Closed ATM View - PRN2023-741
Panel of Outreach Program Counsellors for the Open Arms Outreach Program
Open Arms is a leading provider of military-aware and trauma-informed mental health and counselling services to Australia’s military community. Open Arms provides mental health counselling, relationship counselling, peer support services and group programs for people with Australian Defence Force (ADF) service (current and former serving members) and their immediate families. Anyone who has served at least one day in the ADF and their immediate family are eligible for Open Arms services.
Open Arms provides free and confidential counselling through a national network of multidisciplinary mental health professionals, both in dedicated Open Arms centres across the country and by outreach partnerships with private psychologists and social workers.
Open Arms can provide counselling, care coordination and peer support services to veterans and their families within an episode of care model, where clients engage with our services for goal directed interventions for a defined period.
As a provider of mental health services dedicated to Australia’s military community, Open Arms focus is on the unique nature of military service and its impact on families and applies recovery principles and an holistic and evidence based approach to care. This includes specialised care coordination and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment services.
Although not a provider of medical or psychiatric services, Open Arms works closely with providers of these services to support our clients. Open Arms aims to provide timely access to appropriate services and care, based on a comprehensive holistic assessment and integrated care pathways to meet client needs and support recovery. This includes working in partnership with health systems, including primary health, as well as other community agencies to ensure comprehensive support for our clients.
Open Arms previously engaged outreach program counsellors (OPCs) under the statutory registration process, but are now establishing a panel arrangement under which OPCs will provide Open Arms services to clients. The Panel will allow Open Arms to engage with OPCs to ensure the highest level of support can be delivered to clients.
Services that will be delivered through the Outreach Program Counsellor Panel include:
- Counselling: trauma-informed and military aware counselling and treatment to individuals, couples and families.
- Group facilitation: treatment groups that provide opportunities for veterans and their families to share their experiences and develop life skills and resilience, while receiving treatment in a supportive environment.
- Clinical Supervision: deliver supervision to centre-based Open Arms clinicians and agree supervision and professional development needs in consultation with the supervisee and their Open Arms manager.
There will be two industry briefings scheduled for 30 November and 7 December 2023 held online (times and registration details to be confirmed), which will provide opportunities for tenderers to ask questions. There is no requirement to attend both industry briefings as both will have the same content. They will also be recorded and available for viewing after 7 December 2023 should you not be available to attend at the scheduled times. Attendance at the industry briefings are not mandatory.
The Request For Tender will require Respondents to obtain and submit with their response the required Statement of Tax Record in compliance with the Shadow Economy Procurement-Connected Policy. Potential Respondents should consider obtaining the relevant Statement(s) of Tax Record from the Australian Taxation Office in advance (see https://www.ato.gov.au/Business/Bus/Statement-of-tax-record/
If You are an Individual, You must hold one of the following qualifications:
- full and unconditional registration as a psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA); or
- accreditation as an accredited mental health social worker with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
If You are not an individual, You must ensure that at least one of Your nominated psychologists or accredited mental health social workers holds one of the following qualifications:
- full and unconditional registration as a psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA); or
- accreditation as an accredited mental health social worker with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
You must:
- hold a Valid and Satisfactory Statement of Tax Record by Closing Time; or
- have a receipt demonstrating that a Statement of Tax Record has been requested from the Australian Taxation Office by the Closing Time, and hold a Valid and Satisfactory Statement of Tax Record no late than four (4) business days from the Closing Time.
Initial term commences from 29 April 2024 and expires 30 June 2027. There are two (2) further optional one (1) year extensions, to be enacted at the sole discretion of DVA.