Before applying for Mental Health Endorsement note the following:

• Please read the Mental Health Endorsement Application Guide and Mental Health Endorsement Application Form carefully and follow instructions accordingly.
• Applications will only be assessed using the Mental Health Endorsement Application Form.
• All applicants must submit a Statutory Declaration for Mental Health Endorsement along with their application. Be mindful that you are applying as an individual. Your application needs to be a true and accurate reflection of your individual skills and experience.
• Applicants must also supply an up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV) along with their application form.

You can download the Application Form, Statutory Declaration and Application Guide from the Attachments section at the bottom of this page.

Watch this video for more information on the endorsement application process.

The following section also provides greater insight into the application process by answering these questions:

• Why do I need to provide a written application?
• What do the panel members look for in a written application?
• What is the intention behind the application process?
• What are the obligations of the endorsement panel?
• Can you provide examples of written applications?
• How long should I expect before I learn the outcome of my endorsement application?

Why do I need to provide a written application?

A written application to ensure specific checks and balances for a ‘suitably qualified and experienced allied health professional’ is required to be eligible for the initiative.

To provide a fair, equitable and transparent process, OTA developed, tested, and refined the endorsement process in collaboration with OTA members. The process enables all parties to demonstrate mental health skills for wider auditing and professional standards with external health organisations. Importantly, while the Occupational Therapy Australia Mental Health Endorsement is a separate process, it is aligned with government and other funders of health services requirements. It is also a transparent process for members to reflect on their practice while holding to internal checks and balances. The written application also forms an important record as part of the application process.

What do the panel members look for in a written application?

In written applications, address the questions clearly by demonstrating your awareness, knowledge base and practical experience in mental health. For instance, in the key capability about mental health legislation, it would be important to highlight specific awareness of relevant mental health legislation for your state, area of practice, and nationally. You may then wish to link this awareness to your experience of this in the workplace, with clear connections to what this means for the clients you see and/or how this might help in your practice. It is important to identify areas of limited skill or experience connecting this to further learning goals. Specifically, the following helps the panel abide by its governance requirements:

1. Orientation to the capability is brief
2. A link to clinical knowledge base, clinical reasoning and/or clinical practice is clearly explained 
3. A clear example of the depth of mental health skill through a de-identified clinical example with a primary mental health concern to show how you do this in a session (day-to-day practice)

Essentially, the application requires both knowledge of a mental health capability (what you know) and evidence of how you apply it in practice (what you do in a session).

What is the intention behind the application process?

While all occupational therapists graduate with foundational skills to practice in mental health, the OTA mental health endorsement acknowledges recognised skill development in mental health to provide therapy for complex mental health needs. The OTA endorsement application process is rigorous with the intention being to protect the occupational therapist, the profession and individuals who may access mental health occupational therapy.

OTA wishes to highlight that having a mental health endorsement involves a level of clinical and professional risk which the occupational therapist must be able to undertake, balance and demonstrate. The emphasis in applications is in demonstrating clinical practice skills, rationale, and processes to show an applicant’s experience in mental health.

What are the obligations of the endorsement panel?

The endorsement panel are responsible for understanding and clarifying the applicant’s capacity to undertake the scope of mental health practice, and management of mental health clinical risks in accordance with governing bodies.

The panel has a responsibility to question an applicant’s adherence to safe, effective, and reflective clinical practice.

The panel can only make judgements based on the information included within the written application.

Can you provide examples of written applications?

The following examples are broad outlines which demonstrate the application of clinical experience to the mental health capabilities. We are grateful for these examples which have been kindly provided by several applicants. As demonstrated, the applicants have focused on providing clinical context and application in the capability questions.

Stimulus Question: Mental health frameworks and system
The occupational therapist understands the local and national mental health system, including relevant mental health, psychosocial disability, and child protection frameworks, and how to support clients to navigate and access appropriate mental health supports.

Example response from an OT Application
In my current work funding comes from various state and federal agencies, and the service I work for operates within a [Specific State] Mental Health Service System and incorporates four clinical streams [streams identified, and clinical stream applicant works within described]. The National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce (2013) identify the core knowledge, skills, and attitudes that all mental health clinicians should acquire within two years of commencing in mental health services. The [state] Strategy for Safety and Quality in Public Mental Health Services 2004–2008 provides a framework and plan for developing a safe, high quality, public mental health system. The Industry Occupational Health and Safety Interim Standards for Preventing and Managing Occupational Violence and Aggression in [state] Mental Health Services 2004 provides further guidance in this area. [State] Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 states the laws relating to the treatment of people living with mental illness or experiencing psychological distress.

The service I work in is not a crisis service, however at times young people and families reach out to us who are in crisis. In my role as a clinician, there are times when I need to refer to different organisations within the Mental Health service system as well as to Child Protection Services. I have made referrals to the following tier three services: [services named]. I have made referrals to other tier two organisations including: [services named].

De-identified example provided which included the child/adolescent behaviours of concern, how this presented at home and what was observed in the clinical setting. Details were described about the family make-up, safety and protective concerns, protective factors to help demonstrate the clinical rationale around decision-making. The applicant described the plan undertaken including personal safety planning with the client, the consent and contracting process, and the referral procedure. The applicant described the ongoing clinical intervention provided to the client and how this was balanced with the risk factors.

Stimulus Question: Activity scheduling
The occupational therapist understands how to use activity scheduling as an evidence-based means of supporting recovery and participation in activities of daily living.

Example response from an OT Application
For clients at my service, activity scheduling is vital to their recovery and participation in daily activities. I find this is best completed collaboratively, with motivational interviewing incorporated into the planning if there is some resistance. The purpose of activity scheduling is to identify meaningful and purposeful activities and incorporate these into a structured and organised schedule of routines and tasks. Activity scheduling can be effective in shifting mood states, establishing a sense of predictability and safety, regaining independence and self-agency, improving time management skills, and increasing engagement in activities that are important to the client like employment, studies, and socialising.

Activity scheduling in mental health is often utilised as part of behavioural activation in cognitive therapies and can support a client’s insight and initial understanding of the link between their behaviours, thoughts, and emotions. This is vital in the mental health recovery process.

In my work, I have utilised detailed activity scheduling with a young client with a mood disorder complicated by personality vulnerabilities and a diagnosis of ASD. My client used visual tools such as a calendar, a picture chart, as well as apps on phone for list making, scheduling and reminders. These tools supported my client to establish a regular routine of activities which improved my client’s general hygiene, productivity, occupational engagement, and mood.

Stimulus Question – Paediatric, Child and Adolescent Practice
Knowledge of developmental stages. The occupational therapist understands child and adolescent developmental stages and how these may impact assessment and intervention.

Example response from an OT Application
I am confident with integrating my knowledge of social-emotional development in my practice as a mental health OT. I am aware of how diagnoses such as trauma, depression and anxiety may present differently depending on the age of the child. I provide developmental guidance to parents regarding expected behaviours for various stages of development and ways to support the child at each stage. I am aware of how development occurs within in the context of parent -child relationships. When teaching a new skill, my focus is on cultivating an attitude of partnership between the parent and child. My practice is guided by the DIR floortime functional emotional levels. This framework stresses the child’s ability to remain calm and regulated, relate on an emotional level, and read and respond to non-verbal cues, as a foundation for all other development. I am aware of the developmental progression that occurs in order for children to eventually self-regulate their emotions: gradually transitioning from acting out their feelings, to describing what their body is feeling, to describing their feelings in words, to engaging in emotional thinking (making links between ideas and feelings, and actions and their consequences).

The applicant then provided clear practice examples in the application around the integration of paediatric and mental health lens.

Stimulus Question - Working with parents, families, carers and informal supports
The occupational therapist understands how to work with parents, families, carers and informal supports and understands the importance of considering the needs, capacity, and wellbeing of those in caring roles. Provide examples of how you may work with different stakeholders to facilitate care coordination/case management. This may help with both adult and children roles.

Example response from an OT Application

Clinical Experience and Reasoning:

• Engaging with Families and Carers:

  • Experience: I regularly engage with the families and carers of clients, ensuring they are actively involved in the treatment process. For instance, I conducted family meetings to discuss intervention strategies and support needs for clients. This involved educating families about their loved ones' mental health conditions and providing strategies to support their wellbeing and participation in therapy.

  • Clinical Reasoning: Engaging families and carers is crucial for ensuring that interventions are effective and that clients receive consistent support both within and outside of therapy sessions. By involving families in the treatment process, I help them understand the client's needs and provide them with tools to support their loved one’s progress, thereby enhancing overall treatment outcomes.

• Addressing Additional Complexities in Caring Roles:

  • Experience: I worked with families of adolescents who had severe mental health conditions, some of whom faced additional challenges such as financial strain or housing instability. I provided tailored support to these families, including connecting them with community resources and coordinating with social services to address these complexities.

  • Clinical Reasoning: Recognizing and addressing additional complexities in caring roles is essential for providing holistic support to clients. By identifying and mitigating external factors that impact the caring role, I ensure that families can effectively support their loved ones and that clients receive comprehensive care. This approach improves the stability and effectiveness of the treatment plan.

• Supporting Parents and Families in Children’s Cases:

  • Experience: In my role at Acute Care Mental Health, I worked closely with parents and carers of children and adolescents presenting with acute mental health issues. I facilitated family therapy sessions to address communication issues and provided guidance on managing their child’s symptoms and behaviour at home.

  • Clinical Reasoning: Working with parents and families in children’s cases involves addressing the specific challenges and dynamics of the family unit. By providing support and education to parents, I help them develop strategies to manage their child’s mental health condition effectively, which supports the child's overall recovery and enhances family functioning.

• Examples of Clinical Practice:

  • Deidentified Clinical Example: I coordinated with the family of a client with severe ADHD and learning difficulties. I facilitated a family workshop to provide strategies for managing ADHD symptoms at home and school. This included developing a home routine that supported the client’s therapeutic goals, which significantly improved the client’s focus and behaviour at home and school.

  • Deidentified Clinical Example: In my current practice, I supported the family of an adolescent with a severe mood disorder and co-occurring substance use issues. I organized regular meetings with the family to discuss treatment progress and challenges and connected them with community support services to address issues such as financial strain and substance use. Alongside my individual therapeutic intervention, this systemic approach helped stabilize the adolescent’s condition and improved family dynamics.

How long should I expect before I learn the outcome of my endorsement application?

In general, the processing time for applications is approximately 5 to10 weeks, depending on the number being received. Applications are submitted to a panel for assessment and, following this, applicants are then advised of the outcome (successful/not successful), or if further information/clarification may be requested.

If you need more information or are experiencing difficulties in completing your application, please contact our team via info@otaus.com.au.