This is my first Community Visitor Program (CVP) Annual report and is delivered as the Acting Principal Community Visitor. I have been involved with the program for a number of years, as a panel member, a sessional and working alongside the team for 14 years in the Director role at the Anti-Discrimination Commission. i was in the Acting Commissioner and Acting Principal Community Visitor roles since late January 2023.

I would like to acknowledge the Acting Manager of CVP during this reporting period - Hiltrud Kivelitz. She continued to deliver the CVP program during periods of high staff absence, including prolonged periods where she was the only employee in the program. Despite this she maintained a 100% response rate to enquiry requests. Hiltrud worked tirelessly to ensure enquires and complaints were resolved at the lowest possible level with positive outcomes for persons requesting support from the service. Hiltrud has a strong person-centred approach and maintained on going supports for persons accessing the program. I am very appreciative of her commitment and unwavering support during this period.

This year in reporting I would like to highlight some of the good works that have been happening across the Territory, but also ensure there is focus on an ongoing commitment to quality, improvement and meeting the evolving needs of persons accessing Northern Territory Government run Mental Health and Forensic Disability Services.

CVP would like to thank the Mental Health Services in the Top End and Central Australia for continuing to be supportive of the work of CVP. CVP have been thankful for the fast and efficient responses from services, that have resulted in a number of positive outcomes for persons who are, at times, in unfamiliar Mental Health Settings.

Top End Mental Health Services (TEMHS) have continued to grow its ‘Recovery Hub’ formally known as the Activities Centre. This is a wonderful example of a supported therapeutic environment for consumers on the Mental Health wards to express their feelings and have their wellbeing nurtured in a safe and therapeutic environment. This is a service CVP would like to see replicated across all Mental Health Inpatient services in the NT.

Mental Health Services in the Central Australia Region (MHS- CAR) have demonstrated an example of supporting a more therapeutic environment by encouraging Corrections staff to wear plain clothes on the High Dependency Unit. This has been acknowledged by CVP, staff on the wards and consumers to reduce the ‘prison like feeling’ that can sometimes occur in High dependency Mental Health Units. This is an action CVP would like to see replicated across all Mental Health Inpatient services in the NT.

Quality of service in both the Mental Health and Forensic Disability Space were highlighted as the number one issue raised by persons accessing the services. Consumers receiving supports on the High Dependency Units commented that it continues to be a “Prison Like” environment. CVP is concerned that placing consumers in non-therapeutic environments for periods of time can have adverse impact for a consumer’s recovery journey.

CVP acknowledge that there has been a downward trend in seclusion and restrictive practices over all this year. CVP support the services for works towards this. CVP express concern that sixteen young persons were mechanically restrained in 2022-23. This is a significant increase from 2 persons in 2021-22. CVP also express concern that 81% of persons secluded identify as Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander. It was concerning to note that Aboriginal interpreters are not evidenced as being used as
either a pre or post seclusion intervention.

The NT Forensic Disability Unit have supported some fantastic outcomes for persons who have transitioned from restricting custodial environments to community settings. There is improvement required to ensure all transitions for residents under Part IIA of
the Disability Services Act to NDIS coordinated supports occur smoothly.

2022 -2023 has seen significant staff changes within the CVP. Coordinator positions remained unfilled for some time. The CVP also had a change of managers with an acting manager since September 2022, as well as the Principal Community Visitor (PCV), Sally Sievers finishing in January 2023. Due to staff resources, recruitment processes and capability CVP did not manage to meet all visiting requirements. CVP completed 3 of the 6 panel visits, not being able to meet section 111 (1 – Duties of a Panel) of the Mental Health Act. The CVP were also unable to fully maintain the visiting schedule as required. The CVP was unable to visit the Secure Care Facility and 3 appropriate places visits in January 2023. The CVP continues to operate on minimal resources. In such a small team, any staff changes or absences have a significant impact. CVP are thankful for the staff, sessionals and panel members who assisted with visits throughout the year, supporting the voices of persons in need.

Finally I would like to acknowledge the long-standing work, commitment and positive change that Sally Sievers as the Principal Community Visitor achieved. Sally was a fearless leader, with unwavering commitment to the work of the CVP. She is featured later in this report. Thank you Sally for your leadership and actively demonstrating what ethical and effective leadership can achieve.

Traci Keys, Acting Principal Community Visitor.