Dr Leah Havighurst1, Dr Elissa Waterson1
1Queensland Forensic Mental Health Service- Queensland Health, Brisbane, Australia
Biography:
Dr Leah Havighurst is a forensic psychologist with over 20 years experience in corrections and forensic mental health. After commencing her career with Queensland Corrective Services, she joined the Queensland Forensic Mental Health Service (QFMHS), where she has developed expertise in forensic risk assessment and management, clinical governance, and quality assurance. As Statewide Coordinator of Workforce Development at QFMHS, she leads initiatives to attract and develop a specialist forensic workforce. She also maintains involvement in forensic clinical practice, quality assurance activities, and initiatives to strengthen violence risk assessment and management across public forensic mental health services.
Abstract:
Queensland has developed a coordinated statewide forensic mental health service across one of Australia’s largest and most geographically diverse jurisdictions, providing specialist care at the interface of the health and justice systems. The Queensland Forensic Mental Health Service (QFMHS) supports the assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of people with serious mental illness who have had, or are at risk of having, contact with the criminal justice system.
Service delivery occurs across multiple Hospital and Health Services and diverse settings, creating both opportunities and challenges in maintaining consistent, evidence-based practice statewide.
This presentation will provide an overview of Queensland’s public forensic mental health model, workforce capability strategies, and partnerships with Hospital and Health Services, government agencies, universities, and community organisations. It will outline how statewide clinical leadership, education and training, service coordination, research, and evaluation support quality improvement, consistency of care, and continuous service development across a decentralised service system.
Drawing on examples from Queensland’s specialist forensic mental health service, the presentation will reflect on key challenges, lessons learned, and future opportunities in delivering forensic mental health services at scale. It will also highlight the value of interjurisdictional collaboration in strengthening service integration, workforce capability, research, and consumer outcomes across Australia’s forensic mental health services.