Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to prepare for and conduct assessments of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) clients to determine eligibility, service requirements and referral needs. This includes knowledge of factors affecting assessment for a range of different client groups including different genders, youth, older people, mandated and voluntary clients, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

This unit applies to people involved in the assessment of clients with AOD issues using established organisation or jurisdictional AOD assessment tools.

The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

Unit Mapping Information

No equivalent unit.

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=5e0c25cc-3d9d-4b43-80d3-bd22cc4f1e53

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Performance Evidence

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be demonstrated evidence that the candidate has:

• assessed at least 2 clients in different settings, presenting with alcohol and/or other drug issues

• determining current status of the client in relation to:

• readiness for change
• levels of risk of:

• deliberate self-harm and/or harm to others
• behaviours which expose clients to blood borne disease
• other drug use in family

• physical, emotional, financial, legal and psychological state and immediate needs in these areas

• used communication skills, including:

• interpreting verbal and non-verbal communication
• establishing rapport with client
• managing conflict
• active listening
• negotiating

Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:

• legal and ethical considerations (international, national, state/territory, local) in AOD work, and how these are applied in organisations and individual practice:

• children in the workplace
• codes of conduct
• codes of practice
• discrimination
• dignity of risk
• duty of care
• human rights
• informed consent
• mandatory reporting
• practice standards
• privacy, confidentiality and disclosure, including limitations
• policy frameworks
• records management
• rights and responsibilities of workers, employers and clients
• specific AOD legislation
• work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations
• work health and safety

• requirements related to client registration, allocation and referral
• context for the provision of services - agency role, agency target group and the impacts on the local community
• risk assessment processes in relation to interventions for people with drug and/or alcohol and co-existing issues
• AOD assessment tools, including:

• types of tools
• purpose of tools
• components of different types of tools, and the information they include
• availability of standardised tools
• benefits of standardised tools
• how to select tools for different situations and client presentations

• client information required for assessment and the scope and depth of information needed around:

• client objectives and expectations
• client history and pattern of drug use
• client current state of health
• co-existing issues

• established processes and protocols for determining:

• level of dependence
• length of dependence
• health status

• common co-existing conditions and associated issues relating to assessment of people with drug and/or alcohol issues, including:

• physical
• sensory
• intellectual
• psychiatric

• factors for consideration when working with different types of clients:

• youths:

• stage of development
• parental involvement

• older people:

• use of different assessment tools – what they are and how they are used
• consideration of existing comorbidities
• interactions with other medications
• working collaboratively with aged care service providers and those providing home-based supports to older people
• awareness of issues related to the use of addictive prescription medications

• different gender communication styles
• mandated and voluntary clients:

• willingness to participate
• readiness for, and commitment to change

• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, including impacts of trauma
• culturally and linguistically diverse people
• issues related to voluntary versus forced migration

• considerations when working with clients at risk of self-harm, suicide or with mental health issues, including:

• suicidal or self-harming behaviour, ideation or intention
• risk assessment procedures
• safety planning and other management strategies
• links between predisposing factors for suicide, self-harm and other mental health issues
• legal and ethical obligations
• when and how to negotiate a no suicide contract with client

• professional responsibilities when presenting cases fall outside of practitioner’s current scope:

• when referral is appropriate or required
• information and advice sources

• how to apply pharmacological factors to the assessment process:

• types of drugs and how they are administered:

• alcohol
• cannabis
• tobacco
• illicit
• prescription
• other prevalent drugs
• current and emerging trends in drug types and their use

• classes of drugs:

• patterns and prevalence
• primary properties
• harms
• preventative/intervention strategies

• effects of drug use, including:

• signs and symptoms of use
• tolerance and dose levels
• stages and symptoms of withdrawal
• health issues relating to use:

• malnutrition
• blood borne diseases
• skin infestations
• effects of drug use on health, cognitive, social, emotional development and impact on others

• patterns of drug use, including:

• experimental
• recreational/social
• situational
• dependence

• consequences and effects of drug substitution/replacement
• poly drug use, common drug interactions and effects of prescribed drugs on the use of other drugs

Assessment Conditions

Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions. The following conditions must have been met for this unit:

• use of suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:

• standardised AOD screening and assessment tools
• organisation policies and procedures

• modelling of industry operating conditions, including:

• involvement of people with whom the candidate can interact
• scenarios that cater to a range of settings, including crisis situations

Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=5e0c25cc-3d9d-4b43-80d3-bd22cc4f1e53