Justice Health NSW has a range of mental health services for patients in contact with the criminal justice and forensic mental health systems.
Mental health specialists work with patients in these settings to promote mental wellbeing, prevent mental illness, reduce the impact of mental illness and support recovery.
Justice Health NSW supports patients with mental health issues in these settings by:
- Conducting mental health assessments for adults and young people appearing before the Local and Children’s Courts and providing advice to magistrates regarding diversion options for people with identified mental illness.
- Providing inpatient mental health care to patients, through the Long Bay Hospital and high-secure Forensic Hospital
- Providing specialist mental health care to adults in correctional centres, including care for older people and pregnant women.
- Running a 24/7 dedicated Mental Health Helpline, which provides advice and referrals for patients in correctional centres, their relatives and carers, as well as staff of the Network, Corrective Services NSW and local health districts.
- Assisting young people in Youth Justice centres to access community-based health services when they are released.
- Providing specialist forensic assessments and advice to local health district clinicians on the treatment and management of forensic and high-risk civil patients in the community.