Centre resumes face to face services with Health Partners
The Centre has been working as part of the teams at Calvary Public Hospital and Gungahlin Child and Family Centre (GCFC) since early 2019.
These Health Justice Partnerships embed lawyers into community health teams to support their capacity to identify and respond to women experiencing domestic and family violence better and to make specialist legal service easier to reach for more women.
In March 2020, our partnerships had to move to a more virtual model, in line with COVID restrictions. This means legal advice and representation were provided to clients over the phone, text and email.
We stayed in touch with our Calvary and GCFC colleagues through regular tele-rounds, video meetings, and though we missed the cups of tea and chats, we were very pleased to be able to keep an avenue to specialist legal assistance open through mainstream health services in what has been such a difficult time for many women.
In September, we were able to to resume face-to-face services at Calvary and GCFC.
In 19/20, our Health Justice Partnerships supported 217 women, who may not have otherwise accessed specialist legal advice. We have provided 344 legal advices, 384 referrals, 52 legal task services and provided ongoing legal representation in 27 matters.
These Partnerships deliver unique legal services to women in the ACT. When compared to our mainstream services, legal services delivered through the partnership are more likely to reach women:
- who have not previously accessed legal services
- who are from non-English speaking backgrounds
- with complex needs
- with disability.
We are very happy to be back on site and working directly with our health colleagues again!
For more information on our Health Justice Partnerships, please see: Health Justice Partnership Program