Family Violence Information Sharing Requests

FAMILY VIOLENCE STATEMENT

Forensicare recognises that family violence has serious and significant implications for victims, perpetrators and the wider community. Family violence is a fundamental violation of human rights and is unacceptable. The protection of victim survivors must be a priority.

Forensicare is committed to empowering the safety and recovery of all Victorians living with mental illness to live
free from family violence by:

holding those who perpetrate violence accountable
ensuring the protection of women, children, families and all people that experience family violence
being responsive to the safety, wellbeing and needs of victim survivors.

Our approach aligns with the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) Framework and:

is trauma and violence informed
will respond using an intersectional lens to victim survivors, people using violence, their children and families
take a victim and person-centered approach
we work with people using violence in a victim-survivor focused, safe and non-collusive way
is driven by co-design with consumers, carers, and people with lived experience of family violence and mental illness
is sustained through its strong and collaborative community connections and partnerships

Forensicare, in alignment with our Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework (MARAM) responsibilities, welcomes the opportunity to work collaboratively and build relationships with external services to ensure safe client outcomes.

Please note: Forensicare is one of several contracted mental health providers for Justice Health and are based within some prisons across Victoria. Clients/consumers in custody who have an identified mental illness may be receiving support from another contracted provider. These requests are best directed to Justice Health.

For information with regard to clients/consumers who are in custody but do not have an identified mental illness (and therefore will not receive support from Forensicare or other contracted provider), please contact Corrections Victoria.

Information Sharing Requests: Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS) and Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS)

Forensicare is an authorised Information Sharing Entity (ISE) and the information provided has been disclosed under Part 5A of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 or Part 6A of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005. It is provided in good faith in order to:

reduce the risk of potential family violence or the continuation of family violence and/or
promote the wellbeing or safety of a child or group of children.

To make a request, please download and complete the form below. Your request will require the following information:

confirmation that your organisation or program is prescribed as an ISE or RAE under the Family Violence Protection (Information Sharing) Regulations 2018 or as an ISE under the Child Wellbeing and Safety (Information Sharing) Regulations 2018. (To check if your organisation is prescribed as an RAE or ISE and authorised under FVISS, CISS or both you can enter your details here – ISE LIST)
your name and job title
the scheme under which you are making a request (FVISS or CISS)
any factors indicating the urgency (high, medium, low) of the request to enable prioritisation.

FVISS only

You will be asked the following:

the grounds for determining the person is a perpetrator or victim survivor to enable us to form a reasonable belief when asking for information for a protection purpose
confirmation that you have obtained valid consent from the adult victim survivor or adult third party to request that enables Forensicare release information under the FVIS (or a statement indicating why this consent has not been sought and obtained) OR confirmation that the risk is serious/imminent, and consent is not required
if a child or young person under 18 years is involved, whether their views have been sought or grounds for determining that it was not safe, reasonable, or appropriate to do so.

CISS only

How the information will promote a child or children’s wellbeing or safety, and what activity the information will be used for:
- making a decision, an assessment or a plan relating to a child or group of children
- initiating or conducting an investigation relating to a child or group of children
- providing a service relating to a child or group of children
- managing any risk to a child or group of children.
Confirmation that the requesting ISE has sought the views of the child or parent/relevant family members to request that Forensicare release information under the CIS (or a statement indicating why it was not safe, reasonable or appropriate to do so).

Please download and complete the form below to assist us to respond to your request. Email the completed form to health.information@forensicare.vic.gov.au:

Forensicare FVISS and CISS Request Form

Voluntary sharing of information

Voluntary sharing of information is permitted under the schemes for the following purposes:

to reduce the risk of potential family violence or the continuation of family violence and/or
to promote the wellbeing or safety of a child or group of children.

This is permitted under Part 5A of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 or Part 6A of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005.

Below is a form you may submit to voluntarily share information if you do not know the primary clinician. This form will require:

details of the individual the voluntary share is about
the reason for sharing the information and under which scheme you are authorised under
information shared and supporting attachments
indicate whether you would like follow up contact from the primary clinician
if known, the name of the primary clinician/program.

Please download and complete the form below to assist us to respond to your request. Email the completed form to health.information@forensicare.vic.gov.au:

Forensicare FVISS and CISS Request and Voluntary Share Form

Submitting your form

Completed forms should be directed to health.information@forensicare.vic.gov.au. We will aim to respond to your request promptly.

Forensicare, in alignment with MARAM responsibilities, welcomes the opportunity to work collaboratively and build relationships with external services for safe client outcomes.

More information

For any questions about your request, please contact health.information@forensicare.vic.gov.au.