to download a brochure.
NWMH has a comprehensive and highly specialised Aged Persons' Mental Health Program (APMHP), which provides services for people aged 65 years and over. It includes three acute inpatient units, three aged psychiatry assessment and treatment teams (APATT) and five residential accommodation facilities (including psychogeriatric nursing homes and hostels). Clinical psychologists and clinical neuropsychologists work across APATT, the inpatient unit and residential services to provide psychological interventions with consumers as well as providing an important consultation and liaison service to other staff to assist them in the management of consumers in the service.
Within the Adult Mental Health programs four area mental health services, there are psychologists employed within a structured career pathway from levels P2 to P4. The following teams exist within the adult program, with most teams already having established psychology positions and roles. For more information about the following teams see the link to the adult mental health program above.
Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team (CATT) & Triage
Working as a psychologist within this service provides an opportunity to hone skills in diagnostic assessment as well as develop a high level of skill in managing emergencies. The opportunity also exists to be a consultant on psychological aspects of care and to provide direct short term psychological treatment.
Acute inpatient services
Like the role of a psychologist within CATT, psychologists working on an inpatient setting get an opportunity to hone skills in diagnostic assessment as well as develop a high level of skill in management of problems in an acute setting. Furthermore being on an inpatient unit not only gives the opportunity to be a consultant on short term psychological treatment and management within the unit, but also to deliver these treatments on an individual and group basis.
To read about a day in the life of a psychologist on an inpatient unit click here.
Continuing Care, Clinical and Consultancy Team (CCT)
Psychologists are often employed as Case Managers (CM) within CCTs. Psychologists working as CMs are generally referred consumers who require moer specific psychological work, such as consumers who may benefit from structured relapse prevention work, personality disorders, severe depression or trauma related work. All CMs have a caseload of consumers for whom they are the primary point of contact. CMs work in collaboration with their colleagues, the consumer, families, and other agencies that provide the consumer with services. CMs also undertake community development roles such as community education and mental health promotion. Within the team CMs also undertake team roles such as duty and new consumer assessment, as well as other portfolios and discipline specific specialities.
To read about a day in the life of a CCT psychologist click here.
Primary Mental Health Team (PMHT)
PMHT's support GP's who are treating consumers with mental health presentations that do not meet the criteria for adult mental health service. Psychologists working within these teams provide assessment, consultation and some direct treatment services which are provided in shared care with GPs for consumers with a range of presentations. These include high prevalence disorders (anxiety or depression) with complex presentation (e.g. co-morbid disorder, severe psychological dysfunction), low prevalence illness including schizophrenia spectrum disorders, severe mood disorder, personality disorders and eating disorders. There is a variation between teams in NWMH in capacity for provision of a direct treatment role.
Mobile Support and Treatment Services (MSTS)
The MSTS provides intensive support and rehabilitation services to people who require assistance with day to day living. Psychologists working within these teams often take on consumers who require more psychological input and assessment, and are likely to respond to psychological interventions. Work is often done around providing a structured relapse prevention plan with consumers in order to try to reduce hospitalisations.
Community Care Unit (CCU)
Psychologists working within these services provide specialist psychological input to consumers on the service, often in the form of individual therapy, while also providing a valuable consultation and liaison service to the other team members.
Specialist Programs
Psychologists are employed within a number of the specialist programs. These programs include the Adult Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit (AMHRU), the Eating Disorders Program, Homeless Outreach Psychiatric Services (HOPS) and the Neuropsychiatry Unit. In most cases psychologists employed within these teams are employed in a discipline-specific clinical psychology role or specialist neuropsychology position. In most cases psychologists employed within these roles provide specialist psychological input to consumers of these services, while also providing a valuable consultation and liaison service to other team members. | 
