Albany Mental Health Step Up/Step Down Service is a short-term, mental health residential recovery service that offers either step up support (for people at risk of being admitted to a hospital) or a step down in support (for people leaving hospital but need extra support before moving back into the community).

This service is not a replacement for a hospital stay but can prevent the need to go to hospital when people are aware that they’re becoming unwell.

The service is available to anyone living in the Great Southern Region with mental illness concerns.

The service is run by a team of Community Rehabilitation and Support Workers, Peer Support Workers, a Senior Practice Leader, and Service Manager with clinical supports and treatment available when required.

The six-bed centre offers 24-hour support and a range of group and individual rehabilitation and recovery programs.

Onsite facilities

• Vegetable garden
• Basketball ring
• Individual rooms with ensuites
• Communal kitchen
• Communal laundry
• Exercise equipment
• Pushbikes

Individual work

Neami staff work with participants to reduce distress related to mental illness and to avoid admission or re-admission to acute inpatient hospital care.
This includes working with participants in these areas:

• Assessing immediate and long-term needs
• Monitoring safety and wellbeing
• Developing a relapse prevention plan
• Liaising with clinical services, carers and the community
• Referring to community supports upon leaving
• Developing exit plans and facilitating family involvement where appropriate
• Maintaining wellness and overall health 

Group work

The main group programs provided are the Health Matters and Flourish.

Health Matters begins in a group setting but recognises that recovery is an individual process. Through Health Matters, participants are supported to meet their personal goals.

Flourish is a fun, peer-led, recovery-focused self-development program that works towards identifying personal strengths and values and working towards recovery goals.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this service, participants must be aged 16 years and over and:

• Have a mental health case manager or treating clinician that will continue to take clinical responsibility for the individual during their stay
• No longer require acute inpatient level mental health intervention and treatment, or
• Are living in the community and require additional specialist mental health treatment and intervention to prevent the risk of further deterioration or relapse.
• Don’t require care in an inpatient unit.
• Voluntarily agree to participate in the recovery program, including those that might be on Community Treatment Orders (CTO).

Referrals

Referrals can be made directly to the service by anyone in the community. This includes self-referrals or referrals from community and health professionals with the consent of the individual.

There are two referral pathways:

• If you would like to self-refer or refer a family member, please contact the service directly on 08 6323 8900 or at albany@neaminational.org.au
• If you are a community or health professional seeking to refer a client, please download and fill in the referral form from below.

Part of the referral process also requires individuals to be available for an assessment prior to placement.

All referrals will be considered with reference to the eligibility criteria, and feedback on the outcome will be provided to the referrer in a reasonable time.

Part of the referral process also requires the person being referred to be available for an assessment prior to placement.