BANKSIA HILL DETENTION
CENTRE
900. Hon Dr BRAD PETTITT to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Corrective Services:
I refer to responses to my
additional questions 3(b)(i), 3(b)(ii) and 5(a) during the 2022–23
budget estimate hearings and the responses received.
(1) Can the
minister please explain why the Department of Justice only met on an ''ad
hoc'' basis with various elements of the mental health system when
Banksia Hill Detention Centre has recorded shockingly high self-harm and
attempted suicide numbers of 285 and 20 respectively during 2022?
(2) Can the
minister please explain the difference between a ''distinct lockdown
event'' and ''amount of time a young person is locked down''?
(3) Can the
minister please provide a date or tentative date for the commencement of the
new operating philosophy and service model for Banksia Hill; and if no date has
been set, can he please explain why and when this will happen?
Hon
MATTHEW SWINBOURN replied:
I thank the member for some notice
of the question. The following information has been provided to me by the
Minister for Corrective Services.
(1) The Department of Justice provides mental health
services and supports to young people in custody. These services and
supports are delivered by departmental staff and externally contracted
services. They include forensic, clinical and counselling masters level
psychologists, psychiatric assessments and intervention, mental health nursing staff, therapeutic programs
and numerous enrichment activities to support emotional wellbeing. Engagement and consultation with the
wider mental health system occurs when needed to avoid duplication of
service to young people. The engagement and consultation with the mental health
system can be in relation to an individual
young person's specific circumstances, to assist with the development
of new processes, responses and interventions or to address impediments
to ensure seamless service delivery between custody and when a young person is
released to the community.
(2) The term ''distinct
lockdown'' was not intended to differentiate between types of lockdowns.
Lockdowns are recorded for individuals, not for the site.
(3) The new
operating philosophy and service model is and will continue to be implemented.