In a Western Australian first, an innovative mental health transitional care unit is being developed in Perth's eastern corridor.
St James Transitional Care Unit is a 40-bed service that has been designed to help people with a mental health illness recover and return to community living.
The McGowan Government, through the East Metropolitan Health Service, has provided $7 million to repurpose and develop a former residential aged care facility.
The service will help those who may require assistance with transitional care from inpatient admission to community living, or alternatively, a support network to stay in the community and avoid emergency hospital presentation or inpatient admission.
It will be staffed by a multidisciplinary team incorporating mental health nursing and medical professionals, as well as allied health practitioners including occupational therapists, social workers and clinical psychologists.
The innovative and evidence-based model of care has been developed in consultation with clinicians, consumer advocates, the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist and the Mental Health Commission.
The first 20 beds for shorter-stay clients will be open by mid-2022. The remaining 20 beds for longer-stays are scheduled to open later in the year.
As stated by Health and Mental Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
"The McGowan Government is proud to introduce this new mental health transitional care unit - the first of its kind in Western Australia.
"The 40-person facility will provide a contemporary rehabilitation service in a non-hospital setting for people experiencing mental health illness, offering transitional care between an inpatient setting and community living.
"This is a positive change in how we treat people and their mental health issues by helping them lead their best lives.
"This service will take the best practice learnings across the world and provide that to the Western Australian community."
