Advanced client assessment

CHCCSM008 Undertake advanced client assessment

This unit is about giving initial and ongoing client assessments to determine eligibility, priority and need for services. Assessments may be part of a case management process or as part of an assessment service. That is, it includes case manager’s client assessments done for initial admission and for regular, ongoing case management.

Case managers and assessment specialists work autonomously, with well-developed judgement, adaptability and responsibility.

 

How you will be assessed

CA

This unit will be assessed by:

The assessor will take steps to preserve the confidentiality of assessments, so it will be unusual for an external assessor to sit in on a real assessment. These steps might be: black out personal details in assessment reports, use a suitably qualified person from your organization as a co-assessor, get references from a supervisor or colleagues, use a simulation, and/or discuss the assessment with clients.

 

Practical

RE

You will be assessed in the workplace with industry operating conditions:

Show your assessor your workplace and the forms and procedures for doing assessment. Explain how it works as you go. Your assessor may ask you any questions on how it works. Most organizations have clear procedures and use prescribed assessment tools, but you will still be responsible to exercise judgement.

Do broad-based assessments of three clients:

  1. Involve their carers, natural supports and/or family members according to client preferences.
  2. Maintain a focus on service delivery within the community sector to optimise their functional capacity and participation in social, community and daily living activities.
  3. Respond to the requirements of three people presenting with high level needs or complex circumstances, including:
    1. make evidence-based judgments about the person's needs
    2. select appropriate internal and external services that match the client’s needs
    3. collaborate with multi-disciplinary team
    4. decide on referrals and give them.

 

Interview/assignment questions

All RK

  1. What are the responsibilities and boundaries of your own work role?
  2. What are the roles, responsibilities and boundaries of other organizations and personnel providing assessment and related services to your clients?
  3. What is "validity" and "reliability" in assessment?
  4. What are the validity and reliability requirements for assessment?
  5. Explain your organisation’s policy and procedure for individual assessments.
  6. Explain how to identify and assess client risk and prioritize risks.
  7. Explain your assessment tools, processes and protocol requirements
  8. How effective are your assessment approaches and practices for identifying needs for delivery of services and resources?
  9. What gaps in your assessment tools, processes and protocol do you need to cover with "professional judgment"
  10. What assessment tool(s) are appropriate to determine:
    1. developmental status,
    2. family,
    3. social relationships,
    4. natural supports,
    5. housing,
    6. financial situation,
    7. health,
    8. ability to do the activities of daily living,
    9. cognitive capacity and
    10. other relevant issues or concerns?
  11. What is the best way to handle assessments involving multiple service providers?
  12. What should you do when you and another organization’s case manager both want to be in charge of your client’s assessment?
  13. What should be in an inter-organisation agreements on client assessments?
  14. Explain your organisation’s reporting requirements for individual assessments.
  15. What kind of consent do you need to disseminate a client’s assessment results to other parties? What are the relevant privacy and confidentiality principles and practices?
  16. Explain the characteristics and needs of your organisation’s identified client population
  17. Describe the funding arrangements for using service and resource providers. (Providers have different arrangements.)
  18. The policy and planning context especially affects government services and services that are government funded. Describe your organisation’s policy and planning context for using service and resource providers.
  19. What professional standards and code of ethics affect client assessments?
  20. What government legislation, regulations, standards and policies affect client assessments?
  21. Describe your own set of values. How do they relate to your organisation’s requirements? How do they relate to your clients requirements?
  22. Describe your organization’s documentation requirements and practices.
  23. In your workplace:
    1. What are the work health and safety (WHS) risks?
    2. What are the work health and safety (WHS) management issues?
    3. Explain your organization’s risk management practices.
    4. How effective are your organization’s risk management practices? What do you base your assessent on?
  24. What strategies do you use to provide equitable access and culturally competent assessment processes for:
    1. culturally and linguistically diverse people (CALD)
    2. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and
    3. lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI).
  25. What ethnic, multicultural and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander organisations are relevant to your organization’s role in linking people with services?
  26. What do those organisations do to link people with services?
  27. What information about health risks and assessment procedures do you provide?
  28. How is it appropriate for each distinct but potentially overlapping population?
  29. Describe the significance of the service setting, including working in the client's home.
  30. Describe in overview the current best practice for client assessment.
  31. Describe in overview the following aspects of human development throughout the lifespan:
    1. physical
    2. psychological
    3. cognitive
    4. social
    5. affective
    6. client development status

Note: Your assessor may also ask you a variety of what if questions.

 

Detailed requirements

El/PC, RS

1. Prepare for the initial assessment. El 1/PC N,In

  1. Prepare for broad-based holistic assessment of the client’s needs based on referral or other documentation. This should be covered in your organization's policy and procedures.
  2. Establish rapport with the client and get their consent to be assessed.
  3. Identify other stakeholders, including carers, natural supports and/or family members, whose input will help the client in assessment and its outcomes.
  4. Identify the range of information, products and resources that you will use in the assessment.
  5. Work with the client to identify opportunities to build on their strengths, improve their ability to function, and participate in social and community activities.
  6. Discuss a suitable time and place for the assessment with the client and carers, support workers and/or family, then make a decision on it.
  7. Identify and agree on appropriate assessment tools and processes (Follow your organization’s policy and procedures).
  8. Explain privacy and confidentiality principles, practices and procedures.
  9. Access and brief the interpreter or culture-specific worker.

2. Give the assessment. El 2/PC N,In

  1. Communicate with all people involved in a language or form they understand.
  2. Clearly explain:
    1. the assessment process
    2. how information is used, including legal requirements
    3. organization policy and processes for mandatory reporting.
  3. Assess risks and stratify risks to determine interventions based on client circumstances, needs and interests.
  4. Involve the client, their carers, natural supports, and/or family in a way that empowers the client and is according to the client’s preferences.
  5. Use appropriate assessment tools and processes to identify, clarify and prioritise complex or multiple needs of the client, their carers and/or family.
  6. Collect and document information about the client, according to your organization’s requirements.
  7. Collaborate with stakeholders and service providers to avoid duplication experienced by the client and to share information and resources.
  8. Help those involved in the assessment to identify and prioritise the client’s goals, needs and any risk factors.
  9. Where carers and/or families are involved, ensure the assessment focuses on, and strengthens the relationship, rather than treats the individual in isolation.
  10. Inform carers and/or family about their role and rights in the assessment and decision-making processes, including their right to an assessment of their own needs.
  11. Identify and assess work health and safety (WHS) risks associated with service and resource delivery.
  12. Manage risks to keep people safe (client and others involved in the assessment).

3. Respond appropriately to diversity. El 3/PC N,In

  1. Use assessment processes and practices to build trust and confidence to work with mainstream services.
  2. Use non-discriminatory assessment processes that are appropriate for each distinct but potentially overlapping population.
  3. Provide equitable access and culturally competent assessment processes for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
  4. Provide appropriate interpreter support according to organization protocols.
  5. Where appropriate, build and maintain relationships with ethno-specific and multicultural organizations.
  6. Where appropriate, build and maintain relationships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities and organizations and involve representatives in the assessment process.

4. Respond appropriately to people with different levels of needs, including people with complex needs. El 4/PC N,In

  1. Support people with complex needs and circumstances and facilitate access to assessment
  2. Develop and maintain inter-organization relationships and agreements to address the client, family and/or carer needs.
  3. Recognise the need for secondary consultation, medication administration and monitoring or additional specialist assessment, including those undertaken by a specified health professional.
  4. Identify and refer when the client’s health is unstable to ensure the appropriate multi-disciplinary approach is applied.
  5. Identify and build on the client’s motivation to improve their functional capacity and set their own goals.

5. Do ongoing assessment and review. El 5/PC N,In

  1. Respond appropriately to informal monitoring of health and well being of all parties involved in the assessment processes.
  2. Do regular and systematic reviews to ensure assessed needs of clients are addressed effectively.
  3. Use regular reviews to re-prioritise client needs for service and to ensure equitable access based on ongoing appraisal of prioritised needs.
  4. Do a reassessment of the client’s needs
    1. as specified in the client’s plan or
    2. as required by personal circumstances e.g. changes in client or carer health.
  5. Keep communicating with all parties. Document and report processes throughout, according to organization protocols.

6. Other.

Generic requirements
  1. Manage tasks and contingencies on the job
  2. N/a. Follow Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards, and industry codes of practice.

 

Code for unit reqts:
CA: Conditions of assessment
El/PC: Element & criteria
RE: Required evidence
RK: Required knowledge
RS: Required skills

Code for Foundation skills:
L: Learning
Id: Identify beliefs & thinking
R: Reading
W: Writing
N: Numeracy
O: Oral communication
N: Navigate world of work
In: Interact with others
G: Get work done