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CFBS-Forensicare Annual Research Report 2021-2022

The CFBS-Forensicare Annual Research Report 2021-2022 is now available. The Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science (CFBS) is a partnership between Forensicare and Swinburne University of Technology and is Australasia’s leading centre for excellence in the areas of forensic mental health and forensic behavioural science research, teaching and practice development. The Annual Research Report celebrates our achievements in forensic mental health research, promoting innovation, knowledge creation, translation and application of best practice in forensic mental health services. Highlights from the report include:a total of 87 publications in the last [...]

Associate Professor Stephane Shepherd awarded ARC Grant

Associate Professor Stephane Shepherd from the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Sciences at Swinburne University of Technology has been awarded an ARC Discovery Grant for the project ‘Understanding the drivers and motivators of extremist violence’. The project received total funding of $864,680 for the period 2023-26 and will be conducted with fellow researchers Professor Michele Grossman, Professor Michele Pathé and Professor Paul Gill. Despite intense interest in the issue, the understanding of and ability to respond to extremist violence is limited. This [...]

Dr Tessa Maguire awarded 2022 Chris Abderhalden Award

Congratulations to Dr Tessa Maguire who was recently awarded the 2022 Chris Abderhalden Award for Young Researchers in the Field of Aggression in Healthcare at the 12th European Congress on Violence in Clinical Psychiatry.Tessa is a Senior Lecturer in Forensic Mental Health Nursing at Swinburne University of Technology and conducts research with Forensicare as part of the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science (CFBS).Tessa received the award for her project ‘Reducing Inpatient Aggression and Use of Restrictive Interventions’.The Chris Abderhalden [...]

Thomas Embling Hospital Bed Expansion Project – Update October 2022

This week marks the next stage in the landmark expansion of Thomas Embling Hospital, Forensicare’s secure forensic mental health service.On Wednesday, Acting Minister for Mental Health Colin Brooks announced John Holland had been appointed to deliver the $462.5 million project, which will include a new dedicated 34-bed women’s precinct, a 48-bed medium security men’s facility, a new entry complex, onsite carpark and administration facilities.The project Co-design and Engagement Report was also released this week. This follows a comprehensive co-design [...]

The sacrifice you might not know you’re making

Something that comes up often in the reflective practice space is a preparedness to show up for others. And whilst this is admirable and often humbling to witness, it also often occurs at the expense of attending to our own needs and wellbeing. Today, October 10th is World Mental Health Day, with the theme ‘make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority’.In this edition of The Ascent, we highlight the common tendency in health professionals to ‘self-sacrifice’ [...]

Managing burnout

Lately we’ve been hearing a lot about anxiety, fatigue, and exhaustion, and we’ve been feeling this too. Whilst there could be a whole host of explanations for this, two words come up time and again – burnout and stress. It can be hard to differentiate between the two, and indeed some of us may feel like we’re balancing on a fine line between them. This edition of The Ascent explores these experiences more deeply in a bid to try [...]

POSITION STATEMENT | Eliminating restrictive interventions in mental health services

Forensicare acknowledges and supports eliminating the use of restrictive practices within Victorian mental health and wellbeing services. We are committed to working towards safely ending these practices at Forensicare and to continue listening to the voices of consumers, their families, supporters and our staff as we undertake this journey.We do not agree with recent commentary that reducing or eliminating restrictive practices will increase risks to the community and health care workers. However, we recognise the elimination of restrictive interventions [...]

Distinguished Professor James Ogloff

After more than 20 years at Forensicare, Distinguished Professor James Ogloff’s role is changing effective 1 August. Jim will continue to work with Forensicare in an advisory capacity but will step down from his role as Executive Director of Psychological Services and Research.As has recently been announced by our partners at Swinburne University of Technology, Jim has been appointed to the role of Dean of Health Sciences. Forensicare work in partnership with Swinburne University of Technology to operate the [...]

10th International Criminal Justice Conference

The 10th International Criminal Justice Conference will take place from Tuesday 22 November to Thursday 24 November at The Edge at Federation Square in Melbourne. Forensicare are proud to partner with Australian Community Support Organisation (ACSO) and the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science at Swinburne University of Technology to present the conference.The 2022 conference theme is ‘Global Uncertainty. Building Safer and Resilient Communities’. As communities agitate for social reform and disruption on social and health issues such as mental [...]

Learn how to identify and manage compassion fatigue

We’ve been through a lot over the past two years. Although we are likely relieved at some of the return to ‘normality’ that we’ve experienced this year, many of us are noticing that there’s still a haze of fatigue hanging over us. Perhaps the level of emotional capacity that we used to have just hasn’t returned. We’ve also heard people comment on their experience of a dulled response to troubling news, such as the floods in QLD/NSW, the war [...]