Personal Helpers and Mentors Program
- Introduction to the Personal Helpers and Mentors Program
- Who is eligible to participate in the Program?
- Who is not eligible to participate in the program?
- What if I am not eligible?
- How do I locate and contact a Personal Helper and Mentor Service Provider?
- More information - Brochure and Factsheet
Introduction to the Personal Helpers and Mentors Program
The Personal Helpers and Mentors Program aims to provide increased opportunities for recovery for people who have a severe functional limitation resulting from a severe mental illness. The program takes a strengths-based, recovery approach. The program assists people aged 16 years and over whose ability to manage their daily activities and to live independently in the community is impacted because of a severe functional limitation resulting from a severe mental illness.The Personal Helpers and Mentors employed by each service provider support program participants in their recovery journey, building long-term relationships and providing holistic support. They ensure that services accessed by program participants are coordinated, integrated and complementary to other services in the community. A Personal Helper and Mentor will:
- help participants to better manage their daily activities and reconnect to their community
- provide direct and personalised assistance through outreach services
- provide referrals and links with appropriate services such as drug and alcohol and accommodation services
- work with participants in the development of Individual Recovery Plans which focus on participants' goals and recovery journey
- engage and support family, carer and other relationships
- monitor and report progress against the participant's Individual Recovery Plan.
Who is eligible to participate in the Program?
The Personal Helpers and Mentors Program assists people aged 16 years and over whose ability to manage their daily activities and to live independently in the community is impacted because of a severe functional limitation as a result of a severe mental illness.Potential participants are required to reside in the postcodes allocated in each site. Service providers will have strategies to engage those who are homeless or transient within each site.
A person does not need to have a formal clinical diagnosis of a severe mental illness to be able to access the program.
Who is not eligible to participate in the program?
People who are not eligible for assistance under this program are:- people who don't live within the postcode boundaries of the site
- people who are assessed through the Personal Helpers and Mentors eligibility screening tool as not having a severe functional limitation resulting from a severe mental illness
- people under 16 years of age
- people whose functional limitation prevents them from being able to make an informed decision to participate (including in conjunction with any legal third party where appropriate)
- people who do not provide informed consent for data to be provided to FaCSIA for program purposes
- people with dual diagnosis (i.e. drug and alcohol dependence) who are unwilling or unable to address their non-mental illness related issues. The program will only be successful if both co-morbid conditions and mental health issues are addressed simultaneously
- people receiving assistance through residential mental health services, or patients in psychiatric or acute care hospitals
- people under the management of state or territory corrective services where the state/ territory corrections systems have responsibility for the person's mental health i.e. people who are imprisoned, or under community corrections orders, forensic mental health orders, or periodic detention.
What if I am not eligible?
Where a Personal Helper and Mentor service provider is not able to provide support to a person, the department's expectation is that service providers could identify, and provide the person with, information on any other relevant services within the community that may be able to support the person. The service provider may also initiate a referral to another service, if applicable.How do I locate and contact a Personal Helper and Mentor Service Provider?
Information is available to assist in identifying and contacting service providers currently delivering the program.More information
- Personal Helpers and Mentors Program Brochure - PDF [349kb]
- Personal Helpers and Mentors Program Fact Sheet - PDF [167kb]