PEOPLE with chronic and complex mental health issues will receive intensive support under a $6 million service launched in Tamworth yesterday.
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Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative (HASI) Plus will provide access to secure housing and 16- to 24-hour per day support to aid in recovery, which will focus on psycho-social rehabilitation, daily living skills, physical health and employment.
It is aimed at those cycling in and out of homelessness or institutionalisation in prison or hospital because of their mental illness.
Tamworth was awarded one of three contracts around the state under $35.2 million of funding from the NSW and federal governments, with Mental Health Minister Kevin Humphries labelling the initiative the first of its kind in Australia.
The 15 support packages will be provided through mental health organisation Richmond PRA, which will work with other local services such as Homes North to deliver the service.
More funding will go towards refurbishments and other works at the Tamworth Homeless Men’s Support Group’s units in North Tamworth.
The support group and Richmond PRA worked together on the funding application and from next month, Richmond PRA will take over the service the support group has provided.
Richmond PRA chief executive officer Pam Rutledge said HASI Plus provided an opportunity to wrap services around people who might have been disconnected from the community for years because of their mental illness.
“This is a massive step forward for mental health services in the north west of the state,” Ms Rutledge said.
“It’s much-needed and well overdue.”
Mr Humphries said the initiative would draw together various services in the area and help establish Tamworth as a hub for mental health care.
Tamworth Homeless Men’s Support Group management committee president John Wallace said the group decided to enter negotiations with Richmond PRA because problems attracting funding threatened the existence of the service altogether.
“We are a little bit sad that we’re going to hand it over, but please it’s going to see the thing grow and get stronger,” Mr Wallace said.
Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said the announcement was very timely given the “dire” situation the support group found themselves in, and would also help improve the situation for people experiencing homelessness and mental illness by raising the profile of these issues.
Richmond PRA will also provide support packages in Newcastle under its contract.
