headspace Upkilling initiative

Organisation / Service

headspace

headspace National are embedding the InsideOut Institute programs and eTherapies into clinical practice in centres and online. headspace staff are undergoing training in screening, identification, and early intervention to be able to deliver brief BEeT programs once the integration of the eClinic has commenced in headspace centres.

National Strategy Standards and Actions

Identification

Standard 2: Professionals at key entry or referral points (e.g., GPs, emergency department staff, school counsellors, mental health professionals, dietitians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners, Alcohol and Other Drug workers, staff in sporting/performance organisations) can recognise eating disorder warning signs and symptoms and provide or support access to an initial response.

Action 2.1 Health and mental health services to ensure staff are trained to identify eating disorders and have access to up-to-date local/regional and online treatment and support options.

Action 2.2 Eating disorder service development and lived experience organisations to disseminate accessible online/face-to-face training, and evidence-based screening tools to support
health and mental health professionals in identification.

Initial Response

Standard 1: Mental health professionals at key entry or referral points can conduct an initial eating disorder assessment including psychiatric risk, make a preliminary diagnosis, provide
psychoeducation, refer the person to the appropriate level of treatment and supports, and continue to engage the person and family/supports throughout any waiting time for treatment.

Action 1.1: Training providers to ensure that mental health professionals are trained to conduct an initial eating disorder assessment including psychiatric risk, make a preliminary diagnosis, provide psychoeducation, refer the person to the appropriate level of treatment, and continue to engage the person and family/supports throughout any waiting time for treatment.

1.2 Mental health services to ensure staff are trained to provide an initial response according to their scope of practice and clinical role.

Treatment (community-based)

Standard 1: Community-based public mental health services (including child and adolescent/youth mental health services, adult mental health services, headspace, Head to Health, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services) provide evidence-based treatment ranging from guided self-help and brief interventions, to longer courses of treatment as clinically indicated, for binge-eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, OSFED (excluding atypical anorexia nervosa), UFED, and sub-threshold eating disorders, and provide or refer to treatment for anorexia nervosa, atypical anorexia nervosa, ARFID, pica, and rumination disorder.

Action 1.2: All community-based mental health services (including child and adolescent/youth mental health services, adult mental health services, headspace, Head to Health) to ensure sufficient staff are trained and supported to provide evidence-based treatment for binge-eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, OSFED (excluding atypical anorexia nervosa), UFED, and sub-threshold eating disorders, and to provide or refer to treatment for anorexia nervosa, atypical anorexia nervosa, ARFID, pica, and rumination disorder.

1.3 Mental health services to ensure that, at a minimum, staff providing treatment for eating disorders have completed introductory training, are trained in an evidence-based treatment
model appropriate to the age group/s they are treating, and have access to ongoing supervision and organisational support.

Standard 2: Treatment services routinely offer or refer to early and brief community interventions for people with binge-eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, OSFED (excluding atypical anorexia nervosa), UFED, and sub-threshold eating disorders where clinically indicated.

Action 2.1: Treatment providers to be trained and supported to provide early and/or brief interventions for people with binge-eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, OSFED (excluding atypical anorexia nervosa), UFED, and sub-threshold eating disorders where clinically indicated.

2.2 Services providing eating disorder treatment to ensure staff have capacity to offer, or refer to, early and brief interventions (online or face-to-face) such as single session interventions, guided self-help or other brief manualised interventions where clinically indicated.