People with severe mental illness will receive additional support to access stable and secure accommodation, with an investment of more than $50 million from the NSW Government to continue the Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative (HASI) Plus.
Minister for Mental Health Tanya Davies announced the commitment today at the Australian Psychosis Conference in Sydney.
“This funding will support around 60 people with a severe mental illness that impacts their day-to-day life to build independence and lead their own recovery,” Mrs Davies said.
“The HASI program provides intensive, recovery orientated support and stable accommodation so people with a lived experience of persistent mental illness can transition out of long-term hospital care to live well in the community.”
Accommodation ranges from groups of self-contained apartments to modified houses with shared cooking facilities and living areas.
Mrs Davies said the program provides support from 16 to 24 hours a day and helps mental health consumers build skills to understand their rights and responsibilities as tenants.
“This investment means consumers can live safely in the community with access to flexible clinical and psychosocial services in fit-for-purpose accommodation, and the NSW Government is committed to providing this ongoing support,” Mrs Davies added.
The funding will enable Parramatta Mission, Flourish Australia and New Horizons to deliver the program over a five-year agreement term.
In 2018-19 the NSW Government is investing $100 million as part of the 10-year vision for mental health reform in NSW.
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