Authors: Jill Steverson, NSW
Year: 2014
Event: 2014 TheMHS Conference
Subject: book of proceedings 2014, schizophrenia fellowship nsw (sfnsw)
Type of resource: Conference Presentations and Papers
ISBN: 978-0-9757653-9-5
Abstract: The Australian Government funded Personal Helpers and Mentors (PHaMS) program was rolled out in 2007 with an aim to support people diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness with 1:1 mentoring and support. This paper examines qualitative research carried out across seven PHaMs services provided by Schizophrenia Fellowship (SFNSW) in New South Wales. The hypothesis was participants that stay in PHaMs for more than three years have multiple issues on entry including cognitive issues that may impair the ability to progress with recovery goals and independence. 74 online Surveys were completed by PHaMs participants. The survey results did not prove that long term participants had more issues on entry than other participants or that they reported more cognitive issues. The majority of respondents reported having multiple issues on entry but generally similar needs in order to exit from the program e.g. further achievement of personal recovery goals. The survey did show PHaMs participants are highly individual in their needs and circumstances and it provided a large amount of qualitative data on the issues people faced and very positive responses from participants about their experience of the program. Further research involving staff would be needed to continue to test the hypothesis.
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