Application of a model for the development of a mental health service delivery collaboration between police and the health service.

Changing societal trends have revealed an increased prevalence of mental illness and diminished health resources from which to offer services. This has lead to a need to develop new and more efficient police and health service models of practice. Services offered by the police department in the management of mental health crisis in the community are essential in minimising the risk of individuals with mental health problems causing harm to themselves or a member of the public. In addressing the difficulties associated with police playing an important role in the management of mental health crisis in the community, but having little training in mental health issues, this paper discusses a proposed innovation for New South Wales police in Australia through the development of a Crisis Intervention Team model.

A Prison Mental Health Screening Unit: a first for New South Wales.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this paper are to provide a description of a newly available service the Mental Health Screening Unit (MHSU), within the NSW prison system and to present the first 12 months in terms of the patients, its adaptations and its limitations. METHODS: The first section of this paper provides a thorough description of the MHSU. The second looks at data collected for the period 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007. A variety of databases were utilized as sources. RESULTS: There were a total of 604 admissions. The most common primary diagnoses were schizophrenia-related disorders. There were relatively few adverse incidents, and 18% of the acute unit population were transferred to the Long Bay Prison Hospital. CONCLUSION: The MHSU had a considerable throughput of patients and managed a range of severe mental illnesses. The initial objectives of the MHSU have broadly been achieved. There are several future areas of research discussed.