Mental Health Clinician

Join headspace and be part of a passionate team, providing vital support to young people and making a real, positive impact on their wellbeing.

Classifications

• Healthcare & Medicine
• Mental Health
• Full-time

Key points

• Full-time Senior and Mental Health Clinician roles available
• Monday to Friday - no shift or weekend work!
• Join a highly experienced and skilled multidisciplinary team

Description

headspace Cairns is seeking a dedicated Senior Mental Health Clinician and Mental Health Clinician who are passionate about improving the health and wellbeing of young people. Both roles focus on Access and Care Coordination (ACCO), ensuring young people can access the right care and receive seamless, coordinated, and youth-friendly support.

Working alongside a team of healthcare professionals, you will engage with young people, conduct assessments, deliver brief evidence-based interventions and therapy, make referrals, and coordinate care. Your role is vital in identifying the most appropriate service pathways to deliver high-quality, accessible mental health support tailored to individual needs.
  
Senior Mental Health Clinician
As a senior clinician, you will bring 3–5 years of experience to the team, taking the lead in managing complex mental health cases, conducting comprehensive assessments, and delivering therapy and group work. You’ll oversee referrals and intake waitlists and play a key role in mentoring and supporting other clinicians. This position requires clinical leadership, advanced risk management skills, and experience coordinating moderate to complex cases.
This is a full-time role on an initial contract until 30 June 2027.
  
Mental Health Clinician
Ideal for early-career clinicians or recent graduates, this role focuses on building rapport with young people, respecting their mental health journey and understanding the broader systemic factors that impact their wellbeing. You’ll deliver care within a clinical model focused on brief interventions and single-session support. Working under the guidance of senior staff, you will build your clinical skills in a youth-centred, supportive environment.
This is a full-time, permanent role.
  
Who Are We Looking For?
We’re seeking compassionate, collaborative professionals who can connect with young people and work effectively with service providers to ensure seamless access to care. Essential skills include empathy, strong communication, cultural sensitivity, and a youth-focused approach.
  
Essential Requirements for both roles:

• Formal qualifications in Psychology, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, or Mental Health Nursing
• Current registration with AHPRA or AASW
• Current paid Blue Card (Social Workers only)
• Current Queensland Driver’s Licence
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team
• Proficiency in report writing and meeting program/client documentation standards
• Competence with Microsoft Office and ability to learn clinical software systems

Essential Requirements for Mental Health Clinician:
Experience or ability to quickly gain competence in:

• Mental health assessments (e.g., MSEs), crisis intervention, treatment planning, therapeutic and social recovery interventions
• Risk assessment, including risks to self or others
• Youth mental health services, family engagement, and evidence-based interventions
• Understanding of clinical practice and evidence-based care in youth settings
• Strong communication, interpersonal, and advocacy skills

Essential Requirements for Senior Mental Health Clinician:

• Demonstrated experience in mental health, including risk assessment
• Strong demonstrated working knowledge of the provision of mental health services to young people, and their families, including knowledge of contemporary evidence-based therapeutic interventions for young people.
• Exceptional communication (including written) and interpersonal skills, and the ability to engage with young people, advocate on their behalf and establish and maintain effective relationships with staff, clients, carers and stakeholders.
• Ability to work collaboratively and proactively with a wide range of service providers to develop and maintain positive and productive partnerships
• Ability to mentor, train, and support other professionals

  
About headspace Cairns
headspace Cairns is a welcoming, safe space for young people aged 12–25. We provide support for a wide range of concerns, including mental health, physical and sexual health, drug and alcohol use, education and employment, and support for families and carers. Operating under RFDS (Queensland) Services Limited, we’ve been positively impacting the lives of young Australians since 2006.
  
What We Offer

• Be part of a highly skilled professional team committed to best practice
• Competitive salary package (aligned with experience) + superannuation
• Access to generous not-for-profit tax benefits (up to $18,550)
• Ongoing professional development, including leadership programs
• Strong wellbeing focus – including a Social and Wellbeing Committee and Employee Assistance Program
• A diverse and inclusive workplace, backed by our Reconciliation Action Plan
• Private health insurance discounts and novated leasing options
• Access to our newly launched Fitness Passport (for staff and family members)!

  
Interested?
Apply now! These roles close on 27 June 2025, but shortlisting will begin before this date.
For more information, contact: Helen Isenhour, Manager – headspace Cairns at hisenhour@headspacecairns.org.au.

If you would like a copy of the PD  recruitment@rfdsqld.com.au
  
Note: Successful candidates will be subject to a Police Check and may be required to undergo a medical assessment. Immunisation requirements under the RFDS and headspace programs also apply (evidence of immunity or vaccination against Vaccine-Preventable Diseases will be required).
  
headspace and the Royal Flying Doctor Service acknowledge the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the Traditional Custodians of the land. The RFDS and headspace are committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination in the provision of healthcare. We embrace diversity and welcome all people irrespective of faith, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity.