Cathie Johanson
Mount Isa,QLD
Summary
A qualified Social worker since 2010 and a Master of Public Health degree since 2021. Wide scope of experience working in Mental Health and Aged Care and inpatients/outpatients and in the community. A member of the Australian Association of Social Work (AASW). Experience working in Leadership in previous Team Leader roles. Leadership in current role as a Senior Social worker at Mount Isa Hospital.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Social worker
Mt Isa Hospital
- Working as a Senior Social worker and managing two HP3 Social workers
- Completing support/Supervision for HP3’s
- Mentoring providing advice, assisting with professional development and leadership
- Completing shadowing and support for Social work students
- Completing support for Allied Health assistants through explain the Social work service and referral process.
- Managing referrals on PFM and allocation of Social work inpatients from ED, ICU, Surgical and Medical ward to HP3’s on am handovers
- Providing supervision/oversight during the day
- Recommencing the Social work Saturday on call service
- Attending Senior’s meetings including Operational and Strategic meetings
- Professional development within Social work.
- Permanent HP4 role
Locum Senior Social worker
Mt Isa Hospital
- Working as a Senior Social worker supporting new graduate Social workers
- Providing guidance, support, handovers and clinical advice and providing clinical supervision.
- Promoting goal directive practice within Social work context
- Proving mentorship and completing psychosocial assessments on the ward with patients.
- Completing referrals and collaborating with the MDT, Allied Health team
- Completing meetings
- Supporting SW graduates with completing their QI projects
- Overall providing support and direction in a Senior role to the new graduate Social workers
- Supporting students as needed, high school and Social work students.
Social Worker
Bayside Council
- Assist with client files and the transition for the Meals on Wheels service.
- Social worker completed home visits and updated client files and completed any referrals to My Aged Care and provided information and resources.
- Assisted as Volunteer for Bayside Council with the Youth art program and assisted with the Art display and showing of the art collection with the Art competition and community participation.
Compacks Case Manager
The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA) and Concord Hospital
01.2011
- Working as a case manager in the program, a six- week service for supporting people being discharged from the hospital for people requiring support including personal care, domestic assistance, meal preparation and social support/respite services.
- The role of the case manager includes the initial assessment of the patient in hospital by completing a psychosocial assessment.
- This assessment assesses the client's needs for when they arrive home, while creating a service care plan with the client
- This process also includes working within a multidisciplinary team with Physiotherapists, Occupational therapists, Speech therapists, Registrars and Social workers.
- Case management is also part of the role for the implementation of service provision which includes a referral to an agency on the tender and ensuring that the services are gender appropriate and culturally sound for inpatients.
- Referrals are made for longer-term support which include home care, ACAT assessments and Commonwealth Carer respite services.
- Working in a team environment the client is supported and their ongoing needs are communicated for the client to reach their individual goals.
Port Augusta Hospital and Whyalla Hospital
10.2024 - 08.2025
- Working with a team of Social workers PAH and Whyalla completing psychosocial assessments and completing referrals to service providers in the Port Augusta Community
- Working with inpatients at PAH and assisting service provision as required at Whyalla Hospital with inpatients with complex needs.
- Supporting inpatients with referrals for support for ACAT assessments, older clients with linking into My Aged Care and supporting inpatients with their existing NDIS packages.
- Supporting inpatients with completing family meetings and providing support for carers and linking them to appropriate services
- Assisting families with transition and change to due to deterioration of health conditions or the transition for inpatients into Residential Aged Care.
- Working within a multidisciplinary team MDT, Registrars, NUM, Discharge planner, Social work team and with Allied Health.
- Working in a culturally competent manner with PAH Aboriginal Liaison officer to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander inpatients at PAH
- Working Collaboratively to meet client objectives.
- Working with inpatients person-centred care and with a strengths-based perspective
- Completing mandatory training and completing any training opportunities suggested by Senior Social worker.
- Attending SCAT hearings and supporting inpatients
- Completing home visits for Outpatient referrals.
- Liaising with Senior Lead, Michael Leedle for supervision and support.
- Working within a team of Social workers and providing support to colleagues
- Providing clinical support and Leadership to Allied Health Assistance and other Social workers.
Permanent Full-Time Social worker
Robinvale District Health Services (RDHS)
07.2023 - 08.2024
- Completing psychosocial assessments with individuals and families
- Completing appointments at RDHS and home visits in the community
- Assisting migrant workers with support, accessing support for their Visa’s and with applying for Medicare
- Support for clients to have access to Migration lawyers, visiting Robinvale
- Assisting with wellbeing for support with counselling
- Made appropriate referrals for support such as the Orange Door for clients experiencing Domestic Violence
- Working with the MDT to support clients with meeting their goals, working with Ot, Physio, Nurses, NUM, Dieticians and GP.
- Referrals to GP’s at MVAC and the clinic and with the Royal Flying Doctors GP service
- Complex case management
- Assisting Meals on Wheels service in the country area
- Assisting clients with Centrelink applications including the Disability Support Pension, Aged Pension and Single parenting payments.
- Supporting clients to apply for the NDIS.
- Supporting clients with referral to My Aged Care and linking support with ACASS Assessments for clients needing support.
- Referrals for Carers with Merri Health for the Carer Gateway for support for services and counselling
- Working with MVAC and First Nations clients, with the support of the Aboriginal Liaison officer
- Assisting the Midwife with women requiring support for accessing Medicare and payment plans with Mildura Base Hospital.
- Advocacy through verbal and written support, such as Support letters.
- Access support for Housing through VIC Housing and with Haven Housing services.
- Supporting clients with transitioning to living on the land to housing.
Full time contractor - National Intake Helpline and Crisis Intervention
Defence Family Helpline (ADF)
02.2023 - 06.2023
- Providing Counselling, Crisis intervention services and general advice and assistance to Defence personnel and their families across all states of Australia
- Responsible for supporting clients across many different issues; predominantly, Mental Health, PRSD, DV, AOD, Child Protection, Grief and Loss Counselling and Family and Relationship breakdowns.
- Administering and delivering a large variety of assessments to assist in any situations and enquiries effectively and safely.
- Working collaboratively with a team of civilians and uniformed officers to provide a comprehensive and effective service to Defence personnel and their families.
- Utilizing and adhering to comprehensive reports and case note writing, vast IT and administration networks and Federal Government policies.
Social Worker
Alwyn Rehabilitation Hospital
08.2019 - 05.2023
- Working with patients that had orthopedic surgery and assist with completing Social worker assessments and referrals to ACAT for assessments in hospital/ or in the community for assisting with linking to services through My Aged Care
- Support patients, their carers and families with support and counselling.
- Working with both patients that are over the age of 65 and patients that are under 65 years with assist with linking into NDIS with assisting with applications or supporting the current NDIS plans.
- Attending weekly Case conferences with the Rehabilitation Specialist, registrar, the Clinical Director and the allied health team including Physiotherapy and Occupational therapy to discuss the client goals and progress for the discharge planning process.
- Assist with referrals and working on Quality improvement projects such as interviewing patient's follow up from discharge, also assist patients to link in with community transport to attend the Alwyn Rehabilitation Day program.
- Working as a Social worker during the COVID Pandemic and supporting patients with the services that were available and what they felt safest receiving.
- January 2021 was recognized by the Clinical Director and the team for an award of Excellence in the Social worker role at Alwyn Rehabilitation Hospital
- Additional assist as a DVA Liaison officer with DVA patients
- Support DVA patients with linking into services for discharge with Regal Health services, DVA home, DVA Physiotherapy and Occupational therapy and Convalescent Care
- Promote the DVA surveys for CEO.
Social Worker
Sydney Private Hospital
02.2022 - 07.2022
- Assisting with completing psychosocial assessments in the hospital for Aged care and working with both Public and Private Patients assisting both younger people and older people with NDIS and Aged Care to liaise with family members and carers and link to support services and packages for discharge including Compacks and TACP packages.
- Assisting workers compensation patients with linking to their rehabilitation providers insurance and supporting with linking to services
- Support patients with Guardianship and the Tribunal as required.
- Working within a multidisciplinary team working with Registrars, nurses, Physiotherapists, and occupational therapists and complete weekly case conferences.
Rapid Antigen Tester
First Choice Diagnostics
09.2021 - 03.2022
- Working for the First Choice Diagnostics (FCD) at the site Erskine Park completing the Rapid Antigen testing for the Woolworths group staff during the Covid pandemic, supporting the staff with completing the RAT tests and PCR tests as required
- During this time, completed Saturday Team leader role at Erskine Park and assisted and supported supervision of staff for the testing.
- Completed the role during the week/weekends and for the Public Holidays as required by the rostering team.
Social Worker/Discharge Planner
Metro Rehabilitation Hospital
01.2020 - 02.2021
- This role was to assist patients with linking to the ACAT team for assessment, working with the patient' carers and their families to assist with counselling and support during the discharge process.
- Attending weekly case conferences with the Rehabilitation Specialists and the team to discuss patients’ goals for discharge planning.
- Working with the Medical team and Allied Health with streamlining the discharge planning process
- Referrals made to the TACP program, Compacks program (when taking public patients), and other home care package providers and CHSP services.
- Ensuring that patients are being assessed by My Aged Care and in receipt of support services.
- Additional assisted DVA Liaison officer with DVA patients linking in with DVA Home care, DVA services for Regal Health services and Convalescent Care
Social Worker
Delmar Private Hospital
11.2018 - 06.2019
- Completing Social worker psychosocial assessments and working within a multi-disciplinary team to assist patients with linking to ACAT for assessment for respite/permanent care, packages including TACP program.
Support Coordinator in Mental Health Program/Role as Acting Team Leader
Benevolent Society - Partners in Recovery Program (PIR)
01.2015 - 01.2018
- Support Facilitator in the Partners in Recovery program (PIR) based at the Benevolent Society assisting people with severe and persistent mental health issues.
- Working with clients aged 25 years and above and providing support through assessment and linking into supports.
- Role working at the Benevolent Society with the PHN through attending interagency meetings and working with Neami National and Advanced Diversity services with the clients in the program.
- Providing support to up to 28 consumers and supporting through an Assessment and using the 1970's CANVAS tool and the health form to support identified needs.
- The Canadian Penelope system was used to gather the information/data for the case notes and for all the data collection for the monthly reporting.
- The consumers suffered from severe and persistent mental health which included mental health diagnosis of Schizophrenia, Complex OCD, PTSD, Borderline personality disorder and other psychosocial disabilities that impact on their daily function.
- The role was to complete a strengths-based approach to assisting the consumers with meeting their goals of daily living.
- Furthermore, in 201 the role assisted consumers with pre planning meetings to ensure that they could transition to the NDIS smoothly and to be confident to advocate for their psychosocial disability and needs moving forward.
- Assisted the team with support and supervision and debriefing and client allocations and performing Case reviews with the team and weekly team meetings.
Coordinator
Macarthur Respite Services
01.2013 - 01.2015
- Coordinator for Macarthur Respite Services which includes managing three programs including Broughton House respite service in Camden for Dementia clients, Rosemeadow groups for clients that have Dementia and Frail Aged groups as well as the Younger Onset Program for younger people with a diagnosis of dementia.
- In Coordinator role completing the rostering for staff, supervision and direction and support to staff.
- RN and Diversional Therapist working at Broughton House as colleagues and working with the AINS and support staff from various Nursing agencies and NSW Health staff.
- Completing morning handovers with the team for the plan for the day and monthly staff meetings
- Compliance was required by staff to read and adhere to the NSW Health policies.
Coordinator
Bankstown Hospital
08.2012 - 05.2013
- Transitional Aged Care Program (TACP) Bankstown in the role of Coordinator providing a comprehensive assessment of older people in hospital after they have received an ACAT assessment, for eligibility for TACP.
- The assessment includes completing a care plan which will include services such as personal care, domestic assistance, shopping, and transport to medical appointments as well as therapy including Physiotherapy and Occupational therapy assistance up to 12 weeks.
- TACP program is goal directed for clients to increase their strength and mobility and gain community access goals working towards delivering a therapeutic in-home support service which is based on client's needs/goals centred approach from a multidisciplinary framework, the team includes Physiotherapists, therapy aids, Occupational therapists, Social worker and Speech pathology.
- Document a comprehensive history of health issues, functional ability, carer support/social issues, medication in conjunction with GPs, ACAT assessors, carers and pre-existing community health or other health providers.
- Care Plans with therapeutic specific goals which are reviewed during the program, goals which are SMART, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timeframe specific.
- Ensuring that Brokerage services that are provided are CALD, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Specific to the client group on the program, patients that are 65 years and older and that have been admitted into hospital for medical issues including strokes, confusion, dementia, falls, cardiac issues, rehabilitation resulting from other medical interventions such as hip, knee replacements.
- Coordinate weekly case reviews for the clients in the program, completing the client notes in the NSW health database and ensuring the management of the NSW car log sheets.
Social Worker
Barnardos Intensive Family Support Service
02.2012 - 08.2012
- Social worker role working in child protection for Barnardos accommodation in Cranebrook
- The role was to assist mothers and their children with support for school, medical needs and supporting their health needs with accessing their local GP clinic.
- Reporting to FACS as required
- Family Support Program and then was promoted to the Intensive Family Support service.
- The Intensive Family Support Service as a Social worker to assist families with a 12-week program working away from FACS, to support families with becoming autonomous and keeping children safe.
- Completing the SCARF tool - Supporting Children and Responding to Families tool ensured that the goals for each child were met during the timeframe and reporting was completed and submitted to FACS about the progress of intervention.
- Role as Social worker to receive referrals to assist children and helping children with their support systems including schoolteachers, child counsellors and police to work toward keeping children safe.
- The clients in the Intensive Support program have concerns with Drug and Alcohol misuse, domestic violence, financial, legal and health implications.
- Assisted clients at the Barnardo's centre with financial concerns with contacting their electricity providers and assisting clients with EAPA vouchers for electricity and providing families with practical support, such as providing food parcels.
- Training during employment include: "Keep them Safe" Best Practice Series and Relationships Australia the 3 R's training - Recognize, Respond and Refer
Community Service's Worker
Sydney Legacy
01.2005 - 01.2009
- Conduct psychosocial assessments, provision of case management in terms of accessing information and making referrals for the women that were clients, war widows of Australian deceased veterans.
- Clients were in the Eastern Suburbs community and Legacy House is in Bondi Junction.
- Attended case meetings, and received training which included team building, Assertiveness skills and conflict resolution training, Grief and Bereavement Training and Disability Service Standards and Disability Services.
Case Manager
St Vincent De Paul Society - Marian Villa Women's Refuge Family Support Service
01.2004 - 01.2009
- Worked with women and children that were fleeing domestic violence and assisted with practical support for women whilst on shift.
Social work Placement
South Sydney Youth Service's
01.2010
- Student placement as a member of the Dual Diagnosis Team, under the supervision of Mardi Diles.
- This placement was a final student placement for the Social worker degree and provided the opportunity to gain professional skills to work with young people.
- Able to gain further insight into using critical reflection and applying theoretical perspectives in Social work practice.
- Worked on an arts program with Indigenous women, a domestic violence group.
- Assisted with interviewing women on the program and how we could improve the service as a QI project.
The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
01.2009
- The first placement for the Social Work degree was working for the Compacks program under the Supervision of Bruce Stafford.
- Completed psychosocial assessments under supervision.
- Conducted a study based on the feedback from clients on the overall service of the Compacks program, evaluation the program over two sites Camperdown and Concord
- Presenting the at the Aged Care Quality Forum 2009; was awarded as the first student to present a study at the forum.
The Riverwood Community Centre
01.2003
- Worked on placement with elderly clients on the shopping bus and assisted in the community centre with other programs.
- The placement was a TAFE placement for the Diploma of Community Services (Welfare)
The Wayside Chapel
01.2002
- Worked in a Cafe and the Counselling counter with clients that have drug/alcohol and mental health issues.
- Completed courses including a counselling course.
Education
Diploma - Psychology
UTS Online
01-2024
Master of Public Health - undefined
University of Sydney
01-2021
Bachelor - Social Work
University of Sydney
01-2010
Bachelor - Psychology
University of Sydney
01-2008
Higher School Certificate - undefined
Danuban an Anglican School for Girls
01-2000
Skills
- Strong written verbal and communication skills
- Working with a diverse range of people from different backgrounds
- Work well independently as well as being a team player
- Work well in a multidisciplinary team environment
- Leadership skills as a manager of a multidisciplinary team in Aged Carer and Mental Health
- Managing a team and professional development of staff members in Aged Care and Mental Health
- Good use of computer skills; Word Excel, Databases
- Conflict resolution skills
- Interviewing and assessment skills
- Working with students on placement and University students with assessments
- Ability to develop networks and strong relationships with stakeholders
- Good awareness of theoretical perspectives of practice
Italian beginners
Italian beginners
Timeline
Port Augusta Hospital and Whyalla Hospital
10.2024 - 08.2025
Permanent Full-Time Social worker
Robinvale District Health Services (RDHS)
07.2023 - 08.2024
Full time contractor - National Intake Helpline and Crisis Intervention
Defence Family Helpline (ADF)
02.2023 - 06.2023
Social Worker
Sydney Private Hospital
02.2022 - 07.2022
Rapid Antigen Tester
First Choice Diagnostics
09.2021 - 03.2022
Social Worker/Discharge Planner
Metro Rehabilitation Hospital
01.2020 - 02.2021
Social Worker
Alwyn Rehabilitation Hospital
08.2019 - 05.2023
Social Worker
Delmar Private Hospital
11.2018 - 06.2019
Support Coordinator in Mental Health Program/Role as Acting Team Leader
Benevolent Society - Partners in Recovery Program (PIR)
01.2015 - 01.2018
Coordinator
Macarthur Respite Services
01.2013 - 01.2015
Coordinator
Bankstown Hospital
08.2012 - 05.2013
Social Worker
Barnardos Intensive Family Support Service
02.2012 - 08.2012
Compacks Case Manager
The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA) and Concord Hospital
01.2011
Social work Placement
South Sydney Youth Service's
01.2010
The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
01.2009
Community Service's Worker
Sydney Legacy
01.2005 - 01.2009
Case Manager
St Vincent De Paul Society - Marian Villa Women's Refuge Family Support Service
01.2004 - 01.2009
The Riverwood Community Centre
01.2003
The Wayside Chapel
01.2002
Senior Social worker
Mt Isa Hospital
Locum Senior Social worker
Mt Isa Hospital
Social Worker
Bayside Council
Master of Public Health - undefined
University of Sydney
Bachelor - Social Work
University of Sydney
Bachelor - Psychology
University of Sydney
Higher School Certificate - undefined
Danuban an Anglican School for Girls
Diploma - Psychology
UTS Online