Community Rehabilitation

Improving independent functioning and quality of life

The Rehabilitation Service works with consumers to develop individualised rehabilitation plans that focus on improving role and functioning.

What is Rehabilitation?
People have certain life roles to perform such as a worker, parent, mother, home maintainer, self-carer, or a friend etc. Mental illness, like physical illness, can cause disabilities that affect and decrease an individual's ability to perform these life roles within their living, learning, working, and social environments.

Rehabilitation involves working with an individual (consumer*) to provide a personal, individualised set of interventions which aim to restore a person’s ability to perform their life roles adequately. It involves decreasing disability by assisting the individual to improve their independent level of functioning and quality of life.

(* Consumer refers to a person living with a mental illness who may require services.)

Who can access St Vincent’s Mental Health Rehabilitation Service?
Consumers must be living in the inner city catchment area and have a mental illness diagnosis. Download a Rehabilitation Brochure.

When is a consumer ready for Mental Health Rehabilitation?

• A consumer expresses an interest in developing the necessary skills to reacquire life roles lost due to disability.
• Motivated and willing to accept responsibility to actively participate in the services offered by the rehabilitation team
• Have a perceived need, and a commitment to change.

How do you gain access to the Mental Health Rehabilitation Service?
If the consumer is already known to the St Vincent’s Mental Health Service and is actively involved with a psychiatrist/case manager, a referral can be made by any health professional of the St Vincent’s Mental Health Service to the Rehabilitation Service. Print out a Referral form here.

If the consumer is not known to the service, a referral is made through
St Vincent’s Mental Health Intake Service. Following a referral to the Rehabilitation Service, an appointment time will be offered and a rehabilitation assessment undertaken to see if the consumer is ready for rehabilitation.

During the assessment, residential, vocational, educational and social goals are discussed. A rehabilitation plan is developed collaboratively with the consumer to develop the skills and support necessary to reach these goals.

Rehabilitation ceases when goals are achieved or appropriate resources are developed and established. The aim is for a maximum of six months intervention. Consumers can re-access rehabilitation if required.

What services do we provide?

• Pre-vocational skills
• Activity planning - development of routine and structure
• Budgeting
• Travel training
• Cooking at home/menu planning
• Home management
• Self care
• Interventions to address barriers that limit a person’s ability to interact effectively in the community
• Stress/anxiety management
• Social skills
• Links with Non Government Organizations and other government agencies
• Accommodation support programs
• Creative pursuits
• Supportive employment, work, education and training

Who is involved in the Mental Health Rehabilitation Service?

• Rehabilitation Service Co-ordinator
• Senior Occupational Therapist
• Caritas (Inpatient Unit) Occupational Therapist
• 2 x Rehabilitation Workers
• Clinical Psychologist

Hours	Contact
Monday to Friday  8.30am to 5.00pm	Service Coordinator, Rehabilitation Team  St Vincent's Mental Health Service  299 Forbes Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010  T 02 8382 1800  F 02 8382 1802