A career in the forensic mental health sector is diverse, challenging and rewarding. A career at Forensicare will be like no other. If you’re passionate about supporting people in their mental health recovery, Forensicare is where you need to be. You will be a part of a caring and supportive team, making a real difference to people living with the dual stigma of mental illness and offending. We approach our work with curiosity and a commitment to understanding the unique needs of our consumers and carers. Working across community, hospital and prison settings, you can learn, apply your specialist skills and advance in your profession. Together, we can contribute to a more connected, compassionate mental health and criminal justice system.

Job location

Forensicare provides specialist forensic mental health services across 12 of Victoria’s 14 prisons with expansion underway to include Western Plains in the Barwon region. Located at Port Phillip Prison in Truganina, VIC. St Paul’s Unit is a 30-bed psychosocial rehabilitation service that provides specialist, voluntary mental health care, treatment and therapeutic programs to prisoners with a mental health diagnosis. Participants selected for the program require psychosocial rehabilitation to minimise risk of relapse and enhance their social functioning in preparation for returning to general prison environment or release to community.

Port Phillip Prison (PPP) is closing at the end of 2025 and its decommissioning will commence in July 2025. This position will initially be located at PPP and you will be redeployed to a comparable role at another Forensicare site subject to operational requirements.

About the Role:

Provide specialist Occupational Therapy assessment and intervention including groups to patients. Work collaboratively and impartially with multi-disciplinary team, stakeholders, and patients to identify occupational therapy treatment priorities and provide advice and consultation to relevant stakeholders.

Participate in the development of the Occupational Therapy Service by contributing to the identification and completion of local quality plans and initiatives in line with Forensicare’s strategic plan and direction and Model of Care. Provide clinical placement education to student therapists and other Forensicare occupational therapists. Utilise regular supervision to ensure accountability and reflective practice opportunities to support personal and professional development.

Duties:

• Assesses, interprets and intervenes to improve occupational performance through identifying individual needs based on functional deficits and strengths, and through promoting occupational choices.

• Produces timely OT transfer reports for community, intra-unit and/or CSO population.

• Produces discipline-specific reports, file entries and documentation required as a member of the multi-disciplinary team.

• Focuses on the development of life roles and skills required by patients for pro-social living, including a responsible attitude about health care and offending behaviours.

• Contributes to the creation of a therapeutic environment where decision-making, adaptive functional behaviour and independent living can be practised as practicable.

• Contributes to the implementation of unit based program by running some groups and supporting other staff to facilitate programs through training, advice and supervision.

About You:

• At least 5 years of experience working in mental health

• Demonstrated commitment to mental health consumer recovery

• Knowledge and understanding of the OT Australia – Australian Association of Occupational Therapists Code of Ethics and a commitment to working in a manner consistent with the code.

• To have demonstrated highly developed skills in the forensic mental health field, knowledge and understanding of the needs of mentally ill people and of the issues of care delivery in forensic mental health.

• To have a solid conceptual understanding of the theories of occupational performance and be committed to understanding and improving patient functioning through assessment and treatment using occupational models of intervention.

What you need:

• Approved degree in Occupational Therapy recognised for membership of Occupational Therapy Australia – Australian Association of Occupational Therapists.
• Registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulations Agency (AHPRA).
• The successful candidate will be required to register their qualifications on eCredential.

To access a detailed position description, please click Senior Occupational Therapist - Grade 3.

Or for more information on Careers at Forensicare, visit https://www.forensicare.vic.gov.au/careers

*Please Note - Applications will be reviewed and interviewed as they are received. Advertising may close earlier than indicated.

A culture where people matter.

• Excellent supervision and investment in the skill development of all our team members.
• Well defined career pathways existing across our Directorates with multi-disciplined Teams.
• Salary Packaging Options available – Mortgage, Rent, Car, Expenses
• A leading, multi-faceted approach to safety, with unparalleled strategic, practical, individualised and team-based supports to minimise risks and fear and maximise safety and security, underpinned by our workplace health and safety strategy.
• Celebration and reward for good performance, through employee recognition.
• Access to an employee assistance program – an external, confidential, self-referral employee wellbeing program, for personal or work-related matters.
• A mental health and wellbeing program providing psychological, peer support and critical incidence response programs.

Eligibility