Company description:

As an organisation we have a clear focus on how we service and partner with our community, including our strategy of helping the community stay well when at home. Our reputation of community minded, inclusive and progressive is matched to none.

Job description:

Northern Health are seeking applications from motivated and suitably experienced Senior Forensic Mental Health Clinicians, to join the Mental Health Division adult mental health services.

About Mental Health Division:

Northern Health is the third largest mental health service in Victoria Northern.

Within the Mental Health Division, we pride ourselves on providing high quality mental health services to people living in the northern regions of Melbourne, and work in a collaborative way with consumers and carers based on recovery principles.

We aim to provide strong clinical leadership to support all staff in the provision of professional treatment and care by our integrated community teams, inpatient, and residential services.

About the Role:

Northern Health (NH) is one of Melbourne's largest and fastest growing public health services.

We have a dedicated Mental Health Division which includes Adult and Older Adult services.

The Northern Health Division of Mental Health (NHMHD) delivers mental health care and support to people and communities that are diverse in culture, age, socio-economic status, population and health care needs.

We also provide a range of community based services and inpatient services across a number of sites in the municipalities of Darebin, Whittlesea, Merri-bek and Hume.

It is a very exciting time to be a part of the MHD as we transform our model of care to delivery timely and needed services.

We are seeking 2 full time experienced, passionate, and dedicated Senior Forensic Mental Health Clinicians (RPN4 or Allied Health Grade 3) to join our Mental Health Adult Community Programs.

These newly created, ongoing positions offer an incredible opportunity to work alongside Forensic Clinical Specialist Program (FCSP) clinicians, to provide a high level of clinical support, in aim of capacity building, to clinicians within the Adult Mental Health Service.

This will involve working with consumers identified with complex background, along with offending and violence history.

The Role:

As a Senior Forensic Mental Health Clinician, you will:

• Work to promote best practice and optimal recovery outcomes for consumers presenting with challenging and aggressive behaviours.

This will include:

• In collaboration with Forensic Clinical Specialists and treating teams, support and guide in the coordination, development and review of management plans for consumers with complex presentations who demonstrate behaviours of concern (including aggression).
• Support the implementation of risk mitigation strategies and risk management plans, in collaboration of existing community mental health services, to support the management of the consumer with known complexity and aggression.
• Support, including provide outreach support where appropriate, to ensure safe and consistent provision of direct clinical intervention for high-risk consumers.
• Support and assist in the coordination of follow-up support to referrers, including implementation of recommendations and risk management strategies identified in FCSP assessments and consultancy.
• Strengthening knowledge and skills to mental health clinicians who provide support for consumers on non-custodial supervision orders (NCSO) and serious violent offender orders (SVO), by providing specialist advice and guidance.

To be successful in this role you will have:

We are looking for a motivated and skilled Forensic Clinical Specialists with:

• Minimum 5 years' experience working in mental health (and/or drug and alcohol) settings
• Possess sound working knowledge of evidenced based models of assessment and management of risk relevant to forensic mental health and commitment to working with and delivering high quality outcomes for high risk clients and those with a history of offending.
• Preferably background of working within a forensic mental health, justice or custodial setting.
• Extensive experience and skills in assessment and management of people with serious mental illness and co-occurring complex issues including experience and skill in working with consumers with substance use and addiction.
• Demonstrated experience and skill working with consumers presenting with challenging behaviours.

Why Join Us?

• Be a key player in shaping the future of mental health services at one of Melbourne's largest and fastest-growing health services.
• Work in a supportive, dynamic environment with opportunities for professional growth and development.
• Make a real difference in the lives of clients and their families, providing essential support during challenging times.

Next Steps . . .

If this opportunity sounds like the next step in your career, then we would love to hear from you. Please click on the 'Apply' button and follow the prompts.

For further details, please refer to the Position Description.

Alternatively, please contact:

Julian Jamieson, Forensic Clinical Specialist, North West Area - 0458 162 112

John Belanti, Director of Operations, North West Area - 93559700 or John.Belanti@nh.org.au

Applications close Friday 4 July 2025.

Profile description:

Work with us! Northern Health is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce which reflects the community we serve. Applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as applicants who are LGBTIQ+, who have different abilities, or are from culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds are encouraged.

All employees of Northern Health must comply with the health service's Staff Health / Workforce Immunisation procedure (as amended from time to time) together with any relevant State Government and Departmental directives. This requires all employees to be vaccinated for various diseases such as, but not limited to influenza.

We offer:

We offer a range of benefits to support and reward staff both personally and professionally, which includes:

• Health and Wellbeing programs, including our ‘Thrive' program
• Flexibility in the workplace and extra leave options and support
• An inclusive and culturally safe space
• State of the art facilities and campus partnerships
• A commitment to ongoing professional development through our ‘Learning Labs'
• Access to salary packaging, EAP and our online library

For a glimpse of life at NH, click here.