Mary Porter is pleased at the Government’s recent official opening of a residential facility for adults with mental illness based on the Step-Up/Step-Down model of care.
Mary was Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Health and Disability when the Committee initiated an inquiry into accommodation for people living with a mental illness.
One of the Committee's recommendations was the establishment of a step-up/step-down facility and funding for this initiative was committed in the ACT Government's 2007-08 Budget.
The new Step-Up/Step-Down model of service is a five bed residential facility and aims to allow people to “step up” from the community as they might be becoming unwell and in need of treatment.
It also allows people who are recovering in hospital to “step down” and return back into a community setting.
“This initiative doesn’t operate with the restrictive practices which a hospital entails,” Mary highlighted, “it doesn’t look different from any other home in Canberra.”
The facility is operated by ACT Mental Health and the Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia.
Prior to her election to the Legislative Assembly, Mary worked as a volunteer nurse and through this and her work with “Connections” program at Volunteering ACT she has developed a life long interest in the treatment of mental illness.
“It is pleasing to see the hard work of the Committee benefit the community,” Mary commented, “I hope the Step-Up/Step-Down facility will give rise to improvements in the lives of those living with a mental illness in the ACT,” Mary stated.