Support for families and carers

[On-screen text]

Welcome to the Forensic hospital

One Family's personal reflections

[Voice of family member 1]

For your loved one to be sentenced to a place like this, something very catastrophic has happened in your life.

A few years ago, the same happened to us where our son did something that was out of character. When it first happens, it's horrible.

[Voice of family member 2]

Just didn't know what was happening.

[Voice of family member 1]

You end up going to correctional facilities. You go through court cases. You go through visitations at correctional facilities. They go to court. They get found not guilty sentenced to a forensic facility but then you've got the whole different concerns. Where is my loved one going? What are they going to be doing? Who's going to look after them? What's this facility like? What type of help are they going to get there?

[Voice of family member 2]

But there are so many people here that are here to help, but you don't know that when you walk in, you just think it's the same as the gaol.

[Voice of family member 1]

My loved one was coming out here to this establishment. I must admit, I got in the car and I drove over here and I had a look and all you see is the big silver place out the front.

[Voice of family member 2]

When you walk through the doors it's like, wow this place is amazing.

[Voice of family member 1]

No one told me that behind that silver place was 20 acres of lawns, walking paths.

[Voice of family member 2]

Can you believe that they're actually let out and had a long walk, that they have that freedom? They have their own rooms, they have their own toilet and they have their own shower.

[Voice of family member 1]

Gymnasium, swimming pool. Okay, I don't want to make it sound like a holiday resort, because it's not a holiday resort, it's a forensic hospital and they're here to get better.

There are psychiatrists here, they're psychologists here. There are health workers here, there are nurses. They get counselling, they get to do extra educational type activities where they can further their, their education and their one goal is to try and get your loved one better.

I think for any person that has been placed in this establishment, it's very important they have the contact from the outside, from family.

[Voice of family member 2]

They need somebody that they can lean on, they need somebody to turn to. They need that love and support from somebody

[Voice of family member 1]

You know, without that outside support from the family and carers, the people would be lost, they'd be lost.

[Voice of family member 2]

I think that the things that families and carers can do for their loved one that comes here is to stay positive. Get them involved in everything that that's happening on the outside in your world and that when he walks out of the door he's not going to be going, "Who are these people?" Because they need all that support. They need to know that they're still loved. I think that's the biggest thing that you could ever do.

[On-screen text]

Working with families and carers to promote patient recovery and wellbeing.

[On-screen text]

Welcome to the Forensic hospital.

Meet our multidisciplinary health team dedicated to the care and recovery of patients.

[Dr Andrew Ellis - Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, Clinical Director and Medical Superintendent]

Hello and welcome to the Forensic Hospital. Forensic is a word that means intersection and the Forensic Hospital is the intersection of the mental health system and the criminal justice system

I'm assuming if you're watching this that someone close to you has been involved in both the mental health and criminal justice systems and that they're now a patient at the Forensic Hospital. Forensic Hospitals are places in the modern era where people with mental health conditions that have led to justice system involvement come to receive the best evidence-based care for their mental health condition.

We know that most people who are discharged from our services return to the community in a much better frame of mind and are able to participate in community living successfully.

[Jerome - Social Worker]

Each patient has their own treating team, they're called MDTs or multidisciplinary teams. They're made up of a bunch of different disciplines, you have doctors, nurses, social work, psychologists, occupational therapists, diversional therapists and a few more.

When your loved one first gets admitted they'll have a chance to have what we call a welcome meeting where you can meet the entire team face to face.

[Jason Sevil - Director of Nursing and Services]

Each day, our caring multidisciplinary team provides care treatment and hope to our patients - your loved ones. Although day-to-day care is carried out by our specialist mental health nurses, they not only provide mental health care

but also spiritual,  emotional and physical wellbeing.

Nursing also fulfills the role of the Care Coordinator. It's the Care Coordinator's role to help the family and also the patient navigate their care. The Care Coordinator's role is also in the delivery of some care as well as advocating and communicating with the family and carers.

[Tatyana - Psychologist]

The Allied Health team is a key part of the multi-disciplinary approach of the Forensic Hospital. While our doctors and nurses ensure that the essential health care needs of our patients are met, the Allied Health team work from a trauma-focused, recovery-oriented approach and we build on patient strengths to ensure they are ready to be re-integrated into their communities.

[Norma - Occupational Therapist]

So the therapeutic programs that we have in the Forensic Hospital are evidence-based. We try and approach a patient-centered practice, meaning that the therapies that your loved ones participate in directly meet the needs that they have for their recovery, particularly for our patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. We try and provide them opportunities to engage in activities that meet their cultural needs, from learning community living skills with the Occupational Therapist, exploring new leisure and interests with the Diversional Therapist or expressing themselves through creativity with the Art Therapist.

[Belinda (voice) - Aboriginal Mental Health Care Worker]

At the Forensic Hospital, we offer a cultural program for the Aboriginal patients. This is so that they can stay connected to their own culture, connect to themselves and stay reconnected with their families.

[Tatyana - Psychologist]

The psychology team work on the mental health needs of our patients. They might work with patients on their trauma history, on developing insight into their mental illness, on developing relapse prevention plans to ensure that the patient's mental health needs are really understood by the patient and their families as well.

[Laura - Diversional Therapist]

The Mana Yura Program is a program where patients can attend groups that help them learn about strategies and educate them about their mental illness. They can also learn skills for the future for employability. We have a barista cart program where patients train other patients to make barista coffees and gain those employable skills for the future.

[Andrew - Peer Worker]

The Forensic Hospital also has Peer Workers. Peer Workers are able to relate to patients through their own lived experience, while sharing their own experiences with the patients, in order to help them along their recovery journey.

Some of the things peer workers do are advocate and promote health for patients at the Forensic Hospital.

[Jerome - Social Worker]

Social Workers are the main point of contact between the treating team and family and carers. We're responsible for keeping family and carers up to date with medication changes, any changes in the treatment plan and where things are going from here.

The social work team and the family and carers will agree on the frequency of contact and we also cover discussion about what information is going to be shared, when it's going to be shared and we keep them up to date with really important dates such as mental health review tribunals or courts.

Family and carers play a pivotal role in improving a patient's wellbeing across their lifespan. They're important from the moment of admission, throughout the admission and post-discharge. We involve them in all major decisions and they help provide quite a unique understanding and perspective throughout their intimate knowledge of a patient to help us make the best possible decisions when moving people into the community.

[Dr Andrew Ellis - Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, Clinical Director and Medical Superintendent]

We encourage visits from family, from community supports into the hospital and we encourage people to be involved in the legal process as people move through the system.

We'll be there to explain things and provide support to you and to the person that you're caring for within this system. We know that it's good for patients, we know that it's good for families and we know it's good for society that we do a good job and we want your help with doing that.

[On-screen text]

Working with families and carers to promote patient recovery and wellbeing.

[On-screen text]

Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network

Supporting Mob in Custody

With Dean Bayliss - Healing Works Australia

I'm Dean Bayliss, Proud Gomeroi man, Principal Facilitator of providing suicide prevention skills to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. I care about our First Nations people and providing the support around suicide and sharing knowledge, that's our strength with our Aboriginal people. Sharing knowledge and looking after each other.

Custody can be a really difficult time for people because of disconnection, they're disconnected from their country, their community, their cultures and they don't have a purpose.

What I've continually seen when I support people from Corrections, is their shame and guilt and the feeling that they have no control over their lives and their families, what they're doing to their families and even just away from their loved ones or even their children. It's a tough time.

If you have someone in custody and you want to have that yarn about suicide, things that might invite you to have that yarn are different for everybody - it's not always sadness or emotions or crying out of context or isolation. There can be frustration, people kicking off, hanging up on the phone or displaying frustration and anger at you when you go to visit them. This is normal and common to project feelings of anger, entrapment and fear to your loved ones. This is an invitation to ask, are they thinking about killing themselves? It's not always the same for everyone, please remember that not every invitation is inviting.

This could save a life.

[On-screen text]

To get help for yourself or someone else

In custody: Mental Health Line: 1800 222 472

In the community: 

Call 13 YARN (13 92 76) - 24/7 free and confidential crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Call Thirrili - 1800 805 801 - emotional and practical support to families impacted by loss from suicide or other fatal traumatic incidents.

For more information:

Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network
Mental Health Line: 1800 222 472

Healing Works Australia
Crisis resources
Phone: 0488 058 937
Email: info@healing-works.com.au
Facebook: Healing Works Australia
Instagram: @healingworksaustralia

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live and work and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.

[On-screen text]

Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network

Supporting Mob in Custody

With Dean Bayliss - Healing Works Australia

I'm Dean Bayliss, Proud Gomeroi man, Principal Facilitator of providing suicide prevention skills to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

If someone says yes, they're thinking about killing themselves, they're thinking about committing side, try not to panic - this is so hard to do when you're sitting with a loved one and someone you care about.

Try to sit in the pain with them and listen to the story of why they thinking of killing themselves, why they feel they can't live anymore and they've got no future.

It's tough but this can save a life.

If someone says no to you when you've asked if they're thinking about killing themselves or suicide and that intuition is telling me that they're just not telling you the truth, highlight why you're asking just say - "Hey what I've noticed is your behaviors have changed, what you said to me on the phone." People will go through these things and people who are feeling alone, disconnected and that feel like they have no purpose and no future often think about suicide.

Ask again, "Are you thinking about killing yourself?"

Just be patient and persistent follow your intuition, show them it's a safe place to have that yarn and there's no judgment, you just care for them. That will save a life.

If someone identifies to you that they're thinking of killing themselves or committing suicide, please identify to someone at Corrections or someone from New South Wales Health or call the mental health line, that'll ensure they get the support they need while they're inside.

Please don't worry about them getting in trouble or them being punished, they'll just ensure they get the support they need to keep themselves safe.

[On-screen text]

To get help for yourself or someone else

In custody: Mental Health Line: 1800 222 472

In the community: 

Call 13 YARN (13 92 76) - 24/7 free and confidential crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Call Thirrili - 1800 805 801 - emotional and practical support to families impacted by loss from suicide or other fatal traumatic incidents.

For more information:

Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network
Mental Health Line: 1800 222 472

Healing Works Australia
Crisis resources
Phone: 0488 058 937
Email: info@healing-works.com.au
Facebook: Healing Works Australia
Instagram: @healingworksaustralia

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live and work and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.

[On-screen text]

Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network

Supporting Mob in Custody

With Dean Bayliss - Healing Works Australia

I'm Dean Bayliss, Proud Gomeroi man, Principal Facilitator of providing suicide prevention skills to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The start of the journey for you when you have a loved one inside and going through this tough court system. You are going through the same pain and loss that they are. That disconnect from your community and your Mob is the same thing and you're going to be feeling the same pain.

I've sat with some Aunts that have had losses and their son has been inside and they didn't know how long they mightn't have that connection anymore.

Please be kind yourself, don't feel guilty for having these feelings. Just validate that you are having that loss and pain and it's a tough time for everyone.

I've supported an Aunt once and the pain and emotion that she was feeling was overwhelming. Just to think that she may not ever see her son again and that connection was lost forever was enough to make her think of suicide. Please reach out, have a yarn to Mob - someone in your community and tell them that you need some support and you may be thinking about suicide yourself.

[On-screen text]

To get help for yourself or someone else

In custody: Mental Health Line: 1800 222 472

In the community: 

Call 13 YARN (13 92 76) - 24/7 free and confidential crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Call Thirrili - 1800 805 801 - emotional and practical support to families impacted by loss from suicide or other fatal traumatic incidents.

For more information:

Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network
Mental Health Line: 1800 222 472

Healing Works Australia
Crisis resources
Phone: 0488 058 937
Email: info@healing-works.com.au
Facebook: Healing Works Australia
Instagram: @healingworksaustralia

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live and work and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.

[Jodie - Carer Co-Facilitator]

Oh, when I heard about CRAM, I initially thought what a great program it was, but when it got pitched towards CRAM for carers, um being so passionate about not only mental health but also carers, I just knew I had to be here and I'm excited to be a part of it.

[On-screen text]

CRAM 4 Carers Workshop

[Dr Vindi Nanayakkara - Director Forensic Mental Health]

We're talking about some really challenging stuff today and no matter what your experience is, you're going to find yourself reflecting on the content that we talk about.

[Workshop speaker]

The vast majority of people in this country who are carers, don't consider themselves carers. They're family, they're friends.

[Dr Vindi Nanayakkara - Director Forensic Mental Health]

Justice Health and the Forensic Mental Health network have been delivering training in clinical risk assessment and management (CRAM) for over 10 years to mental health clinicians. We feel privileged now to offer this adapted training to family and carers who too often witness or experience aggression in the context of mental health needs.

[Carer 1]

Caring for my 86 year old mother has really caused me to seek, look for ways to support them.

[Carer 2]

I just needed tips on how to manage situations.

[Carer 3]

I'm a carer, peer worker in Northern Sydney Local Health District. Our roles are going to change to people facing customer facing roles and this, I see, is preparation to doing that.

[Kath Jones - Service Director NSW Community Forensic Mental Health Services] 

CRAM 4 carers is a new program that's been co-designed with carers for carers. We want to share information with carers about how clinicians go about understanding, assessing and managing the risk of harm for aggression towards others.

[Dr Tobias Mackinnon - Clinical Director Forensic Mental Health]

Aggression and violence can be symptoms of mental illness. By hearing voices, by feeling suicidal, by being anxious. If patients come with those symptoms and those risks, then it's very important that we manage it.

[Kath Jones - Service Director NSW Community Forensic Mental Health Services] 

The whole purpose of the CRAM 4 carers workshop is to help carers feel more equipped, more confident and more comfortable to be able to communicate their concerns that they have about their loved one.

[Carer 3]

Out of this training, I've got a whole new world of knowledge. I can use this information to promote recovery in the person I care for. 

[Carer 4]

I've been able to look on Google and this workshop's been able to give me answers to my specific situation.

[Kath Jones - Service Director NSW Community Forensic Mental Health Services] 

The workshop offers an opportunity to develop new skills, to develop some confidence and to actually connect with other carers who have been in a similar situation and that's priceless.

[Carer 3]

Carers need all the information they can get all the time and this stuff is not generally available.

[Carer 5]

There's so much to learn, so much things that we can share with other people and our clinicians so we can advocate for our loved ones with our mental health issues.

[Jodie - Carer Co-Facilitator]

I think it's really important for regional and rural areas, which I'm from, to really have access to this kind of education and upskilling and training as carers. Because when we're in a situation where we need to assess risk and present to clinicians, we've got skills and training to help us to do what's right for the people that we care for.

[Dr Vindi Nanayakkara - Director Forensic Mental Health]

We at the Network, want to support and work with our carers and family members and we hope you can attend this training. We hope that you find it useful and most of all we hope that it contributes to your sense of wellbeing and sense of safety.

[Carer 1]

I really believe carers should come to this kind of an event because they're able to receive what I feel I've received today, of being supported, being connected and and being informed and especially to be encouraged. That's why they should come.

[On-screen text]

Please contact your local Carer Peer Worker or Carer Representative.