Mental Health Community Support Services

The Individual Recovery Support Program (IRSP) is for people:

• experiencing a severe mental illness
• aged 18 years and over
• are accessing—or recently (within the last three months) accessed—mental health clinical care through a HHS and have been referred by the HHS.

Priority is given to those ineligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

NGOs deliver non-clinical psychosocial wraparound support on a one-on-one basis, including peer-to-peer support in the person’s local community. Support is structured, purposeful and tailored to meet their recovery needs and goals.

IRSP will link to group-based peer-led activities through the Group Based Peer Recovery Support Program.

The Group Based Peer Recovery Support Program (GBPRSP) is for people:

• experiencing a severe mental illness
• aged 18 years and over
• referred by—and accessing—the Individual Recovery Support Program.

GBPRSP gives people access to group-based peer-led activities complementary to the support provided through the IRSP. Activities are led and self-managed by peer workers, and aim to empower and support the person by working through group processes and sharing life experiences with others who have similar experiences. It also helps develop support networks for crisis situations.

The Individual Recovery Support -Transition from Correctional Facilities Program (IRS -TCFP) is for people:

• experiencing a severe mental illness
• aged 18 years and over
• about to be released from a Queensland adult correctional facility and have been referred by Prison Mental Health Service.

The IRS-TCFP offers non-clinical psychosocial wraparound support to a person at least 2 weeks prior to release—when the date is known—from the correctional facility and for up to 12 months post-release.

The Individual at Risk of Homelessness Program (IRHP) is for people:

• experiencing a severe mental illness
• aged 18 years and over
• living in a boarding house, crisis accommodation or hostel
• accessing—or have recently (within the last three months) accessed—clinical care through a HHS and have been referred by the HHS.

IRHP offers non-clinical psychosocial wraparound support focussed on breaking the cycle of homelessness. It supports people to transition to secure and stable tenancy and housing.

Following establishment of the four core MH CSS programs, Queensland Health committed to an independent evaluation of their implementation and impact.

In October 2020, Queensland Health commissioned Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (QCMHR) to undertake this independent program level evaluation with particular focus on the Individual Recovery Support Program and Group Based Peer Recovery Support Program.

The report was released on 19 April 2022 and is available through the links below:

• MH CSS Evaluation – Report Executive Summary (PDF 838 kB)
• MH CSS Evaluation – Report Brief (PDF 106 kB)
• MH CSS Evaluation – Full Report (PDF 1707 kB)

Queensland Health (Mental Health Alcohol and Other Drugs Branch) is working with providers of MH CSS programs and Hospital and Health Services to improve and strengthen these programs in light of the MH CSS Evaluation Report findings.