Managing complex student and staff behaviours
Sally TrembathManager
Mental Health and Safer Community ProgramsHealth, Wellbeing and Development
Managing complex student and staff behaviours
• Define the problem, impact and risk• The Monash context: mental health and
safer community frameworks• Services, and resources for early help
seeking and intervention• Information sharing• Panel, Q and A• Key messages
Behaviour management in the University
When does the University’s tolerance of diversity and eccentricity bow to the need for containment and control?
Professor James Ogloff
Problem behaviours in a University community• Disgruntled students and staff,
complainants• Threateners, may or may not be harmless• Personal, domestic disputes• Criminals• Abusive students or co-workers• Abusive supervisors• Mentally ill
Table discussion
• Examples of complex cases
• Discuss impact on yourself and others
• Write case scenario describing behaviours and context
The safer community program and mental health strategy, a collaborative approach to behaviour management in order to:
– enable early intervention for better mental health outcomes
– mitigate the risk of threatening behaviour escalating to violence
– minimise the impact of disturbed behaviour on others
– ensure risk is contained in a fair and humane way
Mental health and safer community framework
High risk
specialised response
Low risk
local response by many
Safety of the individual and the community
Mental health promotion and resilience programs
Mental health Safer community
Safety awareness and crime prevention programs
Early intervention and help seeking.Psychological first aid
Early local containment, information gathering, advice and referral
Counselling and brief multi-modal intervention Risk assessment, coordinated case management and support to those impacted
External specialist referral Coordinated threat management and engagement of police, Forensicare. Support to those impacted
Crisis response Remove threat and support those impacted
What did you know? When did you know it? What did you do?
Step 1 Duty of care
Behaviour witnessed and identified as signpost of potential violence or serious mental health issue. Willing to act on concern for wellbeing.
Step 2Duty to report
Witness knows who to tell within the university. Witness chooses to act by reporting or seeking advice.
Step 3Duty to assess and act
Threat assessment team provides advice and assistance appropriate to threat level to reduce risk. High risk cases escalated to university wide risk management group.
Step 4Duty to actDuty to warn
Establish fact and develop evidence based intervention. Ongoing monitoring and flexible plan to reduce risk both to the individual and the university community.
Social and academic functioning scale (SAF)
• Adapted from the GAF
• Promotes early identification of students having difficulties to minimise disruption to their studies
• Provides clear and common language around observable behaviours
• Guides appropriate response
• Increases awareness of behaviours requiring containment
• Indicates referral and service pathways
Community Care Line : 9905 1599
Central point of enquiry for information, advice and support for students and staff who:
• Feel threatened or unsafe
• Have concerns about someone else’s behaviour or wellbeing
• Have received unwanted attention
• Are worried about someone harming themselves or someone else
May be referred to the Safer Community Unit to lead a coordinated management plan
Risk Management Group• Purpose is to meet regularly to monitor risks to
the safety of any part of the University community that arise from the conduct of individuals within or in contact with the University community
• Members: Solicitor’s office, Human Resources, Occupational Health and Safety, Disability Unit, Residential Services, Mental Health, Safer Community
• Clear terms of reference for sharing information in order to manage and mitigate risk
RMG cases: 52 cases January to June 2009
Case Type Intervention/outcome
Requests to re-enrol post exclusion 6.3
SCU access forensic or mental health assessment to guide decision by faculty
Stalking Stalking ceased after range of interventions eg. Police, intervention orders, misconduct
Aggressive behaviour
SCU coordinated response. Affected staff supported. No further reports.
Threat, veiled in email (note 5 in prev. half year)
Suspect located, admitted and apologised. No further problem behaviour.
Child Pornography
Police involved. Guilty plea - student excluded on academic progress
RMG casesCase Type Intervention/outcome
Unreasonable complainants
SCU develop strict management plan and monitoring
Non-suicidal self-injury impact on others
Safety plan meetings, external assessment and personal crisis plans in place
Mental health issues
1 exit home for assessment, non-compliance on return and academic progressed. 2 Referral and treatment.
Concerning comments
Investigation negated action, frightened staff debriefed.
High risk alcohol use
Halls resident unconscious, hospitalisation, counselling and monitoring
Vice President Administration
Safer Community Working Party Chair: Divisional Director Student & Community Services
Members: Director, HWD, Director, Equity & Diversity, Director OHS, Director HR Planning and Resources, Director, Workplace Relations, University Security Manager, Deputy University Solicitor, Manager Mental Health and Safer Community Unit, Coordinator, Safer Community Programs, Manager Leadership and Org Development, University Ombudsman, Assoc Dean Medicine.
Risk Management Group Chair: Manager Mental Health and Safer Community Unit
Members: Director, HWD, Director, Equity & Diversity, Director OHS, Director, Workplace Relations, Director, Monash Residential Services, University Security Manager, Deputy University Solicitor, Coordinator Safer Community Programs, Security Investigations Supervisor, Senior Disability Liaison Officer.
Safer Community Unit Manager, Mental Health & Safer Community Unit Coordinator, Safer Community Programs Project Officer
Key Internal and External
Stakeholders
DELEGAT I ON
&
FEED BACK
LOOP
SAFER COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONAL CHART
• Glenda Beecher, Deputy University Solicitor:
Information sharing , clarification of privacy and confidentiality
• Andrew Picouleau, Director Workplace Relations and Deputy HR DD:
Mental Health provision for staff in the EB
Key messages
• You do not have to know the solution• There are services to help• For the best outcome for individuals and the
community, seek advice early• All advice will be in line with university
statutes and policies• Where necessary appropriate internal and
external expertise will be engaged• Community Care Line 9905 1599