Forensic Psycho-Social Mental Health Assessment

A Forensic Psychosocial Mental Health Assessment (FPSMHA) evaluates a person's mental health, social status, and functional capacity within the community.  A Forensic psychosocial Mental health assessment evaluates mental, physical, and emotional health. It considers the client's perception of self and ability to function in the community. A forensic psychosocial mental health assessment is a form of evaluation performed by a mental health professional to provide relevant clinical and scientific data to a legal decision-maker or the litigants involved in family, civil or criminal proceedings.

 

DOORS (Detection of Overall Risk Screen)
Risk assessment, risk identification and safety screening.

The Family Law' Detection of Overall Risk Screen' (known as the DOORS) is a three-part framework that assists separating parents and family law professionals in detecting and respond to wellbeing and safety risks that family members may be experiencing after separation. The DOORS framework screens for risk and supports a cross-disciplinary understanding in the family law system of factors that combine to create a climate of elevated risk for families. As a common screening framework that can be used across multiple services in the family law arena, the DOORS help professionals to detect and respond to safety and wellbeing risks at the client's point of entry into their services. In contrast to specific domestic violence screens, the DOORS broadly defines risk, covering adult, infant and child wellbeing, conflict and communication, parenting stress, and collateral stressors, encouraging the practitioner to evaluate the contribution of all these factors to imminent personal and interpersonal safety risks. The framework facilitates the identification of risk factors and provides pathways towards an effective, coordinated response.

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Family Mediation and Dispute Resolution

The Court expects that people involved in family law disputes will only make an application to the Court when there is no other readily available means of resolving their dispute. There is an expectation that people in dispute will attempt to resolve conflicts by compromise, discussion, and dispute resolution if it is safe. Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) is mandatory in parenting matters, with limited exceptions, before any application can be filed. Dispute resolution is a broad term that includes negotiation through lawyers, collaborative practice, conciliation, mediation or FDR and arbitration. The expectation to continue seeking opportunities to resolve disputes applies before and during proceedings. Mediation is a way of resolving disputes between people in conflict, usually facilitated by a neutral person. Separated families are encouraged to use family mediation to help resolve their disputes about children instead of using the family law courts. When a family disagrees about arrangements for children after separation, an FDR practitioner provides facilitative family mediation. An FDR practitioner is an independent person trained in mediation and negotiation and specialising in family disputes. They are neutral and do not take sides with any people involved in the mediation. They will facilitate the process by encouraging people to discuss issues in dispute. They are trained in working in a family law environment and in responding to domestic and family violence. They are also trained in creating a supportive environment, particularly for the safety of vulnerable people. They should provide a safe environment for people to discuss and clarify issues and feel safe to disagree openly. An FDR practitioner is accredited under the standards set out in the Family Law (Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners) Regulations 2008. FDR is a form of mediation facilitated by an independent and registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (FDRP). FDR is a practical way for separating families to resolve disagreements and make arrangements for the future without going to Court. If you reach an agreement with the assistance of an FDRP, you can enter into a parenting plan or file an Application for Consent Orders so that the agreement is made into binding court orders. If you cannot agree, you can request that the FDRP issue a certificate.

 

60I Certificate Service

In Australia, it is broadly accepted that parents should try to resolve their dispute using an accredited family mediation service before starting an application with the Family Court. Accredited family mediators (or Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) practitioners) can issue Section 60I certificates to parents in a specific set of circumstances outlined below. Once a parent has a Section 60I certificate, they can initiate Family Court proceedings or use a family lawyer. Except in limited circumstances, the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) (the Act) requires you to obtain a certificate from a registered FDRP before you file an application for an order concerning a child under Part VII of the Act. Part VII of the Act covers applications for several different types of orders relating to children. The most common are applications for parenting orders, which ask a court to make orders about which parent a child lives with, spends time with, or communicates with.

The certificates, known as section 60I certificates, can be issued only on the basis that:

1. one party refused to attend the FDR;

2. the FDRP was of the view the matter was not appropriate to conduct FDR;

3. both parties attended and made a genuine effort to resolve the dispute;

4. both parties attended, but one did not make a genuine effort or;

5. FDR began, but the FDRP determined it was not appropriate to continue.

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New Ways Counselling, Coaching, And Mediation ("New Ways")

People with high conflict personalities exhibit blaming, all-or-nothing thinking, high levels of emotion and extreme behaviour that make it hard to help them with ordinary conflict resolution techniques. They get stuck in the systems and processes and need something new. New Ways methods are advanced training designed for professionals with their stakeholders– clients, employees, coaches, or young people. New Ways focuses on teaching or using four simple skills that help people learn to manage their emotions, use flexible thinking, take responsibility for their actions, and have moderate behaviours so they can move forward. You can't undo a high-conflict personality. However, many can learn the necessary skills to use at work, at home, in life, in school, and meditation.

New Ways for Families® Counselling: A structured method for family law counsellors to help divorcing or separating parents learn the 4 Big Skills to turn down the conflict flame and improve co-parenting skills.

 

New Ways for Mediation℠

A structured method specifically for high-conflict cases, focusing on teaching clients four simple skills to use within a simple structure, keeping the focus on problem-solving and away from venting about the past and making rigid, extreme demands.

 

New Ways for Life™

A unique method for counsellors, youth leaders, parents, or others to teach the 4 Big Skills to young people between 12 and 17.

 

New Ways for Families® Coaching

A structured method for family law coaches to help divorcing or separating parents learn the 4 Big Skills through the online class to turn down the conflict flame and improve co-parenting skills.

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New Ways for Work®

A structured coaching method for HR and EAP professionals, coaches, and others to teach the 4 Big Skills to employees or anyone in the workplace to resolve conflicts before they lead to grievances and lawsuits.

 

Pre-sentencing reports (PSR)

A pre-sentence report may be required after the defendant is found guilty and the Court is considering the appropriate sentence. The report provides background information on the defendant including personal history and circumstances such as living arrangements, education and employment status, future plans, health and mental condition, finances and commitments. It allows the Court to make an informed decision on the sentence.

 

Behaviour Change Program (BCP)

A Behaviour Change Program is a strategy designed to help individuals adopt positive and healthy habits and behaviours when in trouble or facing implications due to crimes committed. The Behaviour Change Program is focussed on clients where offences have taken place and where there is a desire or need for behaviour change. A Certificate of Completion is provided for Educational Institutes or for the purpose of Court. The Behavioural change program is embedded in dialectical behaviour change theory. It focuses on thoughts – behaviour choice– and how to change. The Behaviour Change Program can help with: Impulsive, reckless, and disruptive behaviours. Mood swings and anger outbursts. Emotional dysregulation. Depression and anxiety. Dark thoughts. Relationship conflict. Self-harm. Violent and harmful thoughts towards others. Feelings of rage, anger, annoyance. Disordered and Impulsive behaviour. Substance use. Offending behaviour. Bad habits. The focus of the program is on: Strengthen relationships. Cope with difficult emotions and learn how to emotionally regulate. Overcome restlessness. Soothe oneself. Work through conflict. Learn self-respect and self-compassion. Learn to respect yourself and others and the environment. Recognise emotions. Reach regulations and emotional management of the self.