Tensions between two mental health teams operating out of the ACT's jail are "just not good enough" and will impact on the broader Canberra community, a peak body says.
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Earlier this week, it was reported that a damaging split had emerged between the ACT Health forensic mental health team and the ACT Corrective Services psychological and support services, which both work in the prison.
Evidence of the fractured relationship was detailed in a confidential briefing, compiled by respected forensic psychologist Dr Dion Gee for a colleague last year.
The briefing, obtained by Fairfax Media, warned the forensic mental health team, which has a higher degree of expertise, was being "undermined" and "micro-managed". The problems were so significant, Dr Gee said, that they were hindering the coordinated care of inmates with a mental health issue.
Mental Health Community Coalition ACT executive officer Simon Viereck said the divisions stemmed from very different organisational cultures and approaches to detainees.
He said problems with mental health care in the jail would impact on the broader Canberra community, because they affected inmates' ability to transition back to life outside the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
"The tensions between ACT Health and ACT Corrective Services have been evident behind closed doors since the early days of the AMC being in operation," he said.
"However, it is just not good enough that tensions between two government agencies put some of the most vulnerable people in our community at risk."
On Wednesday, Justice Minister Shane Rattenbury said the report was a year old, and that much had been done to repair the rift between the two teams.
Mr Rattenbury said the corrective services team was no less qualified for the job, despite not having psychiatrists on staff.
"This is obviously very concerning that these sorts of tensions have existed, but I can assure the community, that this report that's been referenced in today's Canberra Times is about a year old," Mr Rattenbury said.
"Since then, we've taken significant steps to address these tensions that were there," he said.
He said there was now a clear agreement between the two teams, and that corrective services would take the lead on dealing with inmates deemed a suicidal or self-harm risk.
An audit of the mental health care systems at the jail was ongoing, and the director-generals of both directorates had worked to ensure the problems were addressed, Mr Rattenbury said.
The broadest estimate is that about 80 per cent of inmates in the AMC have some form of mental health issue.
Mr Viereck said that population was extremely vulnerable, and were being housed in an environment that itself posed a risk to their health.
"This population has a human right to an equivalent standard of health care to the rest of the population and to have that compromised by two government agencies not being willing to make the necessary compromises to enable vulnerable people to access the best standard of care possible is very disappointing," he said.
"These people will be back in our community sooner or later and it is in everyone's interest that they are in good health and well supported through that transition."
Mr Viereck praised the government for acting to address the problems. He cited the Throughcare program, an intensive, wide-ranging rehabilitation program, as a "genuine success story" and model for the collaborative approach needed.
