Ruah Specialised Support Program (RSSP)

Introduction to the service

What does the Ruah Specialised Support Program offer?
• The Ruah Specialised Support Program (RSSP) is a free service and works with persons who experience co-occurring problematic substance use and mental health issues or intellectual disability.
• The program assists individuals between 20-60 years of age and who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

The Program works in active partnership with clients, mental health, drug and alcohol services to assist clients with their complex needs. The Support Worker can focus on basic needs such as housing, income support, health care and personal skills development. While drug and alcohol agencies engage client’s to work on problematic substance use through treatment, and counselling. In addition, mental health services work with the client on  their mental health concerns and provide medication requirements and/ or therapy. The RSSP actively links clients with critical community services and in active partnership with clients’ and relevant agencies aim to improve individual health and well being. The RSSP service embraces harm minimisation strategies in service delivery to reduce harm and seeks to achieve best possible outcomes for clients and the wider community.

The RSSP through the provision of an assertive outreach case management service complements treatment services in that it fosters improved functioning and satisfaction in clients’ lives so that they are motivated to address their problematic substance use and mental health issues through treatment. The main focus of RSSP support work is to establish links with community services and support clients around their co-occurring problematic substance use and mental health issues. Treatment, in turn, enables individuals to address their complex needs and reduces homelessness.

The program employs an outreach service to all RSSP clients in their natural living environments (e.g., homes, crisis accommodation services, hostels, parks, streets, etc.) The Support Worker can take people to and support them with attending appointments.

A small worker-to-person ratio is maintained in order for workers to have the amount of time necessary to support the client around their underlying life concerns.

Referral to RSSP

Drug and alcohol and mental health services may refer clients of theirs to the Program who meet the above-mentioned criteria. The acceptance of the referral will depend on the number of clients being case managed at that time by the Program, as well as clients’ goals and objectives meeting the following criteria
-   They must be specific and measurable;
-   They must be agreed to by the client;
-   They must be realistic and accomplishable, taking into consideration the capabilities of the client and resources available;
-   A specific time frame or target for accomplishing goals and objectives must be set (usually no more than six months).

The referring agency will maintain primary case management responsibility and will respond to any crisis situations the client may experience.

Procedure for external referrals

Referrals by other agencies or individuals to the Program will proceed as follows:

1. An initial inquiry and discussion over the telephone between the RSSP worker and the referring agency about the referral meeting the basic criteria (see above);
2. Mental health and drug and alcohol services must be willing to engage and work with the client (if they are making the referral, they must take on primary case management responsibility);
3. Completion of a referral form by the referring agency including specifying the goals the client wishes to address;
4. RSSP worker’s discussion with the Outreach Manager regarding suitability of the referral; if yes,
5. The RSSP worker meeting with the client and referring agency worker to discuss the client’ willingness to work towards goals and areas of responsibility; and
6. Acceptance of the referral and an initial three-month support plan developed with the client.
 
How to contact Ruah Specialised Support Program (RSSP)

For further information contact Ruah Community Services and request to speak to a Support Worker from Outreach - Ruah Specialised Support Program (RSSP)  Monday to Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm.

Referral Enquiries:
Outreach – Ruah Specialised Support Program (RSSP)
Contact Ruah Community Services:
T (08) 9485 3988    
F (08) 9481 0808
E outreach@ruah.com.au
Postal Address: GPO Box 2828
West Perth WA 6872