The NT Community Visitor Program

The Northern Territory Community Visitor Program (CVP) is an independent statutory service. It is located within the Anti-Discrimination Commission to preserve its independence.

Its aim is to ensure the rights of those receiving treatment under the NT Mental Health and Related Services Act 1998 (MHRSA) are upheld and their views and concerns are heard.

Additionally, the CVP’s responsibilities are defined in Part 6 of the NT Disability Services Act 1993. The CVP’s role involves ensuring the rights of persons with a Complex Cognitive Disability, who are subject to a supervision order under Part IIA of the NT Criminal Code Act 1983, are upheld, while also providing an avenue for their voices and concerns to be heard.

In broad terms, the CVP has advocacy, monitoring, inspection, and complaint handling functions, working from a rights-based, person-centred approach with persons who engage with the program voluntarily.

Community Visitors are people employed by the CVP.

Who can contact a Community Visitor?

Any person who is receiving treatment under the MHRSA or living in a residence defined under the Disability Services Act as a 'Secure Care Facility’ or ‘Appropriate Place. Additionally family, friends, support persons, guardians or service providers (including staff) of these persons can contact the CVP. Note is made that engagement with the CVP is voluntary and we require consent from the person receiving treatment

Our Services

Complaints

In general, the CVP aims to resolve complaints and enquiries swiftly by working with the person making the complaint and with staff from mental health and disability.

A complaint can be made by phone, in person or in writing or by completing the online form.

Make a complaint online

Advocacy

Sometimes, a person who is receiving treatment believes that issues of significance to him or her are not receiving adequate attention from staff.

Worrying about personal issues may have a considerable impact on the quality of your inpatient stay or experience of treatment.  The CVP sees its advocacy role as extremely important and works to ensure that the views and wishes of the person being treated are heard.

About our advocacy services

Monitoring

Community visitors panels are largely responsible for the monitoring of psychiatric inpatient services in the Territory.

Section 111 of the Mental Health and Related Services Act provides that a community visitors panel must visit the inpatient unit for which it is established at least once every six months.

The panels have been conducting regular visits since 2004, and are now focussing on a particular theme during each visit.

About our monitoring services

Inspection

The Principal Community Visitor is required to ensure that seclusion and mechanical restraint registers held at each inpatient unit are inspected at least once every six months.

The legal member of community visitors panels may, during a panel visit to an inpatient facility, also inspect the seclusion register held at the facility.

About our inspection services