7.

Sub Acute Forensic Unit

Service attribute	Details
Services provided	Aims to provide medium to long term treatment and rehabilitation in a safe, structured environment for individuals experiencing or suspected to be experiencing severe episodes of mental illness associated with significant violent or other serious offending behaviour. The Sub Acute Forensic Unit: ○Provides specialist behavioural and symptom management programs. ○Provides individualised and group rehabilitation programs aimed at maximising individual functioning and minimising the likelihood of repeat offending related to recurrent mental disorder. ○Supports the transition to safe management and monitoring in a less secure setting. ○Provides trauma-informed practice and services performed are culturally secure and are carried out in close liaison with Indigenous workforce and/or specialist advisors. ○Provides family-inclusive practice. Programs have a strong focus on safety, security and risk assessment and management but have the capacity to build and test an individual’s ability to manage their treatment needs as well as relationships, occupational capacity and activities of daily living within the safety of a secure perimeter.
Key features	Sub-acute Forensic Units are a component of the continuum of stepped therapeutic care are located in high security forensic hospitals. These units focus on addressing dynamic risk over a sustained period of time. Individuals accessing this service pose a significant risk of harm to others and require a higher level of physical, relational and procedural security than can be provided in mainstream mental health services. Consumers within a Sub Acute Forensic Unit would typically access community rehabilitation programs. Gazetted ALOS would typically be at least 12 months.
Hours of operation	24 hours/7 days
Population profile	Individuals often have a complex presentation of severe mental illness that has been associated with serious offending, usually of a violent nature. Primary diagnoses often include psychotic disorders or severe affective disorders with high levels of comorbidity particularly substance use disorders, severe personality disorders or cognitive impairment, and who pose significant risk of harm to others.
Example service	James Nash House (SA)