offers recovery and rehabilitation support in ARAFEMIs housing or in a persons home. Home-Based Outreach Services

The need for Outreach followed on from ARAFEMI acquiring accommodation to assist people moving from the long stay psychiatric hospitals, into the community and to provide support, for life.

Outreach entails going out to the persons home, whether that be a flat, family home, shared unit or Boarding House and supporting the person to maintain their independence, assist with managing their mental illness and engage with social, learning and employment opportunities

We work to minimise the negative impacts of mental illness so that one can: live learn work and socialise within the community. We assist people to adapt, learn skills and develop supports to enable them to live a satisfying and successful life, in the role of their choice, with the least amount of on-going professional support.

Home-Based Outreach Service The teams are multi disciplinary, with qualifications and backgrounds in: psychology social work counselling nursing homelessness alcohol & other drugs mental heath

We specialise in promoting: best mental health recovery and complex support RECOVERY

Lorraine Lorraine is a senior citizen in our community and she was in a psychiatric ward for several years until de institutionalisation in the early 1980s Father died several years ago Lorraine lives independently Mother has taken responsibility for Lorraines financial and living skills Mother is elderly with failing health, siblings usually only see Lorraine during a Christmas lunch Mother recently had a fall and was hospitalised for a few weeks

Lorraine The siblings were unaware of how their mother supported their sister which created lots of confusion for Lorraine Lorraine had a routine of every Thursday going to the bank with her mother to withdraw money for grocery shopping There was also meals-on- wheels and council help with cleaning to be paid as well as utilities etc.

Lorraine When Lorraines mother was released from hospital she contacted ARAFEMI and had a meeting to discuss further ways for ARAFEMI to support her daughter Lorraines mother is about to move into a retirement home as she is no longer able to maintain independent living These days Lorraine manages her own day-to-day living skills with some assistance from ARAFEMI and she attends several activities Lorraines mother is so relieved that her daughter has on- going support to live independently

Richard Was diagnosed with a mental illness ten years ago His family bought a unit for him to live independently Richard enjoys the familiarity of his environment Richards mother has been Richards main support and visits him regularly to ensure he gets out bed Sadly, she was recently diagnosed with a terminal illness and shes contacted ARAFEMI for a Support at Home service Richards mother has arranged for this to commence prior to her physical deteriation

Richard This contract is in three stages The first stage is for ARAFEMI to visit once a week as Richards mother would like to continue her visits whilst she is still able With the decline of health, she would like ARAFEMI to increase and ultimately replace her visits As sad as it is for the family regarding Richards mothers health, this is a comforting outcome for the family and more importantly for Richard

All of our work is done in partnership with consumers and carers which we see as the first step in encouraging empowerment and Self-actualisation