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A NEW program which supports people with severe and persistent mental illness with complex needs, as well as their carers and families, was officially launched in Kiama this week.
The program, Illawarra Shoalhaven Partners in Recovery, is part of a national initiative that aims to support and enable consumers and carers to take a more active role in managing their own recovery.
The program launch took place at The Pavilion, Kiama.
Dianne Kitcher, chief executive officer of Grand Pacific Health said they were the lead agency for ISPIR, after receiving funding from the federal Department of Health.
Grand Pacific Health has been working in collaboration with a group of organisations and service providers to form the ISPIR consortium.
“This inter-agency co-operation allows us to meet the full range of a person’s needs,” Ms Kitcher said.
She said this was a more encompassing model that “takes into account all of the social and emotional, as well as mental health and physical health needs”.
“It’s a very different model of working.
“It’s very challenging to have persistent, severe… It’s for people with chronic problems.
“Across the region it is a very significant problem.”
The consortium includes Aftercare, Care Connect, Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service, Neami National, Richmond PRA, Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW, Supported Accommodation and Homelessness Service Shoalhaven Illawarra, Watershed Drug and Alcohol Recovery and Education Centre and the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, as well as consumers and carers.
“The consortium wants to see the whole community benefit from providing better and more consistent service to people with serious mental illness, to help them move forward on their recovery journey,” Ms Kitcher said.
“To do this, we have set up a consumer and carer forum to provide guidance and feedback on the development and delivery of the program throughout the region, as well as a stakeholder council.
“This provides an opportunity for stakeholders to provide input and advice, and development of partnerships and collaboration.”
Peter Simons represented the Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW, National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum and Interchange Shoalhaven at the launch.
“It’s a new approach, it’s a collaborative approach,” he said.
“What we’re trying to do is bring all the stakeholders – NGOs, government agencies, mental health, non-professionals, professionals – all into a consensus, so we can actually streamline the process of helping the consumers, and ultimately help the carers.”
Grand Pacific Health has so far subcontracted five organisations to deliver the support facilitation services, with these providers hosting 12 positions.
The program has been accepting referrals in the Shoalhaven area since March and in the Illawarra since May.
By September, ISPIR had received 154 referrals.
The launch also included the unveiling of the new ISPIR website, which will provide information for consumers, carers and family, service providers, recovery services and the community.
Visit the website at www.ispir.org.au.