Annual Report 2004-2005 - Forensicare

PROPOSAL – STAGED
EXPANSION OF COMMUNITY
FORENSIC MENTAL HEALTH
SERVICES
In tandem with the discussions held regarding
the development of a combined secure
extended care/medium secure forensic hospital
(see previous page), Forensicare advocated for
a simultaneous expansion of all community
based forensic services. A proposal has been
prepared confirming that the demand for
services over the past five years has had a
significant impact on our Community Forensic
Mental Health Service. The proposal, which
incorporates a staged approach to expansion,
acknowledges that enhancements to our
community capability and capacity are vital,
and integral to an expanded secure inpatient
service.
FIVE YEAR PLAN 2004-2008
Implementation of initiatives in the Five Year
Plan, which was developed in 2003-2004
and received the general support of all key
stakeholders, continued during the year. With
the exception of the high cost initiatives, most
initiatives detailed in the Plan had been put in
place at 30 June 2005. Implementation of
the high cost initiatives, the most significant
being the proposed new medium secure
hospital, await Government decisions on
funding.
ACCREDITED TRAINING
PROGRAM
An accredited tertiary training program has long
been identified as a requirement to ensure the
long term sustainability of our high capabiity
specialist clinical workforce. A framework for a
staged academic program, beginning with a 12
month certificate course and including an
advanced diploma and Masters Degree, was
finalised during the year.
Curriculum development for the certificate was
strategically broadened from its initial focus on
the workforce needs of forensic mental health
clinicians to those of the public sector-wide
‘forensic’ workforce, ie. child protection, juvenile
justice, corrections, police, etc. A workshop was
held in February 2005 where invited senior
representatives of the above workforces provided
input into curriculum content.
The certificate course curriculum development
is progressing quickly, and incorporating the
broader workforce requirements above. It is
expected to be offered through Monash
University and Forensicare in the 2006
academic year.
ACADEMIC CENTRE
Negotiations with Monash University
regarding the establishment of an academic
centre for forensic mental health training and
research have progressed well. The vision of
this academic platform from one specific to
forensic mental health has been broadened to
‘forensic behavioural science’. This change is
designed to facilitate a wider scope of the
‘forensic’ workforce related training and
research activities.
Informal agreement has been obtained with
Monash University for creation of this body,
to be known as ‘The Victorian Centre for
Forensic Behavioural Science’, in 2005-
2006. Funding has been obtained from
Monash University for the employment of
a senior research officer and a consultant
to develop a business plan for the Centre.
It is anticipated that the business plan will
be completed in late 2005, when it will be
discussed with both the Department of
Human Services and Monash University.
Subject to the necessary agreements, the new
Centre will be established as part of Monash
University, and be co-located with the
Thomas Embling Hospital or on the Monash
University, Clayton campus.
5th INTERNATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF FORENSIC
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
CONFERENCE - MELBOURNE
2005
At the request of the International
Association of Forensic Mental Health
Services (based in Canada), Forensicare
hosted the 5th Annual Conference of the
Association in Melbourne on 18-21 April
2005. This was the first time that the
Annual Conference has been held outside
the northern hemisphere. The conference
was opened by The Hon. Bronwyn Pike,
MLC, Minister for Health, and The Hon.
Rob Hulls, Attorney-General, officially
welcomed delegates at the Welcome
Reception, held at Queens Hall,
Parliament House.
Approximately 400 people from 17
countries attended the conference.
Delegates were drawn from Europe, United
States, Canada and Asia, together with
representatives from Australia and New
Zealand. Forensicare staff from all clinical
disciplines presented 23 papers at the
conference.
Keynote speakers were –
Martin Narey, Chief Executive Officer,
National Offender Management Services,
Home Office, UK (The Challenge of
Reducing Reoffending – The English
Experience)
W Lawrence Fitch, JD, Director of Forensic
Services, Mental Hygiene Administration,
Maryland, USA (Imprisonment and
Forensic Mental Health Services in USA –
Service Drivers, Issues and Challenges)
Professor Patrick D McGorry,
Professor/Director of the ORYGEN Youth
Health, Australia (Psychosocial Impact of
Emerging Mental Disorder in Young People
– Opportunities for Prevention)
Professor Paul E Mullen, Professor, Forensic
Psychiatry at Monash University, and
Clinical Director, Forensicare (Mass Killers)
Professor James Ogloff, Foundation
Professor of Clinical Forensic Psychology
at Monash University, and Director of
Psychological Services, Forensicare
(Problem Behaviour – Moving Beyond a
Narrow Focus on Mental Illness in Forensic
Mental Health Services)
Delegate feedback confirmed that the
conference was highly successful in terms of
both the academic program content and the
associated social program, which provided
a range of opportunities for informal
information sharing and networking.
The Minister for Health, The Hon. Bronwyn
Pike, MLC, officially opened the conference
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