The Family Violence Psychiatry Network, established by the RANZCP Board in 2017 assists to create awareness amongst psychiatrists and trainees of the mental health aspects of family violence in Australia and New Zealand.

The Network Terms of Reference outline the purpose, responsibilities, membership and governance of the Network.

The Network undertakes to:

  • Provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and knowledge bi-nationally.
  • Promote and encourage the highest clinical and ethical standards in the delivery of mental health services relevant to family violence.
  • Promote and facilitate research relevant to family violence and mental health.
  • Promote further education of psychiatrists and trainees in relation to family violence and mental health.
  • Assist the College in the preparation of position statements and other memoranda relevant to psychiatry and family violence.
  • Identify and promote the role of psychiatrists in the multidisciplinary approach to family violence, and participating in appropriate cross-sector initiatives.
  • Identify, report and manage risks in accordance with College Policy
  • Recommend models of care that will improve the quality of service delivered to mental health consumers in the community who experience family violence, including: 
    • How psychiatrists and health practitioners can work together to identify and screen people with mental illness in family violence settings
    • Identifying resources and tools that psychiatrists can provide health practitioners to enable them to guide consumers with mental illness in family violence settings through the appropriate clinical pathway e.g. know when to refer the person on to a psychiatrist.

Membership

Membership of the Network is open to all interested College members, and also to other interested professionals working in the areas of family violence psychiatry.

There are no fees to join the Network.

Join the Network via MyRANZCP [Member log in required]

Non-College members are eligible to join the Network following approval from the Board.

Family Violence Psychiatry Network Committee

The activities of the Network are led by a bi-national committee, the Family Violence Psychiatry Network Committee. The Network Committee reports to the RANZCP Board. The current Chair of the Network Committee is Dr Manjula O’Connor.

The Committee can be contacted via memberhelp@ranzcp.org.

Meeting frequency

The Committee typically meet 3-4 times per calendar year by videoconference (1 hour duration per meeting).  The Committee may meet face-to-face as proposed by the Chair.

A committee member may also be required to respond to emails between formal meetings.


Articles and reports of interest

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