Commentary on the harm reduction reference group of justice health and forensic mental health network and corrective services NSW, Australia

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPH-06-2021-0050
• Published date: 08 December 2021
• Date: 08 December 2021
• Pages: 394-406
• Subject Matter: Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Prisoner health,Sociology,Sociology of crime & law,Public policy & environmental management,Policing,Criminal justice
• Author: Julia Anne Silano,Carla Treloar,Thomas Wright,Tracey Brown,Colette McGrath,Phillip Snoyman

Commentary on the harm reduction

reference group of justice health and

forensic mental health network and

corrective services NSW, Australia

Julia Anne Silano, Carla Treloar, Thomas Wright, Tracey Brown, Colette McGrath and

Phillip Snoyman

Abstract

Purpose –This commentary aims to reveal how a steering committee has effectively responded to

advancingaccessibility to harm reduction resources, hepatitisC virus (HCV) policy and health strategies

withinadult prison settings in New South Wales (NSW).

Design/methodology/approach –By reviewing the audit approach takenby the of the Justice Health

and Forensic Mental Health Network and Corrective Services New South Wales Harm Reduction

Reference Group (JHFMHN/CSNSW HRRG), this commentaryemphasizes the committee’s success in

identifyingcontemporary harm reduction issues thataffect people in custodial settings. This commentary

is a compilation of data gathered through the 2018 JHFMHN/CSNSW HRRG audit and corresponding

program materials.Conclusions regarding the effectiveness of the working group’s auditwere drawn by

critically appraisingthe JHFMHN/CSNSW HRRG’s Final Audit Report (JHFMHNand CSNSW, 2018) with

referenceto current harm reduction literature.

Findings –The HRRG has provided leadership,professional representation andstrategic advice on the

development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of best practice harm reduction strategies in

prison settings. The HRRG developedand maintained networks and information exchangebetween the

state-wide HCV healthnetwork, corrections services and the NSW harm reduction sector at large.Public

health partnerships and advocacy that involve all key players, such as the HRRG, will continue to be

crucialto remove barriers to enhancing HCV harmreduction measures especiallyin NSW prison settings.

Social implications –Strategies such as primaryprevention and treatment can mitigate the spread of

HCV in the custodial system.This audit of access to harm reduction resources wasconducted on behalf

of the diverse group of professionals,scholars and stakeholders comprising the HRRG. This audit and

other advocacy efforts of this committee can facilitate future access to quality healthcare and the

necessarypolicies required to support a healthierprison population at large.

Originality/value –Collaborating with health authorities, researchers and social service workers can

enable prison health-caresystems to be guided by wider health workforce programs and publichealth

standards. This collaboration can reduce the professional isolation of custodial health-care staff and

promote a balanced approachto harm reduction policies by ensuring an equitablefocus on both health

and securityimperatives.

Keywords Health in prison, Health policy, Hepatitis C, Problematic drug use, Drug addiction, Harm reduction

Paper type Viewpoint

Abbreviations

CSNSW = Corrective Services New South Wales;

DAAs = Direct-acting antivirals;

HCV = Hepatitis C virus;

Julia Anne Silano is based

at Global Health

Department, Faculty of

Health Sciences at

McMaster University,

Hamilton, Canada.

Carla Treloar is based at

Centre for Social Research

in Health, UNSW Sydney,

Sydney, Australia.

Thomas Wright, Tracey Brown

and Colette McGrath are all

based at Justice Health and

Forensic Mental Health

Network, Malabar, Australia.

Phillip Snoyman is based at

Corrective Services New

South Wales, Sydney,

Australia.

Received 15 June 2021

Revised 12 October 2021

20 October 2021

26 October 2021

Accepted 1 November 2021

The authors would like to

acknowledge all current and

previous members of the

Justice Health and Forensic

Mental Health Network and

Corrective Services NSW Harm

Reduction Reference Group for

their contribution to this work.

PAGE 394 jINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PRISONER HEALTH jVOL. 18 NO. 4 2022, pp. 394-406, ©EmeraldPublishing Limited, ISSN 1744-9200 DOI 10.1108/IJPH-06-2021-0050