Improving support to offenders with disability

Directorate: Offender Management and Programs

Division: Corrective Services NSW

Project summary

The project will increase staff skills in disability awareness and behavior management as well as improving understanding of the NDIS, so inmates can be assisted to obtain the most appropriate supports.

Focus Area: 

• Improving access to mainstream services through better systems and processes.

Project objective

The project aims to create an inclusive environment for all inmates.

The project will reduce reoffending and provide reintegration support into the community.

It will increase support for offenders with complex needs.

The project will remodel the different units by providing Assessment Unit and Treatment Pathway Unit.

A section will be dedicated to the Violent Offender Treatment Program – Specific Needs.

Pre-release unit - connecting offenders with external agencies to support the their transition into the community

The challenge

Increase staff understanding of how best to support offenders with disabilities.

Concerns have been raised by custodial staff working in the Mental Health Screening Unit (MHSU) regarding the lack of training in managing complex mental health behaviours.

Increase staff understanding of NDIA and NDIS.

NDIS is a relatively new reform (implemented over the last three years). There are opportunities to increase understanding of:

• The process - including referral
• Support provided by State-wide Disability Services including Access Referral Forms (ARF's)
• Increase knowledge of the different roles within NDIS and linkages with case planning/reintegration.

Why is this important?

The benefit of this project:

• Reduce reoffending by increasing offending behaviour programs and reintegration support within the Additional Support Unit at MSPC.
• Increase support for offenders with complex needs both in custody and in the community.
• Streamline the case management pathway in the Additional Support Unit (ASU) with a focus on reintegration planning (similar to the High Intensity Program Units).
• Ensure all offenders with intellectual disability located in the ASU have a case plan regardless of sentence status.

What will success look like?

All inmates have a case plan regardless of sentence status

• PARRC Assessment conducted
• Functional Needs identified
• Case plans also reflect disability supports.
• Include NDIS funding and support coordinators, behavioural specialists.

Intervention Pathways identified regardless of sentence status because of complex needs.

Pathway includes:

• Capacity building
• Resilience building
• Desistance
• Life Skills
• Critical thinking
• Problem Solving

Cultural Programs

Support from NGO’s

Cultural Programs - Aboriginal Policy and Strategy Unit (APSU)

How will you measure success?

• Number of case plans
• Number of participants in programs
• Number of completions from programs
• Reintegration supports
• Reduction in Reoffending

Status report

Current Status: Completed

Date: June 2022

Status Notes:

June 2022

Implementation of tasks listed completed

May 2021

Planning stage is complete. Project Plan approved.

Currently in delivery stage. Implementation scheduled for June 2021. 

Products Developed: 

• Communication Plan Behaviour Support Plan revised 
• Development of NDIS Procedure
• Intake procedure reviewed
• Workload Model revised
• Training for staff commenced including criminogenic progrmas such as CONNECT and TRIP.
• Cultural Strengthening commenced.

Activities

In progress - Specifc Needs Policy Development of ASU Procedure Development of Structured Timetable with implementation: June 2021

Activities evidence milestones to date (May 2021)

• Focus Group for Additional Support Unit completed 
• Training provided to Offender Services and Programs Staff in CONNECT, TRIP and Cultural Strengthening  
• Intake Procedure revised and updated 
• Behaviour Support Plan revised and updated
• NDIS capacity building SI being developed
• Easy Read documents being developed
• Communication Plan updated
• NDIS procedure developed and with Director for sign off 
• Cultural Strengthening training provided by Aboriginal Strategy and Policy Unit.