Using client data to inform bereavement care: A bereavement intake and assessment framework for a specialist bereavement service

The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement operates the Statewide Specialist Bereavement Service (SSBS), which provides a range of services including individual counselling (face-to-face and via telehealth) and group support programs. The service utilises a range of data at the point of intake and throughout the period of client care to ensure that clients are provided with the most appropriate bereavement care. As a tertiary provider of bereavement services, the SSBS has a particular focus on the approximately 7% of bereaved people who experience Prolonged Grief Disorder. This presentation will examine the intake process, including the use of clinical tools at intake, such as the , the ISLES-Short Form and the Hogan Social Support Scale and how this information, along with client preference, informs service delivery. The presentation will also consider the use of feedback-informed practice using the Session Rating Scale and Outcome Rating Scale. Used together these tools can inform and improve bereavement counselling practice and services.