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Community and Rehabilitation
Community Services
Community services are provided through four Community Mental
Health Centres and an Early Psychosis service
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Southern Community Team in East Hampton
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Clayton Community Team in Clayton
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Dandenong Community Team in Dandenong
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Casey/Cardinia Community Team in Berwick
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RAPPS operating across the whole catchment
Community teams
Community teams provide treatment and case management for clients with
significant and complex needs; addressing areas of assessed need
including mental health needs, physical health needs, supports needs and
social needs. Clinical interventions include those that cannot be
provided by mainstream services (e.g. monitoring of community treatment
orders or medication), individual counselling, short term therapy,
education, support, liaison with other services, and liaison with
family, GP and carers. A case manager works with a client to identify
individual needs and strengths, develop a treatment plan, and assist
with linkages to relevant community resources that can best address the
need. Clients are discharged from the service at an appropriate time
frequently with follow up by a General Practitioner and/or private
psychiatrist. Recovery and
Prevention of Psychosis Service
The Recovery and Prevention of Psychosis Service (RAPPS) is a service
covering the whole adult service catchment population to young people
aged 16-25 years (and their families) who have experienced a first
episode of psychosis. The program is available to young people for up to
three years depending on individual need and service resources.
Services include:
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Assertive case management. Depending on
the individual, case management can involve regular home visits and
telephone calls, outpatient appointments, and communication and
advocacy with other services.
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Advice and support regarding medication.
We can assist you to identify which medications work best for you.
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Group programs. We offer a number of
different groups for example Coping with Stress, and a Prevocational
group to assist you in getting back to work and/or study. Sometimes
we offer these groups with other services; for example the ERHMA
psychiatric disability support service.
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Educational groups are offered to help you
understand psychosis and make the best possible recovery. Other
educational groups aim to assist you in understanding the mental
health service and how it operates.
Specialist interventions such as:
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) –
helping people recover by learning new thinking and behavioural
strategies to cope with depression, anxiety and other psychotic
symptoms.
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Family group work.
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Parent/carer groups. Caring for a person
who is experiencing or recovering from psychosis can be difficult.
Attending the carer groups offered by RAPPS provides a way for
families to learn more about psychosis and gain extra support from
other carers.
Rehabilitation
services
Rehabilitation services are provided through residential and community
facilities.
Residential rehabilitation
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Doveton Community Care Unit at Doveton
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Middle South Community Care Unit at East
Bentleigh
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Wirringga Secure Extended Care Unit at Dandenong
The Community Care Units (CCU) provide community
residential services for up to 20 clients in each 24-hour staffed
facility. Referrals are drawn from existing registered clients of the
Mental Health Program. Services include a four weeks residential
assessment that may be followed by a medium to long term psychosocial
rehabilitation program based on individual needs.
Wirringga Unit provides 24-hour intensive extended care to 20 patients
with complex needs, acute episodic/chronic enduring psychiatric
illnesses/disabilities, dual diagnosis, who cannot be treated in the
community. Patients come from Southern Health, Alfred Hospital and
Frankston Hospital Mental Health Programs.
Community rehabilitation
Community-based rehabilitation is provided through the Middle South and
the Dandenong Mobile Support and Treatment Teams (MSTS). Referrals are
drawn from existing registered clients of the Mental Health Program.
MSTS provide intensive specialist mental health services to existing
clients who have severe psychiatric illness, enduring psychosocial
disabilities, multiple complex needs, and requiring ongoing intensive
community-based support. The teams operate during normal business hours
across seven days. Clients may be supported for periods of care of up to
several years if required.
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