Thursday 21 August 2014

Government welcomes report on Crimes (Mental Impairment) Act

The Victorian Government has welcomed the Victorian Law Reform Commission’s Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997 Report which was tabled in Parliament today.

The Victorian Government asked the Commission to review the Act and report on what may be done to improve its operation.

Attorney-General Robert Clark said the Victorian Government would consider the Report’s 107 recommendations in detail.

“I would like to thank the Victorian Law Reform Commission for their comprehensive and informative report,” Mr Clark said.

“The report highlights a range of issues to help ensure people who may be unfit to plead are treated appropriately by the justice system and that the community is protected.

“The reforms suggested in this report include a range of legislative and procedural changes relevant to a range of government departments and agencies and all levels of courts.”

The report considers issues including the definition of mental impairment, the application of the Act in the Magistrates’ and Children’s courts, the process for determining fitness to stand trial and the operation of supervision orders.

“The Government is committed to ensuring those affected by mental impairment are treated justly and appropriately by the justice system while also ensuring that the community is properly safeguarded from the risk of further criminal acts,” Mr Clark said.

Mr Clark said the Victorian Government has already introduced legislation to amend the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act to provide the Children’s Court with power to hear cases where a child’s mental functioning is at issue.

“These changes relate to children who were mentally impaired at the time of an alleged offence or may be unfit to stand trial,” Mr Clark said.

“The changes will make specific provision for the Children’s Court to hear these cases and to make appropriate orders, thus avoiding the need for these cases to be transferred unnecessarily to the higher courts.

“These changes were introduced ahead of the VLRC’s report to enable the issues with the current law to be resolved. The Government will now consider whether any further changes should be made to provisions relating to children in light of the VLRC’s report.”

Mary Wooldridge MP
State Member for Doncaster
Minister for Mental Health
Minister for Community Services
Minister for Disability Services and Reform

2/1020 Doncaster Road
Doncaster East 3109
ph) 9841 5166
mary.wooldridge@parliament.vic.gov.au
www.marywooldridge.com
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The recommissioning of Mental Health Community Support Services (MHCSS) is now complete.  The Hon Mary Woodridge MP, Minister for Mental Health has announced the succesful organisations selected to deliver services in the fifteen catchment areas. 

The Mental Health Community Support Sevices (formerly known as PDRSS) will deliver flexible client support packages.

“While supporting people to develop the life skills to live well in the community and better manage their mental illness remains central, there will be a stronger focus on helping clients to secure and maintain stable housing, develop relationships, improve their health and wellbeing, or find suitable employment.

The majority of the MHCSS funding ($60 million per annum) will be spent on delivery of Individualised Client Support Packages. This includes $2.5 million per annum in new funding.

Fourteen providers (involving 19 individual agencies) will deliver these support packages. In many catchments, clients will have the choice of three providers.

The second key change is the new local intake assessment service which will make it easy for people with a psychiatric disability and referring agencies to access support and to exercise more choice over this support.” (quote from Ministerial Communique Number 5)

Approved Providers by Catchment and Function in Bayside
Bayside includes LGAs: Cities of Bayside, Glen Eira, Kingston, Port Phillip and Stonnington
Individual Support Packages: Inner South Community Health, The Uniting Church of Australia (in partnership with Sacred Heart Mission)
Youth Residential Rehabilitation: Neami (Moorabbin)
Catchment-based Intake Assessment: Neami
Catchment-based Planning: The Uniting Church of Australia

The Mental Health Bill 2014 has been introduced to the Victorian Parliament.  The document is now public and can be accessed via this link: http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/LDMS/PubP
Docs.nsf/ee665e366dcb6cb0ca256da400837f6b/d5f4227eea352e41ca257c8300112bd7!OpenDocument

Additional information can be accessed via the Department of Health Mental Health Reform webpage: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealth/mhactreform/

INFORMATION AND SUPPORT FOR CONSUMERS
Link to the VMIAC Website: http://www.vmiac.org.au

Link to VMIAC’S MHA Page: http://www.vmiac.org.au/mha.php

Link to VMIAC’S latest news on the new Mental Health Act: http://www.vmiac.org.au/MHA-update.php

INFORMATION AND SUPPORT FOR CARERS
Link to the Victorian Mental Health Carers Network: http://www.carersnetwork.org.au/