Mental Health Advice and Response Service

The Children’s Court Mental Health Advice and Response Service (MHARS) is a specialist mental health service delivered by Orygen Youth Health (OYH) at Melbourne Children’s Court.

The MHARS Clinician is available to:

• provide mental health assessments for young people appearing before the Children’s Court who present with suicidality, acute mental health concerns and/or distress whilst awaiting their court appearance
• advise the Court whether mental health concerns are present or whether factors related to mental health may have a bearing on the proceedings
• facilitate timely access to appropriate treatment and mental health support

Eligibility

A young person must:

• be aged 10 – 18 years old; and
• be charged with an offence and have been served with a Summons, or be on a Bail Order; or
• be in police custody at the Children’s Court awaiting trial in the criminal division; or
• be subject to court proceedings in the family division (Secure Welfare only).

At least one of the following criteria must also be met:

• there are concerns about the mental health and wellbeing of the young person
• the young person is engaging in or expressing a desire to engage in deliberate self-harming behaviours, or is expressing suicidal ideation, or is having thoughts to harm others
• the young person’s judgment is severely impaired due to the effects of drugs and/or alcohol use, or any undetermined reason

Referral pathways

Referrals may be initiated by a wide range of sources including:

• Magistrates and Court Personnel
• Legal Practitioners and Victoria Police
• Court Advice and Support Officers
• Forensic Medical Officers
• Child Protection and Youth Justice
• Family, support people and self-referrals

Referrals may be made by phone or email.

Key services provided

• assessments and reports responding to presenting mental health concerns
• brief interventions as deemed appropriate
• timely advice to Magistrates and other stakeholders regarding the mental health considerations of a young person
• tailored recommendations detailing coordinated and collaborative treatment planning and support