Meeting Consumer Needs for Housing and Accommodation: A Guide for Case Managers - July 1996 (reviewed 2010)

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Stable and appropriate accommodation is vital in maximising a person's mental health and level of independence in the community. For people with serious mental illness the opportunity to find the right type of housing is often affected by the nature of their disabilities and the availability of flexible and accessible support.

The development of community-based mental health services, including services provided on an outreach basis in the consumer's own living environment, has permitted greater emphasis to be made on meeting the clinical needs of people with serious mental illness living in the community. In addition, the range of options has been extended to include stable, low-cost housing with outreach disability support and community care units with on-site clinical support.

The shift in focus of public mental health service delivery, in recent years, from inpatient care to community care has increasingly drawn attention to the role of stable, affordable housing of a reasonable standard in contributing to improved mental health. If a person's home environment is positive, it can provide a sense of security, safety, independence and privacy. People with serious mental illness have the same rights and responsibilities as the general population in regard to a reasonable living environment. This may include short-term accommodation as well as long-term housing.

These guidelines are intended to assist case managers in providing effective and well-informed support to consumers of public mental health services in accessing and maintaining appropriate accommodation.

In addition, information is provided about community resources which may assist consumers and case managers in locating and maintaining accommodation support and housing.

It is acknowledged that, for many community mental health workers, this information will already be part of their practice experience. It is also acknowledged that case managers cannot resolve the problems of limited housing options. However, it is the responsibility of the area mental health service, and hence of the case manager, to aim for an optimum matching of accommodation with the consumer's needs wherever possible.