The Abilita Program is an innovative and collaborative process of biopsychosocial rehabilitation developed specifically for the management of personal injury within the Australian context. It is delivered by Abilita licensed Rehabilitation Providers and conforms to current best practice guidelines for clinical and occupational rehabilitation management, including the Heads of Workers Compensation Authorities in Australia policy on injury management(Ref i). It enables case managers, health and rehabilitation providers to assist people who have sustained injury to achieve a quicker return to usual activities, daily life and work.

Participation in the Abilita Program involves:

1. Initial Assessment
2. Coaching Program
3. Impact Assessment

Initial Assessment

The Initial Assessment is administered by Abilita licensed Rehabilitation Providers through our secure web based self-report questionnaire, the Abilita Rehabilitation Index (ARI), located on our ABnet site, which identifies psychosocial factors known to impede a person's recovery from injury. Once this questionnaire is completed a report is immediately available which becomes a road-map for all parties assisting in the preparation of the rehabilitation and return to work plan.

The ARI can be complete in your Rehabilitation Provider's office, or via a secure remote access facility which is particularly useful for those living in rural areas.

Self Management Coaching Courses

Self-management skills coaching is delivered by Abilita licensed Rehabilitation Providers in a structured course tailored to individual needs as identified in the Abilita Assessment, building on motivators and targeting obstacles. By learning strategies to achieve improved coping and pain management capacity, participant regain a sense of control of their life and are better able to manage the impact of injury, maintain or achieve their best functional capacity, and develop confidence to safely remain in, or return to work.

Coaching is delivered as:

• Abilita New Skills Program - Individual Coaching
• Abilita Restoration Program - a small group course for complex and/or long term cases

The Impact Assessment

Following completion of coaching, an Impact Assessment is obtained through the ARI, and once again a report is generated from responses entered directly by the injured person. The Abilita Impact Report provides a comparison with the psychosocial factors reported in the Initial Abilita Report, thereby conforming to the contemporary injury management principles of formal review of progress and objective measurement of intervention effectiveness.

The Abilita Impact Report may be generated more than once and so is valuable as a progress report to ensure that the next rehabilitation steps build upon gains already attained and that durable RTW is achieved.

Become an Abilita licensed Rehabilitation Provider

Abilita Services trains Rehabilitation Providers across Australia in the implementation of the Abilita Program.

Contact us if you would like to become an Abilita licensed Rehabilitation Provider.

References

i) HWCA Biopsychosocial Screening Working Group (2009). “Biopsychosocial Injury Management”. HWCA