About Us
The Community Visitor Program (CVP) is established under Part 14 of the Mental Health and Related Services Act to protect and promote the rights of people receiving treatment from NT Mental Health Services and to ensure a high quality mental health service in the Northern Territory.
The CVP has complaints, advocacy, monitoring and inspection functions carried out by community visitors and community visitors panels. It is located in the Anti-Discrimination Commission to ensure its independence from the Department of Health and Families.
Principal Community Visitor
The Principal Community Visitor is responsible for overseeing the Community Visitor Program and ensuring that it meets its obligations under the Mental Health and Related Services Act. These obligations include ensuring that community visitors respond to consumer requests for a visit, ensuring that panels visit the inpatient facilities at least once every six months and that seclusion and restraint registers are inspected at least once every six months.
The Principal Community Visitor is also the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner.
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Read the Principal Community Visitor's Message |
Community Visitors
Community visitors are appointed by the Minister for Children and Families for three year terms.
A person who is unhappy with any aspect of their mental health treatment and care or who requests support when receiving treatment from NT Mental Health Services may contact a community visitor and request a visit. The community visitor will work with the person and mental health staff to resolve any complaints and concerns the person might have.
Community visitors visit the Top End Mental Health Service (TEMHS) Inpatient, comprised of Cowdy Ward and the Joan Ridley Unit (JRU) every Friday morning. A community visitor in Alice Springs visits the Mental Health Unit at least once each fortnight.
Community visitors make additional visits to the mental health inpatient units at the request of people receiving treatment. Community visitors also respond to requests from people receiving treatment in the community (although they will arrange to meet the person at a neutral, safe place as community visitors do not visit people in their own homes).
Our friendly and professional community visitors are:
Top End
 Judy Clisby Manager of the CVP (and also a visitor in Central Australia) |
 Rachael Dunn |
 Karyn Jessop |
 Pamela Trotman |
 Phil Dempster |
 Simon Wiese |
Central Australia
 Sarah Bassiuoni |
 Shanna Satya |
 Carly Ingles |
 Mark O’Reilly |
Community Visitors Panels
A Community Visitors Panel is established for each approved treatment facility (ie psychiatric inpatient facility) in the Territory. Each panel has three members, a Medical Practitioner, a Legal Practitioner and a Community Member.
Panels visit the approved treatment facilities (ie the inpatient facilities) at least once every six months. During these visits they inquire into matters such as the quality of assessment, treatment and care provided to consumers; how well information is provided about complaints and legal rights; the level of opportunities and facilities for recreation, education, training and rehabilitation; and the extent to which the principle of the least restrictive alternative guides the way consumers are treated. The panel then meets with Management to discuss and attempt to resolve any issues that arise from their visit and any previous visits.
After every visit to a facility, the Chairperson of the Panel must forward a report of the visit to the Principal Community Visitor. The report will detail the panel’s findings, and may include recommendations about any unresolved issues.