Designing a forensic mental health service delivery model: a multi-professional approach

Abstract

Purpose

Forensic mental health programs (FMHPs) in Ontario, Canada provide rehabilitation and supervision services. However, models available to guide their delivery are primarily adapted from fields outside of forensic mental health. To partially fill this gap, this paper aims to provide a general review of the process a multi-professional team took to develop the Integrated Forensic Program [IFP]-Ottawa Model of Risk Management & Recovery.

Design/methodology/approach

Working groups were initiated to identify the needs of patients in their local setting, conduct a literature review on care delivery models in forensic mental health and build a service delivery model specific to forensic mental health.

Findings

The resulting model places patient engagement at its centre and encompasses eight domains of need that contribute towards the patient’s recovery and the management of the safety risk they pose to the public, namely, the basic needs, diversity and spirituality, social, occupational, psychological, substance use, physical health and mental health domains.

Practical implications

The IFP-Ottawa Model of Risk Management & Recovery provides a framework to which therapeutic group services for persons in FMHPs can be aligned.

Originality/value

The leadership teams in FMHPs could use this framework and the method used for its development to ensure group services provided at their FMHPs are evidence-informed and coincide with their patients’ specific needs.

Citation

Domingue, J.-L., Michel, S.F., Cléroux, C., Dobson, T., Fréchette, J.-M., Fusco, N., Jaroudi, L., Konecki, R., Power, D., Richardson-Brown, S., Robins, R., Stufko, T., Telford, S. and Wesley, W. (2020), "Designing a forensic mental health service delivery model: a multi-professional approach", The Journal of Forensic Practice, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 137-147. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFP-01-2020-0002