National BPD Training & Professional Development Strategy

Spectrum collaborated with the Australian BPD Foundation during 2019-21 to deliver Stages 3 and 4 of the National BPD Training and Professional Development Strategy (National Training Strategy). This entailed the development and delivery of borderline personality disorder (BPD) core competencies workshops, a train the trainer program and the provision of post-training clinical support and mentoring.

The overall aim of the National Training Strategy was to improve the capacity of clinicians to recognise, respond to and treat people with BPD, and be inclusive of families.

Stage 1 (webinars) and Stage 2 (eLearning program) are available from the Australian BPD Foundation.

Spectrum continue to offer the BPD core competency workshop and the Train the Trainer Program, as outlined below.

The emergence of generalist treatments for borderline personality disorder (BPD) was accelerated by the recognition that all evidence-based psychological treatments for BPD share particular core features. These are referred to as the ‘common factors’ in psychological treatment for BPD.

The 2-day BPD core competency workshop was developed to highlight and guide health workers in the use of these common factors to work more effectively with people who have BPD. Spectrum, in collaboration with the Australian BPD Foundation, conceptualised ten core competencies based on the common factors approach:

• understanding BPD (including symptoms, prevalence, causes, and evidence-based treatments)

• co-existing disorders in BPD

• treatment principles

• treatment structure

• the therapeutic relationship

• skills development focus

• partnering with families, partners and carers

• working with suicidal and non-suicidal self-injury behaviours

• clinician self–awareness, and

• focus on recovery

The BPD core competency workshop includes content to improve health professional's knowledge, skills and attitudes to detect, diagnose, and provide therapeutic interventions. The skills can be used during every interaction, even in the absence of formal long-term psychotherapeutic treatments. We believe all mental health professionals have the capacity to learn the core competencies for the treatment of BPD. An understanding of the core competencies is designed to assist clinicians to positively contribute to the recovery journey of people with BPD.

The train the trainer program enables health professionals, clinicians and trainers to deliver the 2-day BPD core competency workshop. Trainer endorsement requires:

• Previous attendance of a 2-day BPD core competency workshop (mandatory)

• Satisfactory completion of a 2-day online train the trainer workshop (mandatory)

• Endorsement as a National BPD Training Strategy trainer by the Australian BPD Foundation to deliver the BPD core competency workshops (mandatory).

Endorsed trainers will be able to electronically access all training materials for use when they deliver BPD core competency workshops, including the participant handbook, slides, session plans, activities, and role plays. They will also have access to ongoing support from Spectrum trainers. There may be opportunities for endorsed trainers to be contracted by Spectrum to deliver workshops, depending on available funding.

There is a formal application process to register for the program. The application process involves the completion of an online form and submission of the applicant’s curriculum vitae. Please subscribe to our mailing list to be notified when the application period opens.