New Services and Programs
This section will profile new services and programs across Barwon Health and will be updated on a regular basis. For more information about any of the programs listed, contact Barwon Health on 03 5226 7111.
Prevention and Recovery Care Service official opening
Launch of Advance Care Planning service
Relocation of Child & Adolescent Mental Health service
On 14 March 2008, Minister for Mental Health, Lisa Neville opened Barwon Health’s Prevention and Recovery Care (PARC) Service at the Community Rehabilitation Facility in Belmont. This service will be used by a specific group of clients aged between 16 and 64 years who are experiencing a serious mental illness and whose level of acuity indicates they will benefit from short-term residential support and intensive clinical treatment and intervention.
Minister Neville said at the opening, “It will provide a more intensive level of care for up to 14 people at a stage of their illness between requiring hospital and returning home. It also enables people to be discharged from hospital and continue to receive intensive support. As they recover from the more acute phase of their mental illness, they are able to prepare to go back to community living.”
Barwon Health Chair, Claire Higgins thanked the State Government for providing $1.28 million a year to run the service and for the additional $805,000 that was spent on works and improvements.
She added, “The funding has also allowed us to deliver day programs and clinical support for a further four to eight clients, which is either delivered in their own homes or within existing Pathways Rehabilitation and Support Service facilities, or via attendance here during the day. The day programs are provided in partnership with Pathways Rehabilitation and Support Service.”
Barwon Health’s service is one of 10 PARCs established or under development in Victoria, with the Brumby Government building a further five 10-place PARCs over the next four years.
Barwon Health recently launched its Advance Care Planning Program on Thursday 13 March 2008 at Dromoland House. Advance Care Planning is new free service provided by Barwon Health to help people plan and decide what medical treatment they would want if they were to become seriously ill and unable to make decisions for themselves.
Barwon Health’s Intensive Care Director, Dr Charlie Corke, said the new service would help people to think about and communicate their wishes about future medical treatment. “Planning helps to ensure your wishes about future medical treatment are known. Those that care for you - family, friends and your doctors - can be helped by having this information, particularly if you become seriously ill and are unable to make decisions for yourself,” he said.
“A key part of the process is completing a written Advance Care Plan, with the assistance of trained consultants, which includes appointing a Medical Enduring Power of Attorney and a statement detailing your choices.”
For more information about this free service, please call Barwon Health’s Advance Care Planning Helpdesk on 5226 7006 between 9am – 12.30pm, Monday to Friday.
The Minister for Mental Health Lisa Neville recently took a look at the new premises for our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in Pakington Street, Geelong West. The service will relocate from the Belmont Community Health Centre in the coming weeks.
Minister Neville was impressed with the new facility that will cater for up to 200 children each year who are aged up to 16 years of age.
The Brumby Government allocated $250,000 to be used to fit out the new premises in a better quality and more accessible location. The funding is part of $2 million in Brumby Government funding that has been allocated for one-off projects across Victoria’s mental health and drug and alcohol treatment agencies.
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