In this issue

Please consider sharing with RMCS a brief summary of your service and what support you offer to the Police Referrals program so that the QPS Police Referrals team can continue to showcase to the QPS the providers in our network and what they can offer.

The QPS Police Referrals team also continue to promote ‘Good News Stories’. Sharing good new stories goes a long way to ensure positive community policing continues to make a difference in people’s lives. We also welcome you to provide RMCS with feedback about good referrals, we will pass this onto QPS Police Referrals team to share with the referring officer. You may also wish to send this feedback directly to the officer.

We thank the below services for sharing the following Good News Stories, it is appreciated!!

As shared by ADA Australia: “Client was referred to us by your officers and we will be going to see not only the client but her sister to assist to navigate My Aged Care to see if they can get more help at home”.

As shared by Encircle Homestay Team: “We have a police referral who when we rang she declined needing a service. The worker provided resources and offered her to call back if she required further assistance. A few weeks later she rang back and is now engaged with a case manager. We consider this a very successful outcome”.

Please continue to share feedback, suggestions, and ideas with RMCS. The QPS Police Referrals Team are grateful to receive this feedback and work hard to address your feedback directly if there is a problem, share feedback to all of QPS, or directly address feedback in a particular area

A reminder for all service providers to complete and return the fee information survey that was sent around via email.

It is important that we are aware of any changes to the way your service operates, including the nature of fees (if any) that are charged to referred clients. This information is made available as part of the Police Referral process.

Domestic and Family Violence Service Providers can find information about the DV-PAF indicators here.  We thank the service providers who have been participating in our focus groups and we look forward to continuing to work together on enhancing Police Referrals.

Thanks to all those services who have sent in their Christmas Closure periods. With only 7 weeks to go until Christmas we all know the holiday season is a period of particularly high need for vulnerable persons and to plan for this time we ask Service Providers to consider providing as much assistance as they can to address the influx of referrals.

You may be able to assist by:

• Letting RMCS know as soon as possible of any planned closure dates and times for your service over the holiday period.
• Minimising down times in answering referrals over that time.
• Organising skeleton staffing to continue to answer referrals over the high need period.
• Committing to addressing pending referrals as soon as possible after return to work.

We appreciate any assistance you can provide during the season and hope that most of all, you and your staff enjoy a break!

Utilising the auto-response functionality helps your service to empower the client and is a set and forget option that RMCS configure for you with your approval.

Once configured each client referred to your service will automatically be sent an SMS/EMAIL with your services contact number or website details so they can phone you should they wish.

The aim of this functionality is to give the client your details to ensure they can phone you when they are ready, at time of referral or in the future.

By setting up an Auto-Response it does not negate the need to make 3 attempts at contact with the client. We believe it adds to the Police Referral Process to ensure clients are empowered with service provider information they can use when they are ready.

For more information on the SMS/EMAIL and Auto-Response functionality please email or call the RMCS team.

Mind Australia – Darling Downs District

Head to Health Service Navigators, Brisbane North PHN – Brisbane North District

Amaroo ATSI Elders Justice Group – Far North District

Footprints Social Health Connect – Moreton District