ANZAED Eating Disorder Credential

for Mental Health Professionals

 

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The Credential provides formal recognition of a mental health professional's qualifications, knowledge, training, and professional development activities needed to meet minimum standards for the delivery of safe and effective eating disorders treatment. The Credential is not a measure of competence.

The criteria for the Credential are aligned with the NEDC Workforce Core Competencies and the ANZAED Clinical Practice and Training Standards. These prescribe the minimum knowledge, practical skills and experience required for dietitians to successfully respond to and treat people living with an eating disorder. They also inform the content of professional development and training. It is recommended that all mental health professionals providing eating disorder treatment are familiar with these documents. 

Who is eligible for the Credential? 

Mental health professionals providing treatment for people with eating disorders that have the required experience, training, and professional development activities, and work and reside in Australia, are eligible for the Credential.

The professions included under the term ‘mental health professionals' are:

  • Counsellors
  • General practitioners (as providers of Focused Psychological Strategies)
  • Mental health nurses
  • Nurse practitioners
  • Occupational therapists
  • Psychiatrists
  • Psychologists
  • Psychotherapists
  • Social workers
  • Career Medical Officers in Psychiatry

Other information

General practitioners and psychiatrists:
The Credential for mental health professionals does not include the role of general practitioners and psychiatrists as medical practitioners, in management of medications, or in the review of eating disorder management plans. GPs and psychiatrists are eligible for the Credential under ‘Mental Health Professional’ if their role includes provision of psychological therapy.

General practitioners are required to be a registered provider of Focused Psychological Strategies (FPS) to be eligible for the Credential as a mental health professional. GPs who are registered providers of Focused Psychological Strategies and are awarded the Credential as a Mental Health Professional will also automatically be awarded the GP Credential for recognition of their knowledge and skills in early intervention. 

For GPs who wish to become credentialed and are not providers of FPS you can learn more here. 

Career Medical Officer in Psychiatry:
The Credential is only available to Career Medical Officers in Psychiatry through the ‘Other Service Provider’ pathway. Employment evidence will need to be provided.

 

What are the criteria to be credentialed?

The Credential is available to fully qualified mental health professionals who work and reside in Australia and meet the following criteria:
Clinical Experience: Two years’ mental health clinical practice
Introductory Training (in an NEDC approved course): Introduction to Eating Disorders for Health Professionals training
Treatment Provision Training (in an NEDC approved course): Evidence-based treatment model for eating disorders training

Clinical Experience 
Mental health professionals need to have completed two years’ mental health clinical practice, equating to a minimum of 300 hours per year of direct client work across at least two years. The two years' clinical practice can be completed at a pro-rata equivalent over a period of two to five years. The clinical mental health experience does not need to be in the area of eating disorders.
Mental health professionals should demonstrate post-undergraduate qualification clinical practice and consolidation of skills. This includes (but is not limited to): 
  • coordination of services, 
  • establishing a positive therapeutic alliance, 
  • professional responsibility, 
  • knowledge of levels of care, 
  • mental health assessment, 
  • mental health diagnosis, 
  • mental health intervention, 
  • managing risk, and 
  • monitoring and evaluation. 
When, how, and where could this experience occur?
The two years' clinical mental health practice can occur across a range of learning and practice settings and may be dependent upon the profession in which you practice. Practice setting examples include:
  • Clinical mental health practice within your workplace (e.g. private practice or public community mental health service)
  • Clinical mental health practice as a component of your post-graduate studies (e.g. masters or doctorate equivalent within your profession)
  • Clinical mental health practice as a component of your profession-specific specialist endorsement (e.g. mental health credential or area of practice endorsement)
  • Clinical mental health practice as a requirement for registration or membership with your professional organisation (e.g. professional body requirement for post-degree client contact and supervision over a specified period)
Your written summary
Applicants must provide a written summary of two years' of clinical practice experience. This summary should provide details of your knowledge and skill development as a mental health professional. This clinical practice experience does not need to be specific to eating disorders but may have been developed in the context of provision of eating disorder treatment.
Your written summary should be no longer than 400 words, and should include details such as the location, workplace, clinical work undertaken, years completed and duration of your clinical experience. Make sure you clearly explain how you have gained your clinical experience over at least two years.
You may consider including the following information in your summary:
  • The mental health/health setting in which you practised (e.g. private practice, community mental health, private hospital)
  • The team or department that you worked within (e.g. triage, mental health team, inpatient unit, private practice)
  • Role that you held within the mental health/health setting (e.g. case manager, treating practitioner, triage)
  • Tasks that were part of the role (e.g. assessment, diagnosis, formulation, treatment provision, referrals, multidisciplinary teamwork, risk management)
  • Presentations and diagnoses that you worked with (e.g. mood disorders, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, eating disorders, psychotic disorders, developmental disorders)
  • Treatment models that you utilised (e.g. CBT, DBT)
   
Introductory Training
Mental health professionals are required to complete an Introduction to Eating Disorders for Health Professionals training. This training helps clinicians to develop a breadth of knowledge and understanding about eating disorders, before undertaking training in an evidence-based approach to treatment.
All eligible Introduction to Eating Disorders training can be found listed on the National Eating Disorder Collaboration’s (NEDC) website as NEDC approved training. Within the application process, you will be required to provide evidence of your NEDC approved Introduction to Eating Disorders training.
The approved trainings cover the following areas outlined in the NEDC Core Competencies and the ANZAED Eating Disorder Treatment Principles and Clinical Practice and Training Standards:
  • Knowledge of the clinical features of eating disorders, including the current diagnostic criteria for eating disorders
  • Knowledge of risk factors that contribute to the development of disordered eating and eating disorders, including populations at high risk of developing an eating disorder
  • Awareness of physical issues and physical and medical risks related to eating disorders
  • Awareness of common co-occurring physical and mental health conditions
  • Ability to identify warning signs of eating disorders and disordered eating and conduct initial screening
  • Ability to conduct a comprehensive assessment and make an eating disorder diagnosis
  • Ability to engage the person experiencing an eating disorder and their family and supports in a non-judgemental and empathic manner
  • Knowledge of services and systems and ability to coordinate multi-disciplinary care across the stepped system of care for eating disorders
  • Understanding the importance of a multi-disciplinary care approach to eating disorders, and ability to set up a care team consistent with the treatment model being delivered and the needs of the person
  • Ability to support the person and their family and supports to facilitate recovery
  • Knowledge of evidence-based treatment and clinical practice guidelines for the safe and effective treatment of eating disorders
 
Treatment Provision Training
Mental health professionals must be trained in at least one evidence-based treatment model for eating disorders.
All eligible evidence-based treatment model training can be found listed on the National Eating Disorder Collaboration’s (NEDC) website as NEDC approved training. Within the application process, you will be required to provide evidence of your NEDC approved training in at least one evidence-based treatment for eating disorders. You can provide evidence of completion of multiple trainings if you wish.
The treatment models which are included within the scope of the Credential are:
  • Family Based Treatment (FBT), also known as Family Based Therapy for Anorexia, or Maudsley Family Therapy
  • Enhanced Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT-E)
  • Cognitive Behaviour Therapy – Guided Self Help (CBT-GSH)
  • Specialist Supportive Clinical Management (SSCM) Maudsley model of Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults (MANTRA)
  • Adolescent-Focused Therapy (AFT)
  • Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Eating Disorders (IPT-ED)
  • Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Eating Disorders (DBT-ED)
  • Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa (CBT-AN)
  • Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Bulimia Nervosa (CBT-BN)
  • Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Binge Eating Disorder (CBT-BED)
  • Focal Psychodynamic Therapy for Eating Disorders
Being trained in an evidence-based treatment model does not equip you with all of the knowledge and skill to be able to deliver the treatment model. Training should sit within a professional development portfolio including reflective practice, supervision, and peer and professional support.

 

Ongoing professional development requirements

Supervision: 6 hours per year of supervision relevant to eating disorders (at least 3 hours in 1:1 format)
Continuing professional development (CPD): 15 hours per year of CPD relevant to eating disorders 

Supervision

As an ongoing requirement of the Credential, all clinicians must complete a minimum of 6 hours of supervision relevant to eating disorders per year, including at least 3 hours in an individual (1:1) format.

What is Supervision?
Supervision is a collaborative process allowing consultation and professional connection between you and your supervisor – an experienced eating disorder treatment provider – about your clinical practice, supporting your learning and skill development. Regular and ongoing supervision throughout your career is a crucial component of professional practice. It can enhance your clinical work and help you to provide safe and effective care for your clients. The focus and structure of the supervision relevant to eating disorders should be appropriate for your own learning needs and provide a safe space for reflective practice and exploration of your knowledge and skill development in eating disorder treatment.

Planning your supervision
It is important to consider where you are in your professional and clinical career in the area of eating disorder treatment and plan your annual supervision around your individual needs. 

For example, a supervision plan for an early career clinician who has just completed training in an evidence-based treatment model might focus on skill consolidation in this model, including core skills and possible challenges faced when implementing the model. Whereas more advanced clinicians might benefit from deeper exploration of micro-skills, severe and complex client presentations, and/or drawing on various therapeutic models in treatment provision. Wherever you are at in your professional journey, it is important that you access the appropriate supervision (i.e., individual and/or group) that supports you to provide safe and effective treatment for your clients.

What do I need to do?
You are required to complete at least 6 hours of supervision relevant to eating disorders each year you hold the Credential. At least 3 hours of supervision must be in a one-on-one format, with the remainder being in either a one-on-one or group format. Supervision can be undertaken face-to-face, via teleconference or videoconference.

Supervision activities
Activities in supervision sessions should allow reflective practice – a critical reflection on your own practice and commitment to ongoing professional growth and development. These activities may include case discussion, role play, formative feedback, discussion of new evidence and research, viewing and reflecting on video or audio recorded sessions, and practice of core treatment skills.

In planning your supervision for the year, you may find it useful to:

  • Review best practice standards or evidence-based practice (e.g. ANZAED Clinical Practice &Training Standards, RANZCP Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Eating Disorders) enabling you to evaluate and improve your level of competency, treatment planning, and/or service delivery
  • Undertake a self-assessment to identify possible areas for improvement, helping you to improve your practice to meet current standards using evidence-based practice or best practice standards
  • Discuss your learning needs with your supervisor and jointly develop a learning plan to address the specific areas of development and growth
  • Explore how best you could further develop knowledge or skill in identified areas of interest or work context within supervision. (e.g. case discussion, role play, review of filmed client sessions (with client consent)

Supervisor details
Your supervisor/s must be a Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician or meet the eligibility criteria for the Credential. Your supervisor/s do not have to be from your profession and ANZAED does not require your supervisor to have met specific supervision standards as set by some professions (for example, to be a board approved supervisor for psychologists), however this may help you meet other profession-specific requirements. The supervision you undertake may be used for both the Credential and your profession-specific professional development requirements. It is important that you work with a supervisor experienced in providing eating disorder treatment who can assist you to develop your eating disorder-specific clinical skills and competence.

If you need help finding a supervisor, please contact [email protected]. You can also search for supervisors on the ANZAED member directory, or find group supervision through ANZAED Online Consultation Program.

Record Keeping
You are required to create a personal supervision plan each year, including: 

  • Your professional learning needs specific to the area of eating disorders treatment.
  • A plan for the upcoming year which outlines supervision activities to support your  learning and skill development in these areas (e.g. case discussion, role play, formative feedback, etc.), including plans for supervision format (i.e. individual, group, peer). Specific planned dates or times of the planned supervision sessions are not required. 

You are required to keep a record of your completed supervision each year, reflecting on what you learnt, how you have progressed against your learning goals, and areas for future exploration within your supervision sessions. Reflecting on your learning will help you set learning goals for the subsequent year as part of the ongoing supervision cycle. Supervision records must be retained for 5 years.

During the annual credentialing period, your compliance with the supervision requirement may be audited. If requested, you will be required to provide ANZAED with documentation of your supervision plan and completed supervision upon request.


Continuing Professional Development

As an ongoing requirement of the Credential, all clinicians must complete a minimum of 15 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) relevant to eating disorders per year.

What is CPD?
CPD is a means by which practitioners maintain, improve, and broaden their knowledge, expertise, and competence throughout their professional careers. CPD should reflect the broad goal of improving patient/client outcomes. Drawing on available evidence, CPD should keep you up-to date with best practice for the treatment of eating disorders to inform your own best practice and decision-making, directly to improving your competence.

Effective CPD promotes learning and the implementation and practice of this learning, and tailored CPD can support competency and relevance in practice. It facilitates effective clinical care, leading to safer outcomes for patients and clients. CPD may be more effective when it involves planning and reflection, taking time to consider your own learning needs, accessing CPD which supports these, and then reflecting on using that new knowledge to improve your practice as an eating disorders treatment provider. The content of CPD should enhance professional knowledge and skill competence.

Planning for your CPD
The Credential requires you to undertake CPD which supports you as a clinician to maintain competence and is relevant to your scope of practice both within your profession and as an eating disorders treatment provider.

Learning and development can occur through a variety of CPD activities, including:

  • Workshops and training
  • Higher education/accredited courses
  • Conferences and forums
  • Seminars and webinars
  • Reading books and journals relevant to eating disorders treatment
  • Observing other treatment teams/internship/shadowing

In planning your CPD for the year, you may find it useful to:

  • Undertake a self-assessment to identify possible areas for improvement in order to meet current standards using evidence-based practice or best practice standards
  • Discuss your CPD planning with your supervisor, colleagues, and/or mentors to help you identify specific areas of improvement
  • Review best practice standards or evidence-based practice (e.g., ANZAED Clinical Practice and Training Standards; RANZCP Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Eating Disorders), enabling you to evaluate and improve your level of competency, treatment plan, or service delivery
  • Explore how to further develop knowledge or skill in identified areas of interest or work context across CPD activities
  • Identify opportunities for interactive or inter-professional CPD

Record Keeping
You are required to keep a record of your completed CPD activities each year, reflecting on what you learnt, how you have progressed against your learning goals, and how these CPD activities improved your practice. Reflecting on your learning will help you set learning goals for the subsequent year as part of the ongoing supervision cycle. CPD records must be retained for 5 years.

During the annual credentialing period, your compliance with the CPD requirement may be audited. If requested, you will be required to provide ANZAED with documentation of your completed CPD.

 

 

Which Credential credential pathway is right for you?

Your work setting will determine the pathway for the Credential, reflecting the various structures for professional governance and standards of practice.

There are three pathways through which you can apply for the Credential:

Private Practice Provider
This pathway is applicable to clinicians working in private practice. This may be as a sole provider, within a profession-specific clinic, as part of a private multi-disciplinary clinic, or working in a headspace centre. 
Mental health professionals working in private practice must be registered with the relevant regulatory body or a member of their relevant professional body to be eligible for the Credential. Evidence of membership with your professional body will be required as part of the application process. The applicable professional bodies for the relevant professions are included below:
Self-regulated professions 
Mental health professionals in self-regulated professions (social workers, counsellors, psychotherapists) must be a member of their professional body. Evidence of membership with your professional body will be required as part of the application process. The professional bodies that meet the requirements of the Credential include:
  • Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
  • Australian Counselling Association (ACA)
  • Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA)
Professions regulated under AHPRA and National Boards 
Under Australian Law, general practitioners, nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists must be registered with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation (AHPRA). Professions regulated under AHPRA are required to have general/full registration (not provisional), and you must provide your AHPRA registration number during the application process.
General practitioners
To be eligible for the Credential as a mental health professional, general practitioners are required to be a registered provider of Focused Psychological Strategies. 
Mental health nurses
To apply for the Credential as a mental health nurse working as a Private Practice Provider, nurses must hold the ACMHN Credential as awarded by the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN). You will be required to provide certification of this credential in your application. 
Nurse practitioners
To apply for the Credential as a nurse practitioner, nurses must be an endorsed nurse practitioner under the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (AHPRA). You will be required to provide certification of this endorsement in your application.
Note: Clinicians who work in private practice as well as another setting (for example, public health) must apply through the ‘Both’ pathway on the application form – which includes both the ‘Private practice’ and ‘Other service provider pathways.
Other Service Provider
Clinicians applying under this pathway may be employed in settings that are not private practice. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • Public mental health services
  • Public or private hospitals
  • Eating disorder day programs (public and private)
  • Inpatient treatment settings (psychiatric, medical, residential, public and private)
  • Non-government organisations (NGOs)
  • Primary Health Networks
Those applying under this pathway will need to provide signed evidence of current employment from their employer on their organisation’s letterhead indicating their mental health profession and role (this template letter can be used) as well as their professional qualification.
Clinicians applying under the ‘Other Service Provider’ pathway are not required to be a member of their professional body. Professional governance remains with the employer.
Note: The Credential for applicants under the ‘Other Service Provider’ pathway cannot be applied to private practice work. If a clinician awarded the Credential under the ‘Other Service Provider’ pathway commences work in private practice, they must provide ANZAED with the documentation required under the ‘Private Practice’ pathway. This will be reviewed by ANZAED prior to approval as a Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician under the ‘Private Practice’ pathway. See ‘Private Practice’ section for details.
Both
If you are both a ‘Private practice provider’ and an ‘Other service provider’, you should apply under the ‘Both’ pathway. The application form will direct you to complete the information required under the two pathways detailed above.

 

Credentialing fees

 

Credential Application fee $100 + GST

To become credentialed, applicants will need to pay an initial administrative fee for their application to be assessed, along with the Annual or Triennial Credential fee detailed below.

Annual ($150 + GST) or Triennial ($450 + GST) Credential fee

Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinicians will pay an ongoing annual or triennial fee to maintain their credentialed status – this fee includes ongoing administration of the Credential.

Please note:
As fees cover the administrative costs associated with assessing applications, refunds cannot be provided, even if an application is unsuccessful. ANZAED will provide feedback on your application if you do not yet meet the eligibility criteria for the Credential. When appropriate, ANZAED will aim to direct you to the relevant training to support you to become credentialed.

If your Credential expires, your Credential’s digital badge will be cancelled and your clinician profile will be removed from the connect.ed directory.

 

Application checklist

Before starting your application on the connect·ed website, please ensure you have read the required documentation and gathered all the supporting evidence you will need to provide (as listed below)

Read: 

☐ Clinician Terms & Conditions 

INFORMATION YOU WILL NEED

All Applicants

☐ Proof of identity document 
☐ Written summary of two years clinical practice 
☐ Details and certificate of completion of Introduction to Eating Disorders for Health Professionals training 
☐ Details and certificate of completion of evidence-based treatment model for eating disorders training

Private Practice Provider 

☐ MBS provider number (if relevant) 
☐ Evidence of registration or membership with the relevant regulatory or professional body (AHPRA, ACA, AASW, PACFA) 
☐ For General Practitioners only: Evidence of being a registered provider of Focused Psychological Strategies
☐ For Mental Health Nurses only: certification of ACMHN Credential as awarded by the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc. 
☐ For Nurse Practitioners only: evidence of endorsed nurse practitioner status under the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (AHPRA) 

 

Other Service Provider

☐ Evidence of employment, detailing your mental health profession and role (signed letter from manager/supervisor - see letter template)
☐ Evidence of professional qualification 

 

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