Page 3240 - Week 08 - Thursday, 16 August 2018

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eligibility criteria are to access Throughcare, (b) how these criteria are impacting on participant numbers at the AMC and (c) if these changes have impacted on the participation and completion rates for indigenous participants, both male and female.

Mr Rattenbury: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:

1. (1) A 2017 evaluation of the ACT Corrective Services’ (ACTCS) Extended Throughcare Pilot Program by the Social Policy Research Centre of the University of New South Wales (the Evaluation), identified weaknesses in program eligibility criteria. In recognition of the recommendations made in the Evaluation, the eligibility criteria for the Extended Throughcare Program were amended. These changes have allowed ACTCS to appropriately target clients who are in most need of support by setting a lower eligibility point for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander clients and extending the program to male and female remand and sentenced detainees.

(a) The Extended Throughcare Program can now be accessed by:

women who have served greater than 30 days (one month) in custody;

men who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and have served greater than 91 days (three months) in custody; and

men who do not identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and have served greater than 182 days (six months) in custody.

These changes recognise that detainees subject to a lengthy period of remand require support to successfully reintegrate into the community.

(b) Changes to the eligibility criteria for the Extended Throughcare Program came into effect on 1 April 2018. As the program is available to clients for up to 12 months post release from the AMC, current participant numbers include clients that were eligible for participation in the program prior to changes to the eligibility criteria. Given this, there is insufficient data to evaluate any significant impact on participant numbers at the AMC.

(c) ACTCS cannot provide completion rates for male and female Indigenous clients. The Extended Throughcare Program aims to provide a service coordination point for other community providers in the ACT and works with a wide range of services and non-government organisations to best support the diverse needs of clients. Clients access the service voluntarily and the length of time a client engages with the program varies based on the individual’s needs. As such, clients do not ‘complete’ the program – the depth and duration of each client’s engagement varies.

Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders—Reconciliation Day
(Question No 1559)

Mr Milligan asked the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, upon notice, on 8 June 2018 (redirected to the Minister for Tourism and Major Events):

(1) Can the Minister provide a breakdown of the costs associated with the inaugural Reconciliation in the Park event held on 28 May 2018 in Glebe Park, Civic, including both operational costs and Directorate staff costs.


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