Forensicare
Forensicare is Victoria's statutory forensic mental health authority, delivering secure inpatient, community-based, and prison-embedded mental health services to consumers with serious mental illness involved with the criminal justice system.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersFairfield, Australia
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Forensicare does
Forensicare (legal name: Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health) is Victoria's statutory provider of forensic mental health services, operating as a government-owned health service under the Victorian Department of Health. Founded in 1998 and headquartered at Thomas Embling Hospital in Fairfield, Victoria, the organisation delivers a continuum of care for consumers with serious mental illness who are involved with the criminal justice system. Services span secure inpatient treatment at Thomas Embling Hospital (including the Secure Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit and the Apsley Unit), statewide community-based forensic mental health services, prison-based mental health operations (notably the 75-bed Ballerrt Yeram-boo-ee service at Ravenhall Correctional Centre and services at Melbourne Assessment Prison), and court-based interventions such as the Mental Health Advice and Response Service (MHARS) at Ringwood Magistrates' Court.
The service model is direct clinical delivery rather than a technology platform: Forensicare employs more than 630 multidisciplinary staff and operates physical facilities and embedded clinical teams. Its most technology-adjacent asset is the eDASA+APP, a structured clinical instrument with an embedded aggression prevention protocol designed to reduce restrictive practices; no proprietary AI/ML platforms, APIs, or software products are disclosed. Research, teaching, and professional development are delivered through the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science, a long-standing partnership with Swinburne University of Technology, which produced 86–87 academic outputs annually in recent reporting periods.
The revenue model is government-funded rather than commercial: Forensicare receives appropriations through the Victorian Department of Health and partner departments such as Corrections Victoria, with services commissioned under public health system arrangements and accessed via clinical referrals, court orders, and statutory pathways. As a statutory authority, the organisation holds an exclusive mandate for forensic mental health service provision in Victoria, and its customer base is effectively the Victorian Government. A $462.5 million capital expansion of Thomas Embling Hospital, announced in 2022 and with its first major new building operational in October 2024, is the dominant forward-looking investment and is reshaping Forensicare's inpatient capacity, including a new dedicated 34-bed women's precinct and a 48-bed medium-security men's facility.
Forensicare firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Forensicare
- Legal name
- Forensicare (Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health)
- Website
- https://forensicare.vic.gov.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Forensicare is Victoria's statutory forensic mental health authority, delivering secure inpatient, community-based, and prison-embedded mental health services to consumers with serious mental illness involved with the criminal justice system.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Forensicare industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Forensic Mental Health Services
- NAICS
- Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals (6222), Offices of Physicians, Mental Health Specialists (621112), Parole Offices and Probation Offices (92215)
- SIC
- Services-Health Services (8000), Services-General Medical & Surgical Hospitals, Nec (8062)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Forensic & Correctional Behavioral Health Services (HLAFACAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Correctional Health, Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services (In-Custody) (BPAKANAG), Crisis Stabilization Units & Psychiatric Emergency Services (HLAFACAH)
Keywords
Where Forensicare is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fairfield
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices4 records
Markets served
Forensicare business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Government Funding: As a Victorian government statutory authority and healthcare provider, Forensicare receives funding through government health budgets, departmental allocations, and public health system commissioning arrangements.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Forensicare product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Forensicare (Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health) operates Thomas Embling Hospital as Victoria's main secure forensic mental health hospital, alongside Community Forensic Mental Health Services, Prison Operations (including the 75-bed Ballerrt Yeram-boo-ee service at Ravenhall Correctional Centre), and court-based mental health services. The organisation delivers assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation services to consumers with serious mental illness involved with the criminal justice system, supported by the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science research partnership with Swinburne University.
Product overview
Forensicare (Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health) is Victoria's statutory provider of forensic mental health services. The organization operates a multi-component service model including Thomas Embling Hospital (the state's main secure forensic mental health facility), Community Forensic Mental Health Services (statewide and regional), Prison Operations (embedded mental health services at correctional centres including the 75-bed Ballerrt Yeram-boo-ee at Ravenhall), and the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science (research and education partnership with Swinburne University). Additional services include the Mental Health Advice and Response Service at courts, the eDASA+APP aggression management tool, and professional training programs. Forensicare's services span inpatient hospital care, community-based treatment, and prison-based mental health services, all focused on consumers with serious mental illness involved with the justice system.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Thomas Embling Hospital: Secure forensic mental health hospital operated by Forensicare providing inpatient care for consumers with serious mental illness across the justice system.
- Community Forensic Mental Health Service (CFMHS)
- Ballerrt Yeram-boo-ee
- Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science
Products and services
- Thomas Embling Hospital Victoria's main secure forensic mental health hospital providing inpatient care for consumers with serious mental illness involved with the justice system, including those found not guilty by reason of mental impairment and prison patients requiring compulsory treatment under the Mental Health Act 2014.
- Community Forensic Mental Health Services Statewide and regional community-based forensic mental health services providing outpatient care, transition support, and rehabilitation for consumers with serious mental illness within the justice system.
- Ballerrt Yeram-boo-ee A 75-bed forensic mental health service at Ravenhall Correctional Centre helping male prisoners with mental illness, providing both inpatient and outpatient care. Name means 'strong tomorrow' in Wurundjeri language.
- Apsley Unit A specialized unit at Thomas Embling Hospital providing forensic mental health inpatient services. Celebrated its first anniversary in 2020.
- Secure Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (SPICU) An 8-bed high-demand secure psychiatric intensive care unit for acutely unwell prisoners at Thomas Embling Hospital.
- Mental Health Advice and Response Service (MHARS) Service providing mental health support at Ringwood Magistrates' Court, helping vulnerable people engaged with the justice system who live with mental illness.
- Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science A partnership between Forensicare and Swinburne University of Technology, operating as Australasia's leading centre for excellence in forensic mental health and forensic behavioural science research, teaching, and practice development.
- Prison Operations Mental health services provided within prison settings across Victoria, including Forensicare's presence at Melbourne Assessment Prison and other correctional facilities.
- Professional Development and Training Professional development and training workshops delivered by experienced clinicians and researchers in forensic mental health, suitable for area mental health services, NGOs, legal, medical, and allied health professionals.
Quantifiable outcome
- Record 86 academic outputs including 57 peer reviewed articles, 2 books, 6 book chapters in 2020-21
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Forensicare
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Forensicare technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Forensicare partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.
- Australian Community Support Organisation (ACSO)majorPartnership to present 10th International Criminal Justice Conference at The Edge at Federation Square, Melbourne. Conference theme 'Global Uncertainty. Building Safer and Resilient Communities'.
- Speech Pathology AustraliaminorCollaboration through Speak Up podcast featuring Forensicare staff discussing speech pathology contributions to interprofessional practice in mental health and justice system.
- Victoria PolicecorePartnership on Enhancing Police Responses to Family Violence Project resulted in Gold award at Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards. Forensic psychologists embedded within police family violence teams.
- Swinburne University of TechnologycoreStrategic partnership to operate Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science (CFBS), Australasia's leading centre for excellence in forensic mental health and forensic behavioural science research, teaching and practice development. CFBS produces significant academic outputs including publications, research reports, and professional development programs.
- Corrections VictoriacoreGovernment partnership delivering forensic mental health services within Victorian correctional facilities including Ravenhall Correctional Centre and Melbourne Assessment Prison.
- Department of Health and Human Services VictoriacoreGovernment department partnership for formal reporting requirements, funding arrangements, and policy alignment in delivering Victorian mental health services.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Forensicare competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Western Australia Forensic Mental Health Service: Operates Frankland Centre (forensic inpatient) and statewide community forensic services within WA Health, providing a comparable end-to-end forensic mental health model.
- Queensland Forensic Mental Health Service: The statutory provider of forensic mental health services in Queensland, operating secure inpatient units and community forensic programs — directly comparable in mandate and scope to Forensicare.
- South Australia Forensic Mental Health Service: Provides inpatient forensic mental health care and community forensic services across South Australia — a same-model, different-jurisdiction peer to Forensicare.
- Rampton Hospital (Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust): High-secure forensic psychiatric hospital in England serving mentally disordered offenders — an international benchmark for the type of inpatient services Forensicare provides at Thomas Embling Hospital.
- Justice Health & Forensic Mental Health Network (NSW): NSW's state-wide forensic and correctional health service, providing custodial, inpatient, and community forensic mental health services — a direct jurisdictional counterpart to Forensicare.
- Tasmania Forensic Mental Health Service: Delivers forensic mental health assessment and treatment within Tasmania's public health system; smaller-scale but structurally identical to Forensicare.
Broad incumbents
- St John of God Health Care: Large Catholic not-for-profit hospital group with significant mental health operations; new Forensicare CEO previously led St John of God Mental Health Strategy (NSW).
- Wellpath Australia (formerly Correct Care Australasia): Private provider of correctional and forensic health services across multiple jurisdictions; competes for similar contracts to those Forensicare holds with Corrections Victoria.
Regional players
- NorthWestern Mental Health (Melbourne Health): Operates the state's other adult acute mental health inpatient services within the same metropolitan catchment as Forensicare, occasionally interfacing on forensic referrals.
Others
- Mind Australia: Major psychosocial disability and community mental health NGO; previous employer of outgoing Forensicare CEO and a complementary community-based service provider.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Forensicare social profiles
Digital presenceForensicare financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Forensicare leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Forensicare subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Forensicare funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Forensicare M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Forensicare
What does Forensicare do?
Forensicare (Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health) operates Thomas Embling Hospital as Victoria's main secure forensic mental health hospital, alongside Community Forensic Mental Health Services, Prison Operations (including the 75-bed Ballerrt Yeram-boo-ee service at Ravenhall Correctional Centre), and court-based mental health services. The organisation delivers assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation services to consumers with serious mental illness involved with the criminal justice system, supported by the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science research partnership with Swinburne University.
Is Forensicare a public or private company?
Forensicare is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Forensicare founded?
Forensicare was founded in 1998. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Forensicare based?
Forensicare is headquartered in Fairfield, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Forensicare make money?
One revenue line is on record: government Funding.
Who are Forensicare's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Western Australia Forensic Mental Health Service, Queensland Forensic Mental Health Service, South Australia Forensic Mental Health Service, Rampton Hospital (Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust), Justice Health & Forensic Mental Health Network (NSW) and Tasmania Forensic Mental Health Service. Broad incumbents are St John of God Health Care and Wellpath Australia (formerly Correct Care Australasia). NorthWestern Mental Health (Melbourne Health) is listed as a regional player. Mind Australia is listed as an others.
Does Forensicare have an API?
No public API is recorded for Forensicare.
What industry is Forensicare in?
Forensicare's product category is Forensic Mental Health Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAFACAM, Forensic & Correctional Behavioral Health Services, with a secondary code of BPAKANAG, Correctional Health, Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services (In-Custody). Its NAICS code is 6222 and its SIC code is 8000.