The Person Centre
Domestic and Family Violence - Missing Link Proposal - 2023
EARLY INTERVENTION AND CULTURAL CHANGE – ADDRESSING PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOURS
PROPOSALThis proposal is that court ordered assessments be introduced as a condition of selected Apprehended Violence Orders (AVOs), enabling a qualified counsellor to assess risks and refer AVO defendants to appropriate treatment or services.
PURPOSE AND PROPOSED OUTCOMESThis early intervention will reduce family violence, AVO contravention, criminalisation, incarceration, family breakdown, and socioeconomic distress. Court ordered assessments and appropriate referrals will keep families together and facilitate cultural change by addressing the underlying drivers of problematic behaviours before those behaviours escalate.
HOW IT WOULD WORKA simple condition would be added to selected AVOs directing the defendant to see a trained counsellor made available through the court. The counsellor would then identify underlying issues driving the problematic behaviours and refer to appropriate treatments or services, such as alcohol and illicit drug treatment, Mental Health services, gambling and financial support services, relationship counselling, trauma informed psychotherapy and so on.
WHY IS THIS NEEDED?While supporting victims of domestic violence is imperative, cultural change won’t happen until we address problematic behaviours and attitudes. Currently AVO conditions are designed to protect victims, but the core underlying issues driving domestic violence are not adequately addressed. This leads to harsher AVO conditions, incarceration, and more harmful reoffending. The opportunity to keep families together, improve problematic behaviours, and evolve our culture is being lost. Criminalisation and incarceration exacerbate oppositional attitudes and family friction. While programs are available through Corrective Services, these are usually provided after the family has already become separated, and oppositional attitudes entrenched. Voluntary services are rarely accessed by those at the ‘pre-contemplative’ stage of change.
IMPLEMENTING THIS PROPOSAL
Four main steps are required for this project to be implemented:1. AUTHORISE THE ADDITIONAL AVO CONDITIONSubject to Communities and Justice approval
2. SET UP A BODY TO OVERSEE THE PROJECTA project coordinator will be required to set up the project structure, logistics, and counselling and referral guidelines.
3. COUNSELLING ROOMS IN OR NEAR THE COURT LOCATIONCounselling rooms will be required in Court buildings or nearby facilities such as probation and parole. Alternatively, an external provider may secure appropriate facilities near Court locations.
4. PROVIDE THE COUNSELLING AND REFERRAL SERVICECounsellors will be adequately trained in establishing rapport using a client focused modality. Counsellors could come from with Communities and Justice or be provided by an external provider. Larger court locations may require a clinical coordinator.
Referrals would be made to local agencies according to established guidelines.
THE COUNSELLING AND REFERRAL PROCESS Counselling, assessment, and referral will be quite straight forward. The counsellor will simply talk to the defendant about what has been going on, ascertain how to address the core issues driving the problematic behaviour, then refer to appropriate interventions and services.The main drivers for domestic violence include:• Alcohol and drug use• Mental Health or personality disorder• Financial stress and gambling• Relationship problems• Trauma• Poor behavioural modelling Existing services are available to address these core drivers, including rehabilitation services, Mental Health services, financial and relationship counselling, men’s groups, community programs, and psychology or psychotherapeutic services. Once the counsellor establishes a rapport as an advocate for the defendant, appropriate referrals can be made. Following through on these referrals should not be a requirement of the court at this stage as, even if there is resistance, the issues will have been identified and reflected back to the defendant. This alone can be enough to commence the behaviour change process.
FUNDINGFunding requirements will depend on the scale of the roll-out. An initial trial in one or two court locations would involve a project coordinator, counsellors, and counselling rooms which may be accessible to some extent from within Communities and Justice. If the project were rolled out on a larger scale, funding for administration, clinical coordinators, qualified counsellors, and counselling rooms will be required. The project could then be managed either from within Communities and Justice or by an external provider.
PROPOSALThis proposal is that court ordered assessments be introduced as a condition of selected Apprehended Violence Orders (AVOs), enabling a qualified counsellor to assess risks and refer AVO defendants to appropriate treatment or services.
PURPOSE AND PROPOSED OUTCOMESThis early intervention will reduce family violence, AVO contravention, criminalisation, incarceration, family breakdown, and socioeconomic distress. Court ordered assessments and appropriate referrals will keep families together and facilitate cultural change by addressing the underlying drivers of problematic behaviours before those behaviours escalate.
HOW IT WOULD WORKA simple condition would be added to selected AVOs directing the defendant to see a trained counsellor made available through the court. The counsellor would then identify underlying issues driving the problematic behaviours and refer to appropriate treatments or services, such as alcohol and illicit drug treatment, Mental Health services, gambling and financial support services, relationship counselling, trauma informed psychotherapy and so on.
WHY IS THIS NEEDED?While supporting victims of domestic violence is imperative, cultural change won’t happen until we address problematic behaviours and attitudes. Currently AVO conditions are designed to protect victims, but the core underlying issues driving domestic violence are not adequately addressed. This leads to harsher AVO conditions, incarceration, and more harmful reoffending. The opportunity to keep families together, improve problematic behaviours, and evolve our culture is being lost. Criminalisation and incarceration exacerbate oppositional attitudes and family friction. While programs are available through Corrective Services, these are usually provided after the family has already become separated, and oppositional attitudes entrenched. Voluntary services are rarely accessed by those at the ‘pre-contemplative’ stage of change.
IMPLEMENTING THIS PROPOSAL
Four main steps are required for this project to be implemented:1. AUTHORISE THE ADDITIONAL AVO CONDITIONSubject to Communities and Justice approval
2. SET UP A BODY TO OVERSEE THE PROJECTA project coordinator will be required to set up the project structure, logistics, and counselling and referral guidelines.
3. COUNSELLING ROOMS IN OR NEAR THE COURT LOCATIONCounselling rooms will be required in Court buildings or nearby facilities such as probation and parole. Alternatively, an external provider may secure appropriate facilities near Court locations.
4. PROVIDE THE COUNSELLING AND REFERRAL SERVICECounsellors will be adequately trained in establishing rapport using a client focused modality. Counsellors could come from with Communities and Justice or be provided by an external provider. Larger court locations may require a clinical coordinator.
Referrals would be made to local agencies according to established guidelines.
THE COUNSELLING AND REFERRAL PROCESS Counselling, assessment, and referral will be quite straight forward. The counsellor will simply talk to the defendant about what has been going on, ascertain how to address the core issues driving the problematic behaviour, then refer to appropriate interventions and services.The main drivers for domestic violence include:• Alcohol and drug use• Mental Health or personality disorder• Financial stress and gambling• Relationship problems• Trauma• Poor behavioural modelling Existing services are available to address these core drivers, including rehabilitation services, Mental Health services, financial and relationship counselling, men’s groups, community programs, and psychology or psychotherapeutic services. Once the counsellor establishes a rapport as an advocate for the defendant, appropriate referrals can be made. Following through on these referrals should not be a requirement of the court at this stage as, even if there is resistance, the issues will have been identified and reflected back to the defendant. This alone can be enough to commence the behaviour change process.
FUNDINGFunding requirements will depend on the scale of the roll-out. An initial trial in one or two court locations would involve a project coordinator, counsellors, and counselling rooms which may be accessible to some extent from within Communities and Justice. If the project were rolled out on a larger scale, funding for administration, clinical coordinators, qualified counsellors, and counselling rooms will be required. The project could then be managed either from within Communities and Justice or by an external provider.