Providing support and treatment for people with a cognitive impairment involved in the criminal justice system.
Forensic Disability Services supports people with cognitive impairment involved in the criminal justice system, who require specialist support and adapted intervention to address criminogenic needs. The program operates alongside the broader justice and disability service system and other mainstream services, to address disability specific factors contributing to a person’s risk of offending.
To be eligible for Forensic Disability Services a person must have a cognitive impairment because of a neurological disability, acquired brain injury or intellectual disability within the definition of the Disability Act.
Forensic Disability Services comprises the following services:
Forensic Disability Statewide Access Service (FDSAS)
FDSAS is a statewide intake and referral service for people seeking access to Forensic Disability Services. It provides a single point of entry and information for the Forensic Disability programs.
FDSAS can be contacted on 1300 390 709 or email ForensicDisability.Access@dffh.vic.gov.au
Forensic Disability Clinical Service (FDCS)
FDCS provides offence-related and offence-specific assessment and treatment programs which are targeted to people with cognitive disability. The programs aim to address criminogenic behaviour, as well as other behaviour of concern related to disability, to reduce risk of offending. FCDS also provides behaviour support planning and consultancy to other services and providers about the person’s forensic disability treatment and support needs.
The service also includes Youth Forensic Disability Clinical Services which is an expansion of the existing Forensic Disability Clinical Service and works with young people (10-21) and the support systems around them, such as their families, carers, care team or residential staff.
Disability Justice Coordination (DJC)
DJC assesses and coordinates supports and treatment to address the forensic disability needs of people with a cognitive impairment and helps them to meet the conditions of their bail, parole and/or court order.
Forensic Residential Services (FRS)
FRS is a network of secure and non-secure statewide houses and units that provide accommodation where a person with forensic disability treatment and support needs requires a residential setting to reduce their behaviours of concerns and increase their adaptive functioning skills. These services aim to provide clinical treatment and a therapeutic environment, integrating forensic clinical and disability direct care supports.
Specialist Forensic Disability Accommodation (SFDA)
SFDA is a network of 12 community based residential services primarily operated by Community Service Organisations providing specialised disability accommodation to people with a cognitive disability involved in the justice system who require additional forensic disability supports not otherwise available or funded through the NDIS. These services are joint funded by the NDIS and FDS.