Managing Safety on CampusBurradoo 2008

Heather McLeod – ANU

Donna Christie – CIT

Overview Disruptive Behaviour Guidelines 2006 Medical Leave Rules at ANU 2007 Learnings from Virginia Tech situation ANU response – stakeholders and planning Development of MOU with Mental Health ACT What’s in it? Does it work?

Disruptive Behaviour Guidelines Problem Identification – one off incident? Case management approach Dean of Students as coordinator of case

management Stakeholders involved Shared responsibility for next steps

Medical Leave Rules ANU 2007 Any person who considers that a student

may be suffering from a serious health condition may report the person’s behaviour to the Registrar

Registrar may request medical examination Registrar may make a decision to grant

medical leave of absence, terminate the students candidature on medical grounds

Virginia Tech Issues Long history of mental illness (including

childhood problems) Suicidal and homicidal ideations in his writings A number of incidents over a period of time – no

one person knew all the information Cook Counselling Centre and University Care

Team failed to provide needed support Lack of follow up by the centres and by the

hospital

Virginia Tech Outcomes Universities must have a system that links

troubled students to appropriate medical and counselling services either on or off campus

Must balance an individual’s rights with the rights of all others for safety

Liaison with off campus mental health facilities and university counselling/health centres is critical to ensure appropriate follow up

Initial Conversations Stakeholders – >Security >University Counsel >Counselling >Rep from Halls and Colleges>Health >Registrar /Deputy Registrar>Dean of Students>ISS>DSC

What was the goal? Political understanding of what we needed Better communication and better links with

our local Mental Health provider An approach that allowed our concerns to

be heard and acted upon when they were urgent or worrying

A shared sense of responsibility of the problems

Next steps Small working group to look at best strategy Letter drafted by the group for the VC to sign to

go to Minister of Health re MOU request Minister of Health responds positively to request

– involves the Chief Psychiatrist Key Liaison person from ANU to negotiate with

Health (Penny Oakes)

What’s in the MOU? Key Liaison – Dean of Students for

coordination of complex issues Crisis Support and Case Management

system– for serious concerns contact MHACT CATT Team Leader directly for assistance with a plan

Debriefing for ANU staff by MHACT staff following an emergency

cont Discharge Plan information sharing where

students are discharged from hospital back to an on campus residence

Medication changes – MHACT to notify Training provided to appropriate staff on

mental health issues by MHACT Conflict Resolution

How has it worked? Liaison with Team Leader MHACT has been

extremely useful for support, action and advice Case management approach within ANU with

Key Liaison has meant that a sharing of information about issues regarding safety can be held by one person

Review of MOU every 5 years Training in Early diagnosis of psychosis

Flow on to other tertiary institutions MOU with CIT and UC