Overview

In the last few decades in therapy two key innovative approaches have developed, Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT) and Precision Mental Healthcare.

FIT involves structuring therapy sessions so that the start of each session the client rates their therapy progress and at the end of each session the client rates their experience of therapy. The client is then invited to provide actionable ways they would like their treatment adapted. Therapy becomes systematically co-created with the client. FIT has been shown to increase client improvements and reduce drop out.

Precision Mental Healthcare is a term used to describe systematically "matching" a new client to the most effective treatment or therapist for them. A landmark study was released in JAMA psychiatry 2021, 78(9), 960-969, which demonstrated client improvements almost doubling through this process. What's better is that psychologists don't need to do any extra work to get these client outcomes as the process happens upon referral, and clients are matched to the most effective psychologists for them at the intake process.

The webinar will explore how the implementation of client ratings and systematic matching of client to therapist, helps improve mental health care outcomes for clients.

Level of Learning

Foundational. This activity is targeted to those new to the topic.

Duration of access

Access to the recording and presenter slides is for 12 months from the date of confirmed registration.

APS CPD-Approved

This activity has been assessed against the APS Standards for CPD activities and approved for its education quality. Learn more about the APS CPD Approval process

CPD Frequently Asked Questions

Refer to the APS CPD Frequently Asked Questions for general and technical information when undertaking APS Professional development activities.

Activity details 

• On-demand webinar recording 

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this on-demand activity, participants should be able to:

• recognise the principles of Feedback Informed Treatment (FIT) and Precision Mental Healthcare, and

• implement client rating and matching approaches, in their own practice.

Presenter(s)

Dr Nathan Castle MAPS

About the presenter(s)

Dr. Nathan Castle is a Clinical Psychologist with a special interest in client outcomes. Nathan has been engaged in multiple areas of innovation in mental healthcare including research, clinical models, clinical supervision and leadership in mental health insurer agencies. A lot of jargon gets thrown around in academic, clinical and policy level circles about "how to do mental healthcare". Nathan takes a simpler approach "It sounds great but does it work?". Nathans clinic, Psychology Outcomes, adopts this philosophy and tests any fancy new strategies by evaluating the client outcomes and publishing them. This approach creates a level playing field where he and his team don't drink the coolade and invite feedback internally and externally on how they can do better for clients. Nathan co-authored a book on this topic with some brilliant colleagues called "Creating Impact: The Four Pillars of Private Psychology Practice". Nathan is the Co-Director of Psychs in Schools which trains early-career psychologists in innovative methods to mental health care and coordinates placements in schools that would otherwise not be able to have psychological support. Psychs in Schools has demonstrated outcomes that outperform many other Australian mental health services. He provides coaching across Australia, USA and Europe, implements data-driven strategies into organisations and is working to bring the Precision Mental Healthcare model to Australia.