Canterbury Road Community Care Unit (CRCCU)

The CRCCU provides assessment and residential rehabilitation services to individuals aged between 18 and 64 years of age with a mental illness and associated decline in psychosocial function. The CRCCU provides services to the municipalities of Whitehorse, Manningham and Monash.

CRCCU-Objectives

• To provide assessment, rehabilitation and treatment for people who have a mental illness and associated decline in psychosocial function within a residential setting.
• To provide psychosocial rehabilitation to develop a consumers daily living skills and enhance their capacity for independent community living.
• To provide treatment options and support which aim to stabilise and improve the consumer’s mental health.
• To ensure the skills developed can be maintained once the consumer is living in a less supported environment.
• Consumer participation in the program is expected.
• To educate the consumer, family and carers about mental illness and provide support as required.

CRCCU-Criteria
The target group of consumers include those who:

• Are aged between 18 and 64 years,
• Reside within the catchment area of CRCCU,
• Have enduring severe psychosocial disability associated with mental illness,
• Are especially prone to relapse and vulnerability in relation to a decline in psychosocial function,
• Have a wide range of complex psychosocial rehabilitation needs,
• Are commonly non-compliant with treatment regimes and difficult to engage,
• Less intensive services have proven to be unsuccessful in managing and treating this consumer group,
• Are typically severely lacking in motivation and ability to function independently, and have poor understanding of their mental illness,
• Require a level of supervision and specialist mental health support only available in an environment that provides 24-hour treatment.
• All consumers referred must have a current adult mental health program case manager and a community residence to return to following the assessment.

CRCCU-Referral
Referrals are accepted from all parts of the Central East Area Mental Health Service and from intensive rehabilitation services within other Area Mental Health Services.

CRCCU-Assessment
Consumers accepted into the CCU undertake a two-week comprehensive psychosocial rehabilitation assessment, which includes evaluation of their physical and mental wellbeing, occupational and cognitive functioning.
Assessment can be for:

• Assessment and recommendations for ongoing community management or,
• Assess suitability for entry into the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program.

All consumers accepted into the psychosocial rehabilitation program must have first completed the CRCCU assessment program. The psychosocial rehabilitation program is tailored to suit each consumer; the length of stay may vary from 3 months to 12 months depending upon the individual’s progress towards identified goals.

CRCCU-Model of treatment

Duration of treatment
The CCU provides a residential rehabilitation setting which features a highly structured physical environment with very high levels of contact with staff.  The average length of time a person participates in the CCU rehabilitation program is between 6-18 months. 

Consumer contact with staff
As the CCU is a residential setting, staff work 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.  Consumers have multiple daily contacts with members of multidisciplinary team and have regular contact with medical staff.  The CCU allocates primary clinicians to each consumer whose role is to co-ordinate treatment and support, liaise with relevant individuals and agencies and advocate for the consumer.  The CCU has a multidisciplinary staff team who provide specialised psychological, family and occupational interventions. 

CRCCU-Discharge
When discussing a referral for service the multidisciplinary team will look at the rehabilitation and treatment goals for individual consumers.  Discharge planning for CCU consumers commences upon their acceptance for service.  Discharge planning will be discussed regularly between the consumer, their case manager and the multidisciplinary team.  When it is considered appropriate the consumer will be transferred to the appropriate MSTS, CCT, Secure Extended Care or discharged to a Private Psychiatrist, General Practitioner or PDRS Service for ongoing support and assistance in ensuring long-term community tenure. 

Factors considered when transferring a consumer to another service are:

• Consumer requires less intensive service, no longer requires 24 hour treatment.
• The consumer is independent and compliant with their medications or are appropriately established in a routine of regular supervision i.e. SRS.
• The consumer is linked into appropriate psychosocial programs (independently where possible).
• The consumer is linked in with a GP, private psychiatrist or referral to CCT/MSTS where appropriate, and is aware of their role and how to access them.
• The consumer’s family and carers are aware of follow up arrangements with consent where appropriate.
• No significant benefits have been made as a result of more intensive support.

Contact

For enquiries regarding service phone: 1300 721 927 or 9813 1722.