Working with young people
All young people in receipt of Adolescent Forensic Health Services (AFHS) are involved with the Victorian Youth Justice System. At AFHS we treat every young person as an individual, understanding they have different and often complex needs. We work with young people to improve their health, reduce risk taking and offending behaviour and help them take responsibility for their lives.
AFHS uses a pathway model to deliver healthcare to young people and comprehensive health assessments determine the treatment pathway for all individuals.
Typically young people will receive the following stages of care and support:
In order to make health and rehabilitative care more accessible and engaging for young people, AFHS uses creative techniques which include art therapies, wilderness camps and outreach services in addition to traditional modes of health care delivery. Increasingly AFHS is working to promote and support youth participation. Young people from Melbourne Youth Justice Centre or Parkville Youth Residential Centre who have engaged in AFHS services are supported to present to secondary schools, Universities, Victoria Police and other agencies about their offending behaviour and educate about substance use and sexual health.