Client Incident Management Instruction
(CIMS)
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) have developed the Client Incident Management Instruction that focuses on the safety and wellbeing of clients.
Community Service Organisations, (department funded) from the 15 January 2018 are required to comply with the requirements of CIMS in the identification, reporting and management of critical clients incidents.
A client incident is defined as:
An event or circumstance that occurred during service delivery and resulted in harm to a client.
The CIMS policy indicates that all incidents that have been assessed as Major Impact incidents that involve allegations of abuse or neglect of a client must be screened to determine the appropriate course of action.
From the screening of major incidents, service providers may determine that an external investigation is required to ensure the investigation is robust, objective and expert.
Lewis Wanstall & Associates is able to assist service providers in relation to external investigations. We have experience and skill in undertaking investigations with vulnerable people. Our investigators are experienced in interviewing children and young people who have experienced childhood trauma and abuse. We also have experience in interviewing people with a disability.
Further information regarding our investigative capacity can be found here.
Further information regarding CIMS can be found at: http://providers.dhhs.vic.gov.au/cims
