Could you tell me what services are available at the Burwood clinic? Also, what your typical day would include?
People with a mental illness, their carers and families or friends and colleagues, can attend the specialised Sunflower Clinics for psychological counselling. It is one of the services offered by Schizophrenia Fellowship NSW because they realised that people had difficulty accessing bulk-billed psychology services from psychologists experienced with those with issues arising from experiencing a psychosis or other type of mental illness, or with the issues experienced by those who care for or about them. Currently, there are three Sunflower Clinics operating in Sydney – at Burwood, North Sydney, and Ryde – run by experienced, qualified psychologists. The clinic sessions are individual, and operate as normal individualised psychological counselling services. There are one-hour appointments, but there is no “typical” day. However, the clinic model also involves integrating clients with other relevant support services where appropriate, to provide a holistic therapeutic intervention. Some of these services may have a “typical” day.
So, if they wish, clients can be referred on to the various other services, according to their individual therapeutic needs. These supports can make it a lot easier for clients, rather than requiring them to source all such things themselves, to fulfil their therapeutic management plans.
The clinics are open 9am-5pm daily, by appointment. They bulk bill, and clients can get referrals from their GPs under the federal government Psychological Counselling Assistance scheme. Because the SF believes in wraparound and integrated services, the clinics are co-located with specialist mental health Disability Employment Services or other services, which offer employment and pre-employment services, including education opportunities, for people affected by mental illnesses, or other types of individual and group services such as information, peer support, respite, and holiday services. The clinic can also refer carers and others, both adult and child, on to special Carer Assist services and other relevant services such as Carer Respite and Peer Support groups.
You focus not only on the consumers but also the carers. How important do you think including both carers and consumers is to the recovery process, and what are the benefits of carers attending some services alone?
It is offered to carers … because a lot of unique issues, including information needs, stress, and other care issues, can arise for carers of those with a mental illness, their families, colleagues, and friends and communities. They may need knowledge and support to help them to provide support for needs of their loved one in the community, and as importantly, to cope with the changing of these needs. Appropriate continuous inclusive family and community support helps people with a mental illness get better more quickly, but people often need help and support in order to provide, and continue to provide this. Carers and others have many different needs and issues to confront from those experiencing an illness, and that is why they need different and separate services at times.
I was just taking a look at the services provided in the inner west and it’s quite extensive. From art classes to exercise, also English-speaking classes and groups for women and men. It’s very refreshing to see such a diverse range of services. How do you think this benefits your clients?
If people are referred to DES, Respite, Carer Assist, or other such services, by the psychologist, these may involve both individual consultations, and/or group-based services depending on the client’s individual requirements. Some things are unique to an individual, and are confidential, and these require individual consultation. At other times people share needs, issues and experiences, or may benefit from peer support, and in these situations group experiences may be more appropriate. The mix depends on the client’s needs. All the services provided by the SFNSW can be accessed by clients.
Community participation and integration were terms that came up often on the website. How important do you think it is for consumers and carers to get involved within the community?
Research has shown that positive involvement with their community determines best outcomes for people with a mental illness and their carers. Isolation and stigma compounds a person’s initial mental health problem and inhibits the person from recovery and also compounds the issues faced by carers, adding to their difficulties. The importance of community involvement to recovery was behind the closure of the old institutions and the shift to community-based services. Recovery is much more difficult for people who are alone, and unfortunately many people are rejected by their families who do not understand the personality and behavioural changes resulting from the illness. People need help and support to continue living lives as normally as possible, maintaining their family and social connections. Isolation, discrimination, rejection, shame, distressing behaviour, intolerance, unemployment, homelessness, stigma, and lack of understanding of such illnesses and their effects, make the road to recovery much more difficult or even impossible for those with an illness, and for those close to them. People’s futures depend upon the experiences they have in their present. Of course, these experiences are not under the control of the person with a mental illness only, nor their lone carer. It requires other community members being willing to include people with mental health difficulties, and their families, in their community too.
Along with these support groups you also have individual and group counselling sessions, professional training, a helpline and many other services. Has this been a steady process? Could you tell me something about the importance of providing such comprehensive care for those in need of your services?
The range of services is necessary because different clients have different needs. Every aspect of many people’s lives can be affected by a person experiencing a mental illness, and support may be needed in any one of these aspects. Research and clinical experience informs provision of all of the different types of services offered by the SFNSW. Its foundation is its membership of consumers and carers who identify to the Board and management what services need to be developed and provided. Few mental health services are now provided by departments of health, and their provision has been outsourced to NGOs, who vary in expertise, focus and ethos. SFNSW is a major mental health specialist provider of these outsourced services. It believes in consumer and carer involvement in mental health advocacy, and in the planning and provision of comprehensive and integrated services which address the holistic needs of those affected by their experiences with mental illness.
What types of opportunities are available for those wishing to volunteer for the fellowship?
The SF employs over 200 people, and is one of the largest mental health service organisations in NSW, indeed in Australia. As well as support services it is a primary advocate for both individuals and for systemic mental health policy and service reform. It welcomes volunteers, and has many who assist according to their individual skills and interests, both at head office in Ryde, and wherever it is operating throughout the state. There are dedicated volunteer recruitment, training, management, consumer service management, and carer services management staff at head office in Ryde.
