• Full-time, fixed term position (18 months)

• Monday - Friday business hours
• Based at MHARS Metropolitan Magistrates Court sites
• Multi-disciplinary position (RPN4/SW3/OT3/P3)

Forensicare is the statutory agency responsible for the provision of adult forensic mental health services across Victoria. This position is located at a MHARS Metropolitan Magistrates Court site to be determined. The Mental Health Advice and Response Service (MHARS) operates in eight metropolitan courts: Melbourne, Broadmeadows, Ringwood, Heidelberg, Dandenong, Frankston, Moorabbin and Sunshine. MHARS provides clinical mental health advice within the court to reduce delays in proceedings and remands, and to improve the appropriateness of mental health interventions and referrals for people appearing before the court. The program enables clinical services to intervene early in the criminal justice process by identifying where individuals charged with an offence and appearing before the court have a mental illness, and by providing timely advice and linkage with treatment providers. Where needed, immediate psychiatric intervention is provided and referral made to appropriate mental health services. Priority is given to providing immediate responses to those presenting to the court who are acutely mentally unwell.

Specialist clinical mental health advice is provided to Magistrates, Community Correctional Services (CCS) and court users to ensure effective assessment, treatment and management, and that court processes are applied, while accounting for community safety and the mental health needs of the individual. Advice is provided:

• Directly to Magistrates as required, which Magistrates use to inform sentencing decisions or whether a person can participate in court processes
• To CCS on the appropriateness of a mental health treatment and rehabilitation (MHTR) condition on a Community Correction Order (CCO), which in turn informs the advice CCS provides Magistrates on the application of a MHTR condition on a CCO.

The program also supports the court to understand mental health. It does this through consultation and education to CCS, Magistrates and users of the court on mental health services and mental health issues.

About the role:

The MHARS Clinician will be responsible for delivering the two streams of service (MHCLS and CCCAS) at the MHARS Metropolitan Magistrates Court site and other work sites as required. The position is full time Monday-Friday. As the MHARS Mental Health clinician you will be required to screen, assess and prepare psychiatric reports for the Court and Community Corrections as well as providing advice and consultation regarding mental health referral and treatment options for clients appearing before the court to inform decision making.

About you:

• A Tertiary Degree level qualification in appropriate Health Sciences; Psychology, Occupational Therapy, Psychiatric Nursing or Social Work
• Demonstrated experience in mental health within complex service delivery environments including 5 years post registration experience in acute or community psychiatry
• Demonstrated knowledge of relevant legislation, including the Mental Health Act 2014, The Sentencing Act 1991, and the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997
• An understanding of the interface between mental illness and offending behaviour

Benefits:

We value our staff and provide a range of employee benefits including:

• Great salary packaging conditions
• Excellent leave entitlements
• Ongoing training and professional development
• Comprehensive Health and Wellbeing Programs including: Staff health service, Critical Incident Stress Management and Employee Assistance Programs

A position description is attached.