We acknowledge the Traditional Owners/Custodians of the lands and waters on which we work and live on across Australia. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We are committed to collaboration that furthers self-determination and creates a better future for all. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website contains images and names of deceased persons.

The Australian Centre for Social Innovation

Case study: Co-design and capability building for the Forensic Mental Health Service

From 2019 to 2020, TACSI worked with Ballarat Community Health to redesign their Forensic Mental Health Service to build the capability of both people on correction orders and clinical team members to work side by side.

Case study: Co-design and capability building for the Forensic Mental Health Service
Case study

At a glance

What: Working side by side, a redesign of Ballarat Forensic Mental Health Service to build the capability of a mixed team.

Sector: Health & mental health

TACSI practices: Community innovation, Co-design & co-production

Collaborators: Ballarat Community Health

TACSI team: Carla Clarence, lauren anseline, Martin Ford, Ashwini Alluri

Whiteboard with post it notes on it

The opportunity

The forensic mental health program within Ballarat Community Health wanted to improve its impact and the engagement of its client base: People who are currently on a community corrections order (CCO) that mandates mental health support.

Alongside the project team and a number of existing clients, TACSI led a co-design process to facilitate the discovery of new solutions, mindsets and practices to improve the current mental health service experience.

Ballarat Community Health was the lead on a consortium for this work that includes BADAC (Ballarat and District Aboriginal Co-operative LTD.), Grampians Community Health and Ballarat Health Services.

The corrections department accepted the project team’s prototype pitch, with the aim of bettering the service model, experience and service outcomes for their clients. The service received a new name, an improved model of care, and peer roles.


Our approach

TACSI worked alongside the project team to embark on a co-design process to improve the current mental health service experience. This included exploring what exists, unearthing and testing new solutions, and transforming clinical team mindsets and practices. A number of existing clients led the research phase.


What’s next

Foregrounding lived experience leadership, the project team members successfully pitched a prototype to the corrections department that was successfully tested, with the aim to improve the overall experience and service outcomes for their clients. The team have also tested co-designed elements of a service model that sought to improve practice and outcomes.

Interested in co-creating a service or model that supports people through investing in lived experience and peer-to-peer practices? Talk to us about how we can bring co-design to your next project.

Meet the project team

Read more about our work in this area

Explore the programs and initiatives where we’ve turned bold ideas into systemic action and measurable change.