Referring individuals linked to the National Redress Scheme to a social worker 003-18061830

A referral to a social worker can be initiated by a staff member, DSS Redress Officer or by the individual presenting in an acute crisis related to risk of harm to them self, or harm to others.

Is the individual in acute crisis related to risk of harm?

• Yes,

go to Step 2

go to Step 3

• No, refer person to the National Redress Scheme or National Redress Scheme support service. The Resources page has a link to the National Redress Scheme website.
  Procedure ends here

Tell the individual that their call is being transferred to a Services Australia social worker who may seek personal information about their circumstances. This is to enable the social worker to appropriately record the interaction and provide the most suitable support. If the individual does not want to provide personal information, a referral can still be made.

To refer the individual to a social worker:

• Implement a malicious call trace (MCH). For more details see Table 4 in Customer aggression - Response. See the Resources page for a link to the Services Australia Workspace intranet page. Individuals experiencing suicidal distress are not acting maliciously, activating the MCH function can assist in efforts to ensure the individual’s safety
• Warm transfer the individual using the Social Work Line for Redress phone number. Note: do not use the Social Work Line number
• If the individual ends the call or declines a social work referral, consult with a social worker using the Social Work Line for Redress phone number, who will help determine next steps and if appropriate attempt to re-contact the individual

Has the individual been connected with a social worker?

• Yes,
• tell the social worker the MCH has been activated
• see Table 6 Incident reporting and staff support after a difficult situation in the Customers talking about suicide or self-harm
• do not update or create a Centrelink record if the individual has not provided consent. Social workers should refer to Social Work role with individuals linked to the National Redress Scheme and recording in SWIS for documentation guidance
• procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 4

Following local guidelines, contact the service centre social worker. If they are unavailable transfer the individual to the Social Work Line for Redress phone number:

• Ask the individual if they would like to move to a private area to enable them to speak privately by telephone with the social worker
• Tell the individual the social worker may seek personal information about their circumstances. This is to enable the social worker to record the interaction and provide the most suitable support. If the individual does not want to provide personal information, a referral can still be made
• Warm transfer the individual to a social worker using the Social Work Line for Redress phone number. Note: do not use the Social Work Line number
• If the individual ends the call or declines a social work referral, consult with a social worker using the Social Work Line for Redress phone number, who will help determine next steps and if appropriate attempt to re-contact the individual

Has the individual been connected with a social worker?

• Yes,
• see Table 6 Incident reporting and staff support after a difficult situation in the Customers talking about suicide or self-harm
• do not update or create a Centrelink record if the individual has not provided consent. Social workers should refer to Social Work role with individuals linked to the National Redress Scheme and recording in SWIS for documentation guidance
• procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 4

If the individual is at immediate risk, consider transferring to Triple Zero (000)

If the individual has remained in the service centre or on the call, ask them for consent to contact police or ambulance using Triple Zero (000).

Does the individual consent?

• Yes, ask them for their location and phone number
• Transfer the call to police or ambulance, give the individual’s location and phone number
• Go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 5

Notify a Team Leader/Manager of any critical incident involving suicide or self-harm. Contact a Team Leader or Manager immediately to consider a release of information if:

• the individual ends the interaction before they can be transferred to a social worker, and a social worker is unable to reach the individual via outbound contact, or
• a consult with a social worker results in the social worker advising the Service Officer to notify and discuss next steps with a Team Leader, or
• a social worker is unavailable and the individual declines a referral to police or ambulance (or withholds consent to release their location and phone number)
• go to Step 6

Team Leaders and Managers:

See the Table 7 Releasing information in the public interest in Customers talking about suicide or self-harm.

Note: delegates must record any release of information in the public interest for individuals who contact about, or are referred from, the National Redress Scheme in the Release of Information for non-Centrelink customers form.

See Table 6 Incident reporting and staff support after a difficult situation in the Customers talking about suicide or self-harm.

Note: for individuals who contact about, or are referred from, the National Redress Scheme do not update or create a Centrelink record if they have not provided consent. Social workers should refer to Social Work role with individuals linked to the National Redress Scheme and recording in SWIS for documentation guidance.

Procedure ends here.