Promising Practice Programs

In 2003/2004 the responding to sexual assault and promoting sexual safety initiative undertook extensive Statewide consultation to develop the responding to sexual assault and promoting sexual safety guidelines (2004) for Queensland Health inpatient mental health services. The guidelines inform the development of local area policy and procedures for responding to victims of recent and past sexual assault and promoting sexual safety within Queensland Health inpatient mental health services for consumers aged 16 years and over.

In late 2004, implementation workshops were developed and conducted within inpatient mental health services to embed the guidelines in practice.

The initiative also involved the development of information resources accessible to staff and consumers within inpatient mental health services to improve the knowledge, understanding and response to the combined issues of sexual assault, sexual safety and mental health.

In 2005, the work of the responding to sexual assault and promoting sexual safety initiative will involve the development and implementation of a Statewide professional development and training strategy for Queensland Health inpatient mental health services to support the implementation of the guidelines and improve knowledge, understanding and responses in relation to the combined issues of recent and past sexual assault, sexual safety and mental health.

• Takes account of contemporary research and practice developments in the field of sexual assault.
• Positions diversity as key to the development, understanding and delivery of good practice models.
• Contributes to improving systems' responses to sexual assault, and is directed at preventing sexual assault.
• Demonstrates a sensitivity towards the barriers faced by victim/survivors in disclosing and reporting sexual assault.
• Has a clearly defined conceptual framework.
• Includes processes of accountability and evaluation.
• Demonstrates a capacity for replication (i.e. other services/organisations could adapt/re-model the program for their use).

Written pretest and post-test following attendance.

While some initial evaluation of the first phase on this initiative has occurred, a more extensive evaluation will occur towards the end of the initiative. The evaluation process for this has not been 'fully' determined as yet!