The Commonwealth Psychosocial Support service, provided by Flourish Australia, assists people with a severe mental illness who have reduced psychosocial function and who are not supported by the NDIS. The program strengthens the capacity of people/consumers to live independently, safely, and productively in their community, form meaningful connections in a supportive environment, and reduce the need for acute care.
The program covers a range of non-clinical supports that focus on building personal capacity and stability in one or more of the following areas:
social skills, friendships and family connections
day-to-day living skills
financial management and budgeting
finding and maintaining a home
vocational skills and goals
maintaining physical wellbeing, including exercise
managing substance use issues
building broader life skills, including confidence and resilience, and;
building capacity to live independently in the community
Who is eligible?
Residents of the Nepean Blue Mountains region aged 16 years and over (exceptions can be made for people aged less than 16 years subject to approval)
People with severe, often episodic, mental illness and associated psychosocial functional impairment who are not more appropriately supported through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
People who are not restricted in their ability to fully, and actively, participate in the community because of their residential setting (e.g. prison or a psychiatric facility)
People who are not receiving similar psychosocial supports through a state or territory government program or the NDIS, where there is potential for duplication of service offerings
Who can refer?
People can self-refer into the program
GPs, allied health providers, individuals, family, carers and other organisations can also refer
Locations:
Penrith: 232 Derby Street, Penrith
Windsor: 168 – 172 George St, Windsor
Katoomba: Level 2/98 Bathurst Rd, Katoomba
Lithgow: 1/31 Railway Parade, Lithgow
NDIS Eligibility Testing Support
The program is able to provide support to clients to test eligibility for the NDIS, where they are assessed as requiring ongoing and higher levels of support. More information about the NDIS and the eligibility criteria can be found on the NDIS website.
Referrals can be made by calling Flourish Australia on 1300 779 270 or by email.
NDIS Calculator
We have developed a free online NDIS Support Calculator, to make it easier for participants, health professionals and providers to identify appropriate services for a potential NDIS participant to receive through an individualised funding package.
You can use the calculator to select a range of support services suitable for a potential NDIS participant, and the tool will calculate the annual cost of each item (by hours per the week), and then let you to print the results to assist in discussions with your NDIS planner.
