Integrated client service delivery, featuring mental health support ...

10The Family Law Courts’ Integrated Client Service Delivery Programmental health and emotional wellbeing (necessary to look out for and respond tosignals from clients) led to a much greater awareness and understanding of fellowemployees experiencing similar difficulties. This noticeably improved theCourts’ workplace.“It’s also good for me, you know, in my personal life.It helps me cope with my life better as well.”“It’s (mental health issues) more prevalent than Ithought...it’s everywhere in society. You really can’tmake a judgment by looking at people.”Courts’ staff – Colmar Brunton Evaluation“Everyone suffersfrom mental healthissues at some pointin their lives, even allof us so called normalpeople here.”Benefits for the community sectorBefore the Program, community agencies reported minimal knowledgeof the Courts despite many of their clients being involved in Court processes. Thepartnerships that developed improved their knowledge (particularly through sitevisits) and provided insights into what their clients might experience at court.The partnership model proved popular with community organisations. Statementsmade during the evaluation included:“The set up is quite simple and it seems to work well”“The knowledge of the people we are dealing with is better than it used to be”a community-based organisationCommunity-based organisations also reported on the effectiveness of the warmlinking service 4 and the immediacy it provided.“We are not losing people and they are finding it a more comfortabletransition”“Most people get support on the spot rather than having to wait”Community-based organisation surveyed in the Colmar Brunton evaluationFurther, they believed the Courts to be at forefront of developing innovativeservices for people with mental health problems. The partnership/referral modelwas one of the keys. All partner organisations believe the Courts have a role inreferring stressed, anxious or depressed people to community-based organisations.Benefits for government4 Warm linking is the direct and immediate connecting of clients to external services by staff.