- Pilot to integrate legal services and women’s health services
- Easier access for women experiencing the trauma of family and domestic violence
- Health and legal support provided in a culturally secure and safe place
- Two pilots to be trialled in Kalgoorlie and Northbridge
A trial to integrate legal services with women’s health services will be rolled out in Kalgoorlie and Northbridge boosting support for women who have experienced family and domestic violence.
Supported by a $360,0000 grant, the Women’s Legal Service WA (WLSWA) Health Partnership will provide women with wraparound health and legal services all in one safe space.
This innovative partnership will help clinicians identify and respond to women experiencing domestic and family violence, and make specialist legal services more accessible to those who would otherwise not access this information and assistance.
The two sites selected to trial the pilot are Women’s Health and Family Services in Northbridge and the Goldfields Women’s Health Care Centre in Kalgoorlie. These will provide a seamless integration for legal, physical, psychosocial and other health-related matters.
Funded by the Cook Government through WA Health and in partnership with WLSWA, the pilot will provide health clinic staff with opportunities to identify and respond to clients’ legal needs.
It will also give lawyers a better understanding of their clients’ health concerns in relation to their legal matters. Integrating legal services with women’s health centres aligns with the Sustainable Health Review, which aims to deliver person-centred, equitable and seamless access to healthcare.
This initiativealso aligns with the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women, the Youth Justice Strategy, and The Path to Safety: Western Australia’s Strategy to Reduce Family and Domestic Violence 2020 2023.
The pilot will focus on providing services to a range of groups including women and families, remote and rural communities and culturally and linguistically (CALD) people.
As stated by Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
“This service will offer a wide range of services to support vulnerable women in our community.
“Helping women move forward from the trauma associated with family and domestic violence is a priority for the State Government.
“Offering the pilot program at both a metropolitan and regional site will mean more women will be able to access ongoing health and legal support in a safe space that is familiar to them.”
Comments attributed to Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Sabine Winton:
“When people experiencing family and domestic violence decide to get help, it can be overwhelming working out where to start. We don’t want people to face that barrier.
“Being able to access legal assistance and health services in the one place is so important for victim-survivors to not only escape family and domestic violence, but also help them to rebuild their lives.”
