Hope Inside

Background

Hope Inside was established in response to recommendation three of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System (RCVMHS) interim report. This recommendation was for the immediate expansion of the community-based Hospital Outreach Post-Suicide Engagement (HOPE) service across the State, as part of an overall strategy to improve outcomes for people living with mental illness who are involved with the criminal justice system in Victoria.

What is Hope Inside?

Hope Inside is a voluntary, brief psychosocial program that supports people in prison after a suicidal crisis, who otherwise would not be eligible for forensic mental health services.

People who have attempted suicide or experienced a suicidal crisis often experience severe distress in the days and weeks immediately after the attempt and are at high risk of attempting again. As part of Hope Inside, clients will be supported for an initial six-week period, with face-to-face contact made within two business days of receiving the referral.

Hope Inside aims to assist clients to increase their awareness of the drivers of their suicidal crisis and to address these using a recovery-oriented and strengths-based approach. Clients are supported to consider what a meaningful future would look like for them and to problem solve ways this can be achieved in their current environment. Psychosocial interventions to bolster resilience, strengthen protective factors, and reduce distress, are tailored according to the needs of the client. Coordination and linkage to existing prison-based services and/or community services (if due for release), is a key part of the service, to ensure longer-term wrap around support for Hope Inside clients after discharge.  

Where will Hope Inside be based?

The following locations were identified as priority locations for the initial roll-out of Hope Inside:

• Melbourne Assessment Prison
• Metropolitan Remand Centre
• Dame Phyllis Frost Centre

Referral criteria

People referred to the program should satisfy all the following criteria:

• Accommodated at MRC, MAP, DPFC
• Have engaged in suicidal behaviour or demonstrate serious suicidal ideation, intent, or planning
• Have been placed on ‘At Risk’ observations and reviewed via the Risk Review Team (RRT)
• Have passed the acute phase of their crisis and are ready to be reduced to S3
• Not otherwise engaged with Forensic Mental Health Services or more appropriately serviced by another existing service provider

Hope Inside implementation

Recruitment for Hope Inside senior clinicians and clinicians is currently underway, and it is anticipated that the program will commence across all three locations by December 2022.

More information

For more information, please contact Dr Jenny Patterson, Hope Inside Initiative Lead.