H&I Hub Minutes – 17 December 2020

H&I Hub Meeting Minutes

Date: 17 December, 2020

Venue: Online

Attendees: Meredith C (Chair/Minutes), Victoria S, Sonya M, Peter M

Apologies: None offered

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Northern Australia H&I Activity

H&I Literature

  • H&I Hub can assist with literature for Northern Australia H&I facilities.
  • NA@Home donating starter kits to go into various H&I institutions.
  • H&I Hub has access to donated Just for Today and Basic Texts for correctional facilities.

HADs (Brisbane)

  • Gretel P handed over HADs Coordinator role to Sonya M in December.
  • Roster has up to 38 people on the database, however database needs to be cleansed.
  • HADs meetings scheduled until the end of January.
  • New members recruited for the roster, mainly female participants, looking for more male members.
  • H&I Hub discussed the benefits of implementing a HADs Group Conscience.
  • H&I Hub to assist with virtual meeting room and literature for HADs.

Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation and Fraser Compound (Detention Centre), Pinkenba

  • Cam W handed this project back to the H&I Hub to progress once social distancing restrictions are lifted at the Centre.

Toowoomba

  • No current H&I activity in Toowoomba.
  • H&I Hub approached Sunrise Way in August to invite the rehab to participate in online H&I presentations.
  • Spoke with Sunrise Way CEO, Louise Sanderson early September with email follow up late September, no response.

Gold Coast

  • Regular Zoom meetings going into Mirakai and Fairhaven. No face-to-face meetings yet.
  • Currumbin Clinic has recommenced face to face meetings.
  • Numinbah Correctional Centre has commenced fortnightly face to face meetings.

Regional Online H&I

  • Monday night online H&I to national rehabs (4-5) has strong interest from NA membership to be part of the speaker roster.
  • Regional Online H&I Subcommittee hasn’t been able to gain interest from rehabs to move forward with a second online weekly presentation.
  • Members Australia wide are invited to join the speaker roster (6-month minimum clean time).
  • Observerships are encouraged.

Probation and Parole

  • The H&I Hub meet with Brisbane Central Probation and Parole in December to raise awareness about NA and the role it can play in client recovery.
  • Approximately, 10-12 staff attended and were keen to add NA to their client ‘toolbox’.
  • The Hub will meet regularly with Brisbane Central staff to remain connected, provide literature and arrange client information sessions.
  • The Hub discussed approaching other Brisbane Probation and Parole offices to determine interest in connecting with NA.
Action Member Responsible Status
H&I Hub to contact Philippa for other Brisbane Probation and Parole office contact details. Meredith C

Correctional Facilities

Online Pilot Project

  • Discussions between Peter M and Tamara Bambrick (QCS) commenced November, 2019.
  • Tamara met with IT early August 2020 and was hopeful IT would advise start of online H&I trial within a couple of weeks at Numinbah Correctional Centre and Wolston Correctional Centre.
  • Tamara advised (September 23) project has been handed over to Mike Mcfarlane.
  • Multiple follow up emails sent to Mike throughout October and November, still no traction with this project.

Women’s Correctional Centres

  • Brisbane Women’s Correctional Centre (BWCC)
    • Face to face meetings going well
    • Average attendance of 15 women (newcomers and regulars)
  • Southern Queensland Correctional Centre (SQCC)
    • Face to face meetings commenced going well
    • Average attendance of 6 women
  • Helana Jones Centre (HJC)
    • Face to face meetings going well
    • Attendance numbers average 7 women

Women’s Correctional Promotional Material

  • The Women’s Prison Roster Group has developed a multi-facility flyer to promote NA information session attendance in BWCC, SQCC, HJC and Numinbah, flyer includes details about request process.
  • Flyer has been distributed to all correctional facilities.
  • Indigenous flyers provided by Regional Indigenous Sub-Committee to be distributed to BWCC, SQCC, HJC and Numinbah.
  • Indigenous flyers have been distributed to the Brisbane Central Probation and Parole office and SQCC.

Men’s Correctional Facilities

Lotus Glen Correctional Centre

  • Lack of H&I roster support has meant H&I meetings have been suspended.
  • Centre indicated interest in using virtual visit IT to facilitate H&I.

Woodford Correctional Centre

  • Monthly information sessions commenced 8 November 2020, facilitated by three non-Sunshine Coast members.
  • This arrangement will remain in place until April 2021 until QCS security clearance approval for Sunshine Coast members allows them to to run this roster independently.
  • Feedback from NA facilitators is that:
    • NA attendance numbers are capped at 6
    • AA single (male and female) facilitators attend a low security section
Action Member Responsible Status
H&I Hub to contact Claire at Woodford Correctional Centre to follow up and seek clarity on feedback. Meredith C

Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre

H&I Hub has commenced discussions with Arthur Gorrie to determine interest in NA information sessions.

  • Centre was very receptive
  • Due to space restrictions their preference is for NA to go in on a Saturday
  • Male and female facilitators are welcome
  • Looking for an information session format due to the transient (remand) nature of the facility
Action Member Responsible Status
H&I Hub to participate in online meeting with AGCC on December 23 to progress information sessions. Meredith C

Brisbane Correctional Centre

H&I Hub to contact BCC to offer H&I meetings.

Action Member Responsible Status
H&I Hub to contact Bill Warwick at Wolston Correctional Centre for BCC referral. Meredith C

SEQ Men’s Correctional Facilities:

  • Arthur Gorrie (remand)
  • Wolston Correctional Centre (protection)
  • Brisbane Correctional Centre (primary SEQ reception area for sentenced prisoners and maximum security unit), formerly Sir David Longland Correctional Centre
  • Woodford Correctional Centre

Brisbane Youth Detention Centre

  • Women’s Prison Group is seeking contact details for the Centre to determine their interest in receiving H&I information sessions.
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