RISC-Team | Discussion Forum

RISC-TEAM: Risk Information, Support, and Communication –
Toward Effective Assessment and Management

The purpose of the RISC-TEAM special interest group (SIG) is to promote interest, understanding, best practice and support in all aspects of violence risk assessment and management. The RISC-TEAM aims to be a resource for all disciplines involved in such activities: lawyers and administrators, as well as psychologists, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, and other involved professionals. It aims to be an international resource on violence risk assessment and management.

The mission of the group is to reflect the interests of the diverse professional membership of the IAFMHS. The combined knowledge and experience of the RISC-TEAM will be available to its membership as a resource on matters related to risk assessment and management, specifically relating to clinical practice, research, education, and policy and administration. The RISC-TEAM will create opportunities for collaboration across institutions and jurisdictions in the conduct of research and training, and will be a source of information for the IAFMHS membership on issues pertaining to risk assessment and management in forensic mental health settings.

The RISC-TEAM will offer standards and guidelines for good practice in key tasks of risk assessment and management in forensic mental health settings.

Specific Aims

• To provide an international forum for professionals interested in issues related to clinical risk assessment and management, specifically with respect to clinical practice, research and policy/administration. The essence of the group is to offer colleagues an opportunity to exchange opinions on legal, methodological, and clinical matters and to offer advice or support from the perspective of similar organizations
• To discuss standards for clinical and research practice.
• To ensure the knowledge is kept up-to-date, organized, and available to members.
• To ensure that information about risk assessment and management is conveyed accurately and responsibly via training workshops and the like.

We invite all interested professionals, students and trainees to join the group, which meets annually at the IAFMHS meeting.

Terms of Reference for the RISC-Team

The following terms of reference are proposed for the membership of the RISC-Team. Terms of reference will always be open to amendment in order that the RISC-Team reflects the interests and aspirations of its membership.

• The RISC-Team will reflect the interests of the diverse professional membership of the IAFMHS.
• The combined knowledge and experience of the RISC-Team will be available to its membership as a resource on matters related to risk assessment and management, specifically relating to clinical practice, research, education, and policy and administration.
• The RISC-Team will create opportunities for collaboration across institutions and jurisdictions in the conduct of research and training.
• The RISC-Team will be a source of information for the IAFMHS membership on issues pertaining to risk assessment and management in forensic mental health settings.
• The RISC-Team will offer standards and guidelines for good practice in key tasks of risk assessment and management in forensic mental health settings.

 Primary Coordinator:

Stephanie Penney, Ph.D. (Stephanie.Penney@camh.ca)

 International Coordinators:
Christopher Webster
Steve Hart

 National Coordinators:

• Argentina: Jorge Folino
• Canada: Kevin Douglas
• Canada: Gilles Côté
• England: Caroline Logan & Mike Dolan
• Finland: Markku Eronen
• Germany: Rüdiger Müller-Isberner
• Israel: Dror Ortasse-Spiegel
• Netherlands: Corine de Ruiter
• Norway: Kirsten Rasmussen
• Scotland: David Cooke
• Sweden: Henrik Belfrage

 Organization – by Topic

• HCR-20 Revision – Kevin Douglas
• SARA Research Compilation – Randy Kropp
• SVR-20 Research Compilation – Vivienne de Vogel
• SVRT Research Compilation – Randy Borum
• START Research Compilation – Chris Webster & Tonia Nicholls
• SORM Research Compilation – Martin Grann
• EARL-V3 – Leena Augimeri
• WRA-20/ ERA-20 (workplace) – Chris Webster
• Connection to International Journal of Forensic Mental Health – Steve Hart
• Connection to the International After Care Project – Deborah Ross