Department of Health

Recommendation 37

Supporting the mental health and wellbeing of people in contact with, or at risk of coming into contact with, the criminal and youth justice systems

What the Royal Commission said

The Royal Commission recommends that the Victorian Government:

  • expands the Assessment and Referral Court to each of the 12 headquarter Magistrates' Courts
  • expands the existing forensic community model
  • establishes a program for people in prison and to transition to mainstream mental health and wellbeing system
  • expands specialist youth forensic mental health programs to a statewide model.

What are the opportunities?

The opportunities include establishing productive relationships between adult and youth correctional facilities, and mental health and wellbeing services. These relationships will help to develop initiatives to support the mental health of people in the justice system.

The work can also support the development of transition and care pathways. These pathways will be appropriate for people once they leave correctional facilities.

By implementing this recommendation, we can improve the mental health of young people in custody. This will be done by providing evidence-based specialist assessment and treatment intervention. It will also focus on reducing any associated risk of reoffending.

What are we doing?

Custodial Forensic Youth Mental Health Service uplift

We are working on the uplift - or expansion of service - to the youth justice custodial mental health services, expanding the specialist youth forensic mental health service delivered by Orygen at the Parkville and Malmsbury Youth Justice Precincts.

Orygen is leading on the development of a service plan to put in place the Custodial Forensic Youth Mental Health Service uplift.

Information for this recommendation is being continually updated - please check back later for updates.

Reviewed 09 December 2024

Health.vic

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Mental Health and Wellbeing Reform

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