Stride Mental Health Ltd (Stride) will provide psychosocial support services at the new Southside Step Up Step Down facility, located in Garran near the Canberra Hospital campus.
ACT Minister for Mental Health Emma Davidson said Stride was awarded the contract following closure of an open tender in July 2020.
"Almost one third of Canberrans will need support with their mental health at some stage in their lives, and the COVID-19 pandemic has seen a huge increase in demand. That's why I'm excited to welcome Stride as the service provider for Step Up Step Down," Minister Davidson said.
"Stride is an experienced provider of transitional residential and psychosocial mental health services. Their extensive experience operating residential mental health services across New South Wales and Queensland positions them well to provide quality support for Canberrans."
The new Southside Step Up Step Down will assist people in our community with mental health conditions who are becoming unwell or are transitioning back into the community after being discharged from an acute mental health inpatient unit.
Step Up Step Down care is provided in a rehabilitative residential setting, with psychosocial support available onsite 24 hours a day, and clinical support available seven days a week. The length of stay is for periods of up to two weeks.
Stride will partner with Woden Community Services, who will assist the transition back to community living through outreach support to participants for up to four weeks upon exit from the Step Up Step Down accommodation.
"The six sub-acute beds at the new Southside Step Up Step Down service will help our mental health system better meet the mental health needs of our growing population," Minister Davidson said.
"Step Up Step Down will support and empower people to step down from a hospital setting to continue their mental health support, or to step up from a community-based program to receive additional support."
The new facility brings the ACT to a total of four Step Up Step Down services, together with the existing:
· five-bed service for adults in Lyneham
· five-bed service for children and adolescents in Watson (13 - 17 years)
· six-bed service for youth/young adults in Kambah (18 - 25 years).
Stride is eager to work closely with local providers and the community. It is currently recruiting local staff for a service manager, residential support workers, and a peer support worker. Woden Community Services is also advertising for two recovery workers ahead of the facility opening.
The Southside Step Up Step Down is part of a 2018-19 ACT Government Budget commitment of $22.8 million over four years to deliver more supported accommodation for people experiencing mental illness.
