Annual Report 2004-2005 - Forensicare

Strategic objectives
• Provide high quality, relevant and
timely advice to Government.
• Provide high quality, efficient and
effective support services across the
organisation.
• Identify service development
opportunities and submit appropriate
proposals to Government.
• Increase community awareness and
understanding of forensic mental health
issues.
Challenges
• Manage the increasing demand for
services without compromising the
quality of services and care.
• Ensure that forensic mental health
is sufficiently resourced to meet the
continued and increasing demand for
services from the criminal justice and
general mental health systems.
• Fully implement program changes to
meet the full spectrum of offender
need.
How we plan to succeed in 2005-2006
Our plans include –
With the agreement of the Department
of Human Services, review and resubmit
a funding proposal for the development
of a combined secure extended
care/medium-secure forensic hospital
(with approx 100 bed capacity)
With the agreement of the Department
of Human Services (DHS), prepare and
submit a funding proposal to DHS to
expand the Community Forensic Mental
Health Service to meet the documented
growth in demand for specialist community
forensic mental health services.
Seek approval from Monash University to
establish a Centre for Forensic Behavioural
Sciences at Monash University, School of
Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological
Medicine.
Continue the curriculum development
and establishment of an accredited postgraduate
course in forensic behavioural
science with Monash University (for
specialist clinicians and those in area
mental health services, corrections, law,
teaching, child protection and juvenile
justice). Partner with NSW Justice Health
to tailor the teaching program to markets
outside Victoria.
Continue to seek funding to implement
wide ranging environmental sustainability
initiatives across the organisation.
Subject to funding, continue the
redevelopment of information technology
based management systems, for
operational, planning and research
purposes.
Continue to endeavour to influence the
development of a more rational, effective
and efficient health service arrangement
for men and women in Victorian prisons.
PROFILE
Corporate Support and Development is the
direct responsibility of the Chief Executive
Officer and provides organisation-wide –
• financial and administrative functions
• advice and planning
• service development
• community education and promotion
KEY OUTCOMES
PROPOSAL – COMBINED
SECURE EXTENDED
CARE/MEDIUM SECURE
FORENSIC HOSPITAL
In response to the critical service capacity
shortfalls in both forensic and general
mental health services, Forensicare
advocated strongly for agreement by
Government for the funding of a new
100 bed ‘medium secure’ hospital. This
innovative concept provides for a significant
expansion in secure ‘extended care’
capacity for area services across the state,
while concurrently addressing the
escalating demand for forensic services.
The requirements of civil patients needing
secure extended care overlap with those
requiring intensive treatment and
rehabilitation in relation to the Crimes
(Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be
Tried) Act and the Sentencing Act.
The service model envisaged entails a
single secure inpatient care system,
incorporating the existing high secure
Thomas Embling Hospital, the proposed
100 bed medium secure facility, plus a
strengthened community treatment and
after-care capability. This model will
facilitate much needed capability sharing
between area mental health services and
Forensicare.
This project is likely to involve a minimum
three year timeframe from funding approval
to commissioning. Demand pressures on
both area services and Forensicare suggest
this should be an urgent priority for
Government.
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