Residential services for mental health

Residential services provide short, medium or long-term accommodation. The accommodation may also include support services for daily living that promote recovery.

Step up/step down services provide short term (generally up to 28 days) residential mental health specialised support, in a community-based environment.

Transitional services support people for a longer time period. The Commission is currently establishing a Community Care Unit for adults with severe and persistent mental health issues and complex needs, who require a high level of support. Individuals accessing the service may stay for 6 to 18 months and then transition to alternative accommodation arrangements, or back to their own home, with supports provided.

Other models include Community Supported Residential Units, which support people with a mental illness and low to medium daily living support needs. and the Individualised Community Living Strategy support program (for individuals with a severe mental illness and have the capacity to live independently with drop in (non 24/7) supports.

Homelessness services for mental health, alcohol and other drugs support people with mental health, alcohol and other drug issues at risk of homelessness. They include Ngatti House (youth), Ngulla Mia (adults) and an additional youth homelessness service is currently being established.

The Independent Living Program (or Supportive Landlord Service) provides social housing and a supportive landlord service through a Community Housing Organisation; clinical mental health support and psychosocial supports to people with severe and persistent mental illness on a long term basis in the community.

Long term mental health residential services for people with high needs also include private psychiatric hostels are licensed by the Department of Health's Licensing and Accreditation Regulatory Unit. You can find the list of licensed services here.

To find available services near you, search for 'step up/step down' or mental health services in the My Services online directory. You can search by your own location, or 'Restart' your search and search for services in a major town or city.

To access these services an individual can be referred by a General Practitioner, a private psychiatrist or public mental health service.