Earlier Mental Health Response Clinician - Crisis Team

To tatou tikanga | Our Culture

Our staff are passionate people, each driven to contribute to better health outcomes, with a focus on high priority populations. We are focused on hiring kaimahi who live and work in the communities they serve.

Whakarongorau Aotearoa is committed to understanding and improving mana taurite (equal status) starts with the understanding of self and how we, as health professionals, think and behave each minute of each day to serve the health needs for Aotearoa.

We are committed to ensuring our workforce reflects the community we support.

Ko wai mātou | About us

Whakarongorau Aotearoa (Whakarongorau), a social enterprise, is a virtual health and social services organisation with a proven record of connecting people seamlessly with care when they need it. Whakarongorau aims to be there when face to face health and social services cannot, providing consistent, clinically supported access to services for those in need or when people are unable to access other options due to location, time of day, financial or cultural barriers.

Are you an experienced registered Mental Health Clinician looking for a ‘work from home’ opportunity?

EMHR (Earlier Mental Health Response Team), a 24/7 mental health triage service with various contracts across Te Whatu Ora localities, Police, and Ambulance Services, seeks experienced mental health clinicians. Work from home, avoid the commute, and enjoy a balanced life with our flexible 4-week roster. You’ll be part of a team of 40 mental health professionals, receive paid monthly supervision, and have all IT equipment provided.

Make this opportunity your best yet by delivering mental health support across Aotearoa.

Mō tēnei tūranga - About the role

This is a permanent position; we will consider both full time and part time.

This dynamic role ensures that every call is unique! You will be responsible for triaging incoming calls with the UK Triage tool, collecting and dispensing mental health information and advice to tangata whai ora. When clinically required, you will also coordinate with stakeholders like local crisis teams, the Police and Ambulance services, to guarantee that emergency mental health support is delivered promptly.

More specifically your role will involve: 

• Putting the tangata whai ora needs first and respecting their confidentiality and privacy 
• Following our clinical guidelines and using clinical support software 
• Giving advice that respects cultural needs and demonstrates cultural awareness 
• Escalating issues and referring calls to other staff or health service providers where required
• Experience in undertaking risk assessments, MSE and formulating safe, clear risk management plans based on collaboration with the client

Mōu ake - About you

Ōu wheako ōu mātauranga hoki - Qualifications and experience

• Registered mental health professional with current NZ practicing certificate ideally with a post graduate certificate with no limitations in working in mental health
• A minimum of three years' experience in an acute mental health setting is required, such as working with a crisis team, liaison psychiatry, community mental health team as a key worker/case manager, triage team, a current or former Duly Authorised Officer
• Primary nurse experience in in-patient mental health
• Confident in delivering mental health triage and communicating plans
• Experience in undertaking risk assessments and formulating safe, clear risk management plans based on collaboration with the client

Ōu āheitanga ōu pūkenga hoki - Skills and competence

• Able to build rapport with callers and deliver a recovery orientated, person centred approach to working with people in distress
• Utilises collaborative support planning and promotion of the caller living as autonomously as possible in the community
• Sound clinical judgement in the assessment and management of suicide and other risk
• Ability to implement plans to keep someone safe until they are assessed via the telephone
• Experience in the use of recognised therapeutic models and intervention strategies
• Good level of IT and telecommunication skills, ability to use and navigate multiple health applications quickly and effectively
• Ability to effectively navigate the health sector and complete referrals to DHB, NGO and Primary Care services
• Connecting in with our priority communities is essential and a high degree of cultural awareness and empathy is required. Korero Māori or talanoa in Pasifika languages is also highly desirable

Ō mātou uara - Our values

E kimi ana mātou i ētahi tangata e kaha whakanui i ēnei uara - We are looking for people who align naturally with these values and will champion them

• Mahia te mea tika / Do the right thing
• Hihiri e te kounga / Motivated by quality
• Ngākau nui ki te pai ake / Passion for better
• Pokohiwi ki Pokohiwi / Shoulder to shoulder