| Services provided |
Aims to provide services for a cohort of patients who have a mental illness, appear to have a mental illness or are at risk of developing a mental illness and are engaging in or at risk of engaging in behaviours that pose a serious risk to others.
Provides trauma-informed and culturally secure responses for a cohort who often face stigma and discrimination within mainstream mental health services.
The service provides clinical assessment, structured risk assessment, liaison, support, advice and risk management planning support for consumers who are in the care of mainstream mental health services or in contact with other agencies. Services are delivered to mainstream mental health services (bed-based and ambulatory) and may include delivery to other referring stakeholders at the interface of mental health and the criminal justice system. Includes provision of specialised training and/or education to mainstream mental health services or other stakeholders (e.g. police, courts).
May include sub-specialist programs, such as interventions for problem behaviours (i.e. personality disorders, paraphilias, sexual, stalking, fire setting) and fixated threat assessment.
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| Key features |
Services are provided by multidisciplinary teams and are usually provided as a state-wide service. Teams are a function of, or a specialist team within, a Community Forensic Mental Health Service. Teams have particular specialist expertise in the assessment and management of serious risk of harm to others associated with mental health problems. Caseload is determined by referral process and based on risk.
At the time of referral to the service, consumers should have an active diagnosis and be case managed by mainstream mental health services or other providers.
Services may provide joint management of consumers with mainstream mental health services to aid in transition between services.
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| Hours of operation |
Business hours with after hours on-call emergency service provided by local mainstream or specialist forensic mental health services. |
| Population profile |
Consumers often have a complex presentation of severe mental illness, with high levels of comorbidity particularly substance use disorders, severe personality disorders, cognitive impairment, and who pose a significant risk of harm to others. |
| Example service |
Community Forensic Outreach Service (Qld) |
