Service standards for Accredited Mental Health Social Work

Service Standards

These Service Standards are under the Accident Compensation Act 1985 (AC Act) and the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 (WIRC Act).

Failure to comply with these Service Standards may result in WorkSafe revoking its approval of an individual service provider.

Role

An AMHSW is approved by WorkSafe to provide evidence-based, best practice FPS to injured workers with an accepted workers compensation claim upon referral from a medical practitioner.

Upon approval by WorkSafe as an AMHSW you will be able to provide family counselling services under WorkSafe's Family Counselling Policy.

Qualifications and training requirements

WorkSafe require that AMHSWs providing services to an injured worker:

• are accredited with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) as an AMHSW meeting all requirements for this accreditation
• have read the WorkSafe Health Provider Tool Kit
• have signed the WorkSafe AMHSW Declaration to provide services in line with these Service Standards
• are approved by WorkSafe as an AMHSW

Service expectations

WorkSafe require AMHSW services to be outcome focused in order to facilitate return to work and return to health for injured workers. AMHSWs agree to provide information on injured worker outcomes as specified below.

Services must:

1. achieve optimal clinical, functional and vocational outcomes for injured workers
2. be provided in accordance with the Clinical Framework and in a timely manner having regard to the best interests of injured workers
3. be provided in consultation and collaboration with other medical and health practitioners, community and support services and vocational service providers involved in the management and treatment of injured workers
4. be provided in accordance with reasonable directions and instructions provided by WorkSafe from time to time

Communication and reporting requirements

WorkSafe require that AMHSWs providing services to injured workers maintain communication with the referring medical practitioner, the Agent and/or WorkSafe. This may include:

• clarification of referral details
• to provide an update on the progress of the injured worker
• to facilitate return to work outcomes
• to alert the medical practitioner to any changes in the injured workers mental state that requires attention

Following the completion of an initial 10 hours of AMHSW services, and after each subsequent block of 10 hours service, the provider is expected to submit an update to the Agent. The written update should outline:

• outcomes and progress to date
• clinical reasoning for ongoing service delivery
• expected outcomes/goals for ongoing treatment
• likely number of sessions/duration of treatment still required
• level of consultation with the referring medical practitioner and treating team

WorkSafe have developed a recommended template which can be found above and in the related information section.

The Agent will review treatment updates provided by the AMHSW to ensure that the service being provided adheres to these Service Standards. This review will be completed in conjunction with Agent Medical Advisors or the WorkSafe Clinical Panel. The WorkSafe Clinical Panel may contact the AMHSW for a peer to peer conversation in regards to individual cases. The AMHSW agrees to engage with the WorkSafe clinical panel for peer to peer conversations.

Fees

Please refer to WorkSafe's Social Work and Accredited Mental Health Social Work Fee Schedule and policy. All fees must be billed as per this policy and in line with the AMHSW declaration.

Quality management

AMHSW must retain their accreditation through the AASW in order to be able to provide FPS to injured workers and bill at the AMHSW fee schedule. If accreditation lapses, WorkSafe must be notified via email:

[email protected].

The AMHSW must participate in quality improvement and performance management process as directed by WorkSafe.