Annual Report 2004-2005 - Forensicare

Initiatives Achievements Performance The Future
Implement a Carer Participation Plan.
The Carer Participation Plan was
endorsed by the Family Sensitive Practice
Committee and implementation within
Community Forensic Mental Health
Service has commenced (page 20).
✣
Further strategies to engage carers will
be developed and implemented in
2005-2006.
Professional Education and Research
Under the auspice of the Research
Committee, undertake research on –
• the effectiveness and impact of the
Crimes (Mental Impairment and
Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997
• risk management and risk
management tools
• stalkers and their victims
• arson
• problem gambling
• threats to kill
• sex offending, including the use of
child internet pornography
• the role of nursing in improving
mental health outcomes and
evidence based psychiatric nursing
practice
• substance abuse and mental illness
Identified research projects commenced
and ongoing. As a result of ongoing
research, 19 journal articles, books
or chapters in books were published.
All research projects are detailed on
pages 29-31, and in our Annual
Research Report to Council, (also
available on our website –
www.forensicare.vic.gov.au
✣
The research program will continue as
an integral and ongoing component of
Forensicare.
Provide quarterly specialized training
to rural and metropolitan area mental
health services.
A total of 23 specialised training sessions
were provided to area mental health
services during the year (page 25).
✔
Specialised training will continue to be
provided on request to area mental
health services.
Continue to develop and deliver
a program that promotes an
understanding of mental impairment
and the law within the legal profession.
Seminars on mental impairment were
presented to the Law Institute of
Victoria and the Criminal Bar
Association, and tours of Thomas
Embling Hospital were conducted
regularly throughout the year for 16
Judges and their Associates and
Magistrates (page 38).
✣
Ongoing strategies will be adopted to
ensure that the legal profession
maintains an understanding of the legal
issues impacting on Forensicare.
Corporate Support and Development
Develop a proposal examining the
development and early commissioning
of a combined secure extended
care/medium secure forensic hospital
(with proposed 100 bed capacity).
The proposal has been developed and
discussed with the Department of
Human Services during the year.
Funding will be sought for the new
facility during 2005-2006 (page 33).
✣
The demand for secure forensic mental
health inpatient services from the
criminal justice system will continue to
increase. The need to provide additional
beds will remain a high priority.
Develop a proposal for a staged
expansion of Community Forensic
Mental Health Services, to meet the
forecast growth in demand for specialist
forensic services for high-risk
patients/clients.
A staged expansion of Community
Forensic Mental Health Services was
discussed with the Department of
Human Services and a firm proposal is
currently being prepared for consideration
by the Department (page 34).
✣
The increasing demand for services from
Forensicare impacts not only on our
inpatient service, but our community
program. The proposal outlining a
staged expansion of our community
services will be the basis of a funding
submission during 2005-2006.
Finalise a Five Year Plan providing
a developmental framework for the
Institute in 2004-2008, and gain the
support of the Department of Human
Services and Department of Justice for
the plan.
Implementation of the Five Year Plan
continued during the year, and the
majority of initiatives detailed in the
Plan had been put in place at 30 June
2005 (page 34).
✔
Implementation of the high cost
initiatives, the most significant being
the proposed new medium secure
hospital, await Government decisions
on funding.
✔ Implemented
✣
In progress/part implemented
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