Community Living Supports (CLS) is a state-wide program that supports people with a severe mental illness to live and recover in the community in the way that they want to. CLS is part of a suite of community-based psychosocial programs for adults called the NSW Mental Health Community Living Programs.
The program began in 2016 to help more people live in the community with the type of support provided under the Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative (HASI).
People receiving CLS supports will work with:
CLS provides psychosocial supports that help people build independence in daily life and contribute to recovery. The types of support people receive depends on their individual needs and own unique goals for what they want to achieve. CLS helps people identify goals and work towards meeting those goals by providing support that may include:
The amount of CLS support you can receive is flexible and can change over time to meet your needs. When things are going well, you may only need a few hours of support a week, but there may be times when you are finding things are difficult or distressing, and it would be helpful to get more support.
Accommodation is not provided as part of the CLS program and you are not automatically eligible for public or community housing because you are receiving CLS supports. CLS can provide support to help you find or keep your housing. This can include helping you apply for housing with the Department of Communities and Justice.
You may be eligible for CLS support if you:
When there are limited places available in CLS, priority will be given to people based on the severity of their illness, circumstances or needs. This can include people from target groups who:
Your local CLS provider is able to provide you with more information about CLS, including how to access or refer someone into the program.
You can contact your local CLS provider using the below contact information. If you are unsure about which local health district you are in, further information can be found at Local Health Districts and Specialty Networks.
Email: referrals@flourishaustralia.org.au
Phone: 1300 779 270
Email : referrals@flourishaustralia.org.au
Email: enquiries@wellways.org
Phone: 1300 111 400
Email enquiries@wellways.org
Email: CentralAndFarWestNSW@missionaustralia.com.au
Phone: 08 8084 3700
Phone: (02) 6884 8526
Email: CLSEasternSydneyReferrals@missionaustralia.com.au
Phone: (02) 9508 3600
Email: intake.westernsydney@neaminational.org.au
Phone: (02) 8416 1100 (Seven Hills)
(02) 8416 1130 (Merrylands)
Email: mywellbeing@newhorizons.org.au
Phone: 1300 726 372
Email: referrals@openminds.org.au
Phone: (02) 5699 9999
Email: ask@uniting.org
Phone: 1800 864 846
The Ministry commissioned the Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC) at UNSW to evaluate the HASI/CLS programs. The 3-year longitudinal evaluation ran from November 2017 to January 2020, with final analysis completed in 2021.
HASI started in 2002 and has been running for over 20 years. The evaluation results show that HASI and CLS are making a real difference to people's lives. There is evidence that the programs help people to improve their mental health and wellbeing, think about their physical health, connect more with their local community and to reduce hospitalisations because of their mental health. We are very proud of the achievements of the HASI and CLS programs.
ACI and H4 Consulting will provide specialist skills to undertake the review as a two-part review process. Part A will be to conduct a review of the current service model and its operation principles. Part B will be to conduct a pricing review of current pricing structures and benchmarks.
Conducting a comprehensive review of the HASI/CLS service model and pricing structure with ACI and H4 Consulting allows for the service model review to be conducted by independent parties, ensuring a refreshed and contemporary approach is agreed prior to an open tender in 2025-26.