Inside Outside Recovery Project

The Mental Health Commission of NSW is reviewing evidence about trauma-informed recovery approaches in the justice and forensic mental health systems. In addition to a review of the research and literature, a survey of people with mental health issues and experience of these two systems as well as a survey of professionals are being conducted.

The Commission invites you to share your professional experience and what you have learned. The survey is likely to take 20-30 minutes. Please note that each page is saved when you use the "Next" button (so you can continue from the same place if the connection is lost).

Responses are anonymous and confidential. You may wish to provide an email address so that you can receive updates about the project.

You can also choose to have your responses sent to your preferred email address.

The information you and others provide will not be used in anyway that can identify an individual.

The Commission will use information gained through this project to provide guidance to assist the introduction or strengthening of trauma-informed recovery approaches within the justice and forensic mental health systems and to thereby, create more therapeutic environments.

For more information or for assistance to respond to the survey, you can contact Dr Leanne Craze, the lead researcher on: Leanne.Craze@bigpond.com or M 0408 869 051

If you are having any technical difficulties with the survey, or if you need a PDF of the survey so that you can provide written responses, you can contact Ross Craze on: Ross.Craze@bigpond.com or T 02 4625 777 or M 0428 242 879

If you have concerns about this survey, you can contact Elizabeth Hewitt from the Commission on:  Elizabeth.Hewitt@mhc.nsw.gov.au or  T 02 9859 5234

This survey is open until 21st March 2017.
Before you start, here are a couple of key definitions.

Recovery - There is no single definition or description of recovery. Australia’s national framework for recovery oriented mental health services defines recovery as being able to create and live a meaningful and contributing life in a community of choice with or without the presence of mental health issues.

Recovery approaches - Recovery approaches recognise the strengths and capacity of all people experiencing mental health issues and recognise and embrace the possibilities for recovery and wellbeing. Recovery approaches maximise self-determination and self management of mental health and wellbeing.

Trauma informed approaches - Trauma informed approaches recognise and acknowledge trauma and how common it is, alongside awareness and sensitivity to its dynamics, in all aspects of service delivery (MHCC). An essential component of a trauma informed approach is that services do not inflict any additional trauma on the person, or reactivate their past traumatic experiences (MHPOD). 

Forensic mental health systems and settings - This refers to services provided by the NSW Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network (JHFMHN) including for example: the Statewide Community and Court Liaison Service (SCCLS), Community Correctional Mental Health Service (CCMHS) and Community Forensic Mental Health Service (CFMHS), inpatient services in the community including in the forensic units at Bloomfield, Cumberland and Morisset hospitals, services provided by Community Mental Health Teams and mental health services provided to the Forensic and Long Bay Hospitals. Working alongside this network is a range of non-government organisations providing primary health care, housing, psycho-social and recovery support, drug and alcohol services, counselling, education and training, employment and other services.

Justice systems and settings - This refers to an adult correctional facility or a youth justice facility or service as well as programs provided in the community.

The Project's target groups - The Inside Outside Recovery Project is focussed on people with mental health issues who have experience of the justice and/or forensic mental heath systems including for example:

    - in hospital
    - in a correctional or justice facility
    - living in the community under a mental health order
    - living in the community on probation, on parole or on another correctional or court order.
 
 17% of survey complete.

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