Authors: Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association
Year: 2008
Event: 2008 TheMHS Awards
Subject:
Type of resource: TheMHS Awards
Award state: NSW
Award level: Finalist
Award category: Non Government Organisation (NGO) Provided Services
Abstract: The Disability Support Program (DSP) is a glowing example of partnership and recovery in practice. The DSP, first established in 2001, is an innovative partnership between Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (PRA) and Psychiatric Rehabilitation Service (PRS), a division of Hunter New England Mental Health (HNEMH). Opportunities exist for clinical mental health and psychiatric disability support providers to work in partnership with people with mental health issues, their GP’s and other carers to provide more cooperative and seamless approaches to the coordination of care. Disability support is aimed at the long-term support and maintenance of skills and abilities associated with mental disorder/psychiatric disability. Non Government Organisation's (NGOs) play a significant role in the delivery of services to people with mental health issues as well as providing services to the broader NSW population to promote mental health. DSP has been successful in providing opportunity for participants to live and stay well in the community, and has been successful in significantly reducing hospital admission rates. Description of Facility/Organisation: PRA was launched at Sydney’s Callan Park Hospital in 1955. At that time, relatives and friends were concerned at the treatment and care of patients at the hospital. Little was being done to return people with a mental illness and/or psychiatric disability to a meaningful and purposeful life. PRA is a non-government, not for profit organisation, which aims to empower people with a mental illness and/or psychiatric disability by improving their level of well being enabling them to better participate in the community. The Disability Support Program (DSP) serves the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie area in NSW. DSP has an annual budget of approximately $280,000 and receives funding from Hunter New England Mental Health (HNEMH). DSP supports up to 80 participants at any one time. DSP is staffed by a team of four (4) Mental Health Workers. DSP receive clinical support from HNEMH Supported Recovery teams.
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