Understanding Complex Needs
Here we look at what complex needs are and highlight the benefits for services in becoming complex needs capable. Most services already work with clients with complex needs, but there is a high level of 'hidden' disability among people accessing services. Every person entering your service will have multiple needs, but it's the interaction of these multiple needs that leads to complexity. Each person with complex needs has a different pathway to their current circumstances as a result of their unique life experiences.
Practice Tips
There are a range of considerations and modifications that you can implement to better support clients with complex needs. Practice Tips describes strategies for working with clients in building rapport and engagement, care planning and case management, counselling, group work and making referrals. It talks about applying the principles of universal communication in your service and looks at the function of behaviours we may find challenging.
Screening and Assessment
This section gives you information on screening and assessment tools for cognitive impairment that your service can use and looks at a range of issues that may affect the screening and assessment of complex needs. These include considering the benefit of screening and assessment, cognitive screening questionnaires and tests, and how identifying indicators of cognitive impairment will help you plan and adapt your care and support services.
