Posted 7 Jan 2009 - 15:24 by editor
Victoria's Mental Health Service
Victoria's mental health service system comprises two distinct parts. The acute services often referred to as clinical mental health services and the Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Services (PDRSS) that are provided by non-government community organisations.
The acute services are managed by public hospitals and provide assessment, diagnosis, treatment and clinical case management to people with a serious mental illness. These services are provided on an area basis and are often referred to as area mental health services (AMHS). They include adult mental health services, child and adolescent mental health services, and aged persons mental health services. Inpatient psychiatric services, as well as a range of residential and other community-based services are provided in each area.
The psychiatric disability rehabilitation and support services or PDRSS as they are often referred to, is a core component of the specialist mental health services. These services are managed by non-government organisations and focus on addressing the impact of mental illness on a person's daily activities and the social disadvantage resulting from illness. The PDRSS sector works within a recovery and empowerment model to maximise people's opportunities to live successfully in the community.
PDRSS services are located across Victoria.
Target group
Psychiatric disability rehabilitation support services are designed for people with serious mental illness and associated significant psychiatric disability. People aged between 16 and 64 years are eligible to access these services. The eligibility criterion depends on the type of service or program being offered.
People receiving case management services from the public mental health service who are referred by the service are automatically eligible for support from the PDRSS.
The PDRSS Service Components
Outreach, Day Program, and Social Support
Rehabilitation day programs assist people with severe psychiatric disabilities to improve their quality of life, participate in everyday living activities and function as independently as possible in the community. This may involve the development of social and living skills in a group context, through centre-based and community access programs.
Home Based Outreach
Home based outreach services provide support to consumers living in their own homes, or other community residential settings. Training in social and living skills is provided in the person's home, with a focus on the activities and interactions of everyday life.
PDRSS Residential Disability Support Services
Residential rehabilitation services provide intensive psychosocial rehabilitation and support in group accommodation preparatory to residents living independently in their own setting. Emphasis is on developing or regaining skills to enable each resident to deal with daily living activities, developing confidence to commence or continue schooling, training or employment, as well as supporting positive contact with their family and friends.
Young Persons Residential Rehabilitation
The Young Persons Residential Rehabilitation Service is a residential program for young people aged 16 - 24 years experiencing a serious mental illness. The program focus is on independence, recovery, and support to reach identified goals. There are 17 programs across the State, seven in a rural area.
Planned Respite
These services provide a short-term change in environment for people and a break for their carers. It includes both formal and informal psychosocial rehabilitation components and may involve social and recreational day activities, in-home support, holiday and adventure activities and residential components.
Mutual Support and Self-Help
These services provide information and peer support to people with a mental illness and/or their carers.
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Victorian Mental Health Service System
The map of clinical services in Victoria includes Child and Adolescents Mental Health Services (CAMHS), adult Mental Health Services (AMHS), Aged Persons Services and Statewide and Specialist Services. An overview of the Victorian Mental Health service system.
Specialist Mental Health Service Components
This document provides descriptions of the Adult Specialist Mental Health Services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Aged Persons Mental Health Services, Non-clinical Specialist Mental Health Services (PDRSS) as well as the Statewide specialist Victorian services.