Mental Health Respite

Respite enables carers and consumers to have a break in the regular care situation. Respite helps you find the balance between caring for others and caring for yourself.

Respite is flexible, based on individual needs, promotes healthy lifestyles and needs to benefit both the carer and the person with a mental illness.

Respite, both planned and emergency, might include the following:

• Facility Based Respite: the person you care for staying in a setting where staff are experienced with mental illness.

• In Home Respite: a mental health support worker comes to your home to work with the person you care for in areas of identified interest (e.g. living/educational/social skills).

• Activity Based Respite: occurs where a group of people have similar interests.

 

While the person with mental illness participates in a program, you as the carer may also wish to pursue social or other activities.


We can support you to identify your needs and interests.

 

What is the Mental Health Program to carers?

It works at:

• facilitating carer access to a range of respite options and supports
• raising the profile of carers of people with mental illness in the region.
• supporting general and mental health services to develop programs sensitive to carers experiences and needs.
• supporting carer groups with group development, information, resources and education.
• developing resources and information related to caring for a person with mental illness.
• identifying supports available to assist those with a care role.
• identifying gaps in our service systems for carers and developing strategies to address these issues.
• facilitating networking between carers and workers on specific issues.
• co-ordinating professional education on carer issues.

The Mental Health Respite Programme is an Australian Government initiative funded by the Department of Families and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA)  that forms part of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) National Action Plan on Mental Health. The Mental Health Respite Programme will provide a range of flexible respite options for carers of people with mental illness/psychiatric disability or intellectual disability.

The Mental Health Respite Programme is delivered through two components:

1. Services will be provided using the existing network of Commonwealth Carer Respite Centres enabling carers, the care recipient and their families to have the maximum choice and flexibility tailored to their specific needs, including planned and unplanned respite.
2. The programme will also aim to increase the availability of appropriate respite options where these are not able to be procured through the usual system.

Question: What type of respite will be provided?

Answer: The Mental Health Respite Programme will provide direct respite services for carers both in the home and outside the home. Flexible respite options will be tailored to meet the needs of care recipients and their carers and families. Respite options may include, but are not limited to: centre-based respite, recreational respite, cottage-style residential respite, in-home respite and one-on-one respite. Indirect respite may be considered where suitable direct respite support for carers is not available.

Question: Where will the services be located?

Answer: The Suncare network of Commonwealth Carer Respite & Carelink Centres in Brisbane North and Central Queensland will broker, or rather, locate the most appropriate service and purchase respite services that meet your needs.

Question: Who will benefit from this programme?

Answer: The Mental Health Respite Programme has two target groups including:

• carers of people with mental illness/psychiatric disability and
• carers of people with intellectual disability.

Priority of access will be based on an assessment of relative carer need. Particular attention will be paid to ensuring appropriate options for people with severe and profound conditions or challenging behaviours. Specific priority will be given to older carers who are caring for people with mental illness/psychiatric disability or intellectual disability at home.

Question: What is the limit of respite that a carer is eligible to receive?

Answer: The amount of respite that a carer is able to access will be based on carer need. Carers will be assessed using a standard assessment tool to ensure that those in most need of respite receive it at the time they need it. However, the principle underpinning allocation of respite is that it is "short-term", providing the opportunity for carers to "take time-out" from the direct carer role.

Question: How will I get access to these respite services?

Answer: Access to Mental Health Respite services will be available through contacting our Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre network on 1800 059 059.

Question: Who will deliver respite services?

Answer: Suncare’s network of Commonwealth Carer Respite Centres will enable carers, care recipients and their families to have the maximum choice and flexibility tailored to their specific needs, including planned and unplanned respite through the most  appropriate services that meet their needs.

Suncare Community Services Direct Respite Services is funded by Queensland Health for the purchase of independent living skills and social support for individuals with a moderate to severe mental illness living in the community in accordance with relevant program guidelines.

How to contact us:

For further information on the Mental Health program contact your nearest Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre on 1800 059 059* Freecall (*except from mobiles)

FaCSIA Mental Health Respite Program

The Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA) works in partnership with Suncare Community Services Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres to support and improve the lives of Australians.

Many carers are now ageing themselves and need help to continue to provide care for their son or daughter. Increased support such as respite has positive outcomes for both the carer and the person with a disability and helps older parent carers continue to care for their child at home.

The amount of respite that a carer is able to access will be based on carer need. Carers will be assessed using a standard assessment tool to ensure that those in most need of respite receive it at the time they need it. However, the principle underpinning allocation of respite is that it is "short-term", providing the opportunity for carers to "take time-out" from the direct carer role.

The New Funding for Respite Services is an Australian Government initiative incorporating two programs:

• National Respite Development Fund, a component of the Mental Health Respite Program
• The Respite for Older Carers of Children with Disability Program.

The focus of the FaCSIA New Funding for Respite Services is new and innovative options to increase the availability and supply of flexible and appropriate respite services. The funding is focused on building the capacity of service providers such as Suncare Community Services Respite services to deliver respite services to the target groups of the two Australian Government initiatives.

To contact us for further information about the program or other respite issues please contact your nearest Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre on 1800 059 059* Freecall (*except from mobiles)

Beyondblue

• is a national, independent, not-for-profit organisation working to address issues associated with depression, anxiety and related substance misuse disorders in Australia.

• a bipartisan initiative of the Australian, state and territory governments with a key goal of raising community awareness about depression and reducing stigma associated with the illness.

• works in partnership with health services, schools, workplaces, universities, media and community organisations, as well as people living with depression, to bring together their expertise around depression.

www.beyondblue.org.au