Partners in Recovery Initiative: the reality in Gippsland. 8th Australian Rural & Remote Mental Health Symposium

This presentation explores the implementation of the Partners in Recovery (PIR) initiative in Gippsland, Victoria. This mixed methods study included the analysis of FIXUS data, financial data and the collection and thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with Support Facilitators, staff from referring service providers, consumers and carer participants of the PIR initiative in the Gippsland region. The PIR initiative in Gippsland successfully engaged with vulnerable consumers, including Aboriginal people with severe and persistent mental illness. Furthermore, FIXUS data indicated that Gippsland PIR initiative was supporting participants to address their needs, particularly in relation to accommodation, access to services, mental health literacy and involvement in daytime activities. .
The evaluation of the Partners in Recovery initiative in Gippsland, Victoria, demonstrates the benefits of care coordination for people with serious and persistent mental illness, their carers and the care team in rural areas. The PIR initiative in Gippsland successfully engaged with vulnerable consumers, including Aboriginal people with severe and persistent mental illness. Furthermore, the initiative supported participants to address their individual needs. Individual and systemic outcomes resulted from the Support Facilitator’s care coordination role. Preliminary analysis of costs, indicate that the investment may mitigate more expensive interventions such as hospital admissions, residential care, homelessness and imprisonment.