As a result of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, the Bama Dakil Diversionary Centre and the Cell Visitor Program were established.

The Diversionary Centre aims to provide an alternative to formal custody for intoxicated persons and the Cell Visitor Program aims to ensure the safety and wellbeing of detainees in the Cairns Watch House. The Cairns Watch House is the largest in Queensland outside of Brisbane and has the capacity to hold 100 detainees at any given time. People can be held in the Watch House for up to 30 days.

The Bama Dakil Diversionary Centre supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 18 years and over, or aged 17 years and over who are at risk of being taken into custody for public intoxication offences – if they are referred by the Queensland Police Service.

This may include:

• Single Men
• Single Women
• Young people aged 17 years and over

While the target group does not include non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, those who meet the criteria above may also be provided with a service. At any time no more than 25% of the clients at the Diversionary Centre will be non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Diversionary Centre is a sobering up facility for:

• Intoxicated individuals who are at risk of being a danger to themselves or others
• Individuals causing a public nuisance, or who would otherwise be detained at the Cairns Watch House

The Diversionary Centre provides a safe and culturally appropriate sobering-up facility where clients are provided with supervision, care, companionship and support. While individuals are in the centre, they are provided with meals and access to personal hygiene and laundry facilities.

The Centre is open 24 hours per day and clients are encouraged to stay for a minimum of four hours or until they are sober.

Accessing the Service

People can access the Diversionary Centre by self-presentation or assistance from support services. The Centre accepts walk-in referrals as well as referrals from the police and a range of other services and agencies in the community. The Centre also provides a client pick-up service at various locations around the city of Cairns, in response to referral requests.

Diversionary Centre staff provide an assisted referral process to appropriate agencies, as well as assisting clients to attend medical and court appointments by arranging transport and/or referral to support agencies.

The Diversionary Centre operates 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year for self-referring clients, police referrals and clients referred by other agencies.

53 – 59 Lyons Street, Bungalow QLD 4870
P: 07 4046 8082
E:

The Cell Watch Visitor Program supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Cairns and Innisfail who are or have recently been (i.e. during the previous 14 days), in police custody, with a specific focus on those who are in need of special care, support, observation or attention. This includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who may be in police custody for public intoxication offences.

This may include:

• Single Men
• Single Women
• Young people aged 17 years and over.

While the target group does not include non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, those who meet the criteria above may also be provided with a service. At any time no more than 25% of the clients at the Diversionary Centre will be non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The purpose of the Cell Watch Visitor’s initiative is to provide support services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the custody of the Queensland Police Service to reduce the incidence of suicide, self-injury and health impacts related to intoxication.

The Cell Watch Visitor Program works in cooperation with watch-house staff by:

• Assisting with observation and identification of detainees needs and problems;
• Facilitating effective communication between detainees, watch-house staff and other agencies and persons;
• Offering company, support and counselling to the detainee;
• Assisting in the prevention of any attempt at suicide or self-inflicted injury; and
• Providing information and referral support services to detainees.

Cell Watch Visitors provide a valuable service to detainees, including taking messages to family members, collecting suitable clothing for court, making referrals to health practitioners and other services, taking prescriptions to the pharmacy to be filled, dealing with rental payments and other financial commitments on behalf of their clients.

The Cell Watch Visitor Program operates 6 days a week in Cairns with an on-call service 24 hours per day. In Innisfail, this service is provided on an ‘as required’ basis.

53 – 59 Lyons St, Cairns
P: 07 4046 8082
E:

Feedback

We welcome your feedback regarding your involvement with the Bama Dakil Diversionary Centre.

Feedback forms are available directly from the Diversionary Service or at Anglicare NQ’s Corporate Office located at Level 1, 242 Mulgrave Road, Westcourt. Alternatively, you can provide feedback online by following this link.

In line with Anglicare NQ’s procedures, your privacy and confidentiality will be maintained. Our Privacy Policy can be found here.

If you wish to contact a member of Anglicare NQ’s executive management team, please phone (07) 4041 5454 or email .