Authors: Paul Clare, Sharon Campbell
Year: 2018
Event: 2018 TheMHS Conference
Subject: Debt Recovery: Supporting consumers in an involuntary setting to actively engage in managing financial responsibilities
Type of resource: Conference Presentations and Papers
ISBN: 978-0-9945702-3-9
Abstract:
Queensland’s State-wide Forensic Inpatient service levies accommodation fees for consumers admitted longer than 35 days. This approach is consistent with long stay public services in the state. Historically, few financially capable consumers have been willing to pay or negotiate payment plans. In addition to financial pressures this causes the service, it has generated inequality between those with capacity to manage financial affairs and those receiving support for this. Previously, the responsibility for pursuing payment and debt notionally resided with clinical teams, however, debt recovery has not always been a high priority for clinicians balancing competing demands. Inadvertent organisational support for accruing large unpaid debts arguably undermines rather than enhances consumer agency. This paper will outline a revised, collaborative approach adopted by the Revenue and Social Work teams to support consumers to meet fee payments. The paper will draw on a case study demonstrating positive outcomes and discuss the approach in the context of relevant sources of mental health and recovery literature.
HOW TO REFERENCE THIS PAPER
Clare, P, Campbell, S, "Debt Recovery: Supporting consumers in an involuntary setting to actively engage in managing financial responsibilities" (2018), Hear the Whisper, Not the Roar Contemporary TheMHS in Mental Health Services, Adelaide Conference Proceedings 2018, TheMHS Conference, Adelaide, Australia
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