Most people who require hospital treatment for mental illness only stay a short time. However, there are around 380 people who, due to their complex needs, do not have a pathway to community living.
Most people who require hospital treatment for mental illness only stay a short time. However, there around 380 people who, due to their complex needs, do not have a pathway to community living.
Evidence shows that people with severe and persistent mental illness can experience better quality of life and improved health and social outcomes by living in the community.
Under the NSW Government’s response to Living Well: A Strategic Plan for Mental Health in NSW 2014-2024 funding is supporting the Pathways to Community Living Initiative.
In 2017/18, $1.6 million will fund new clinical services to enable people living with severe and persistent mental illness to transition to community living. Small teams of highly trained and experienced mental health clinicians across NSW including senior practitioners such as psychiatrists, senior nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, psychologists and others will be located in nine local health districts: Central Coast, Hunter New England, Illawarra Shoalhaven, Northern Sydney, Sydney, South Eastern Sydney, South Western Sydney, Western NSW and Western Sydney Local Health Districts.
The teams will work in a new paradigm of care across both inpatient and community settings. They will provide innovative, flexible services that treat a person's needs and make their wishes a priority.
