Date submitted

14/6/02

Title

Respite - O'Meara House

Contact Person/s

Michelle Marler     

Organisation

Mental Illness Fellowship

Address

276 Heidelberg Road
 Fairfield

State

VIC  3078  Australia

Phone

03 9481 4759     

Mobile

0439 038 378

Email

mmarler@mifellowship.org

Fax

03 9482 4871

Program Description

O'Meara House offers parents with a mental illness and their children an opportunity to access respite together.  The program has a recreational and social focus and aims to provide "quality time" for the families by providing support and respite from day to day situations. The program is operational during one week of each school holidays.

Evaluation

none at present.  Evaluation planned for 2003.

Evidence

Data collections in the Flexible Short Term (FST)Respite program of consumers who had used that service for a holiday, evidenced that 72% opted to go away together as a family. 

Informal evidence.  The proram was receiving enquiries from parents who either could not, or did not want to leave their children in the care of someone else whilst they accessed respite.

Other information

O'Meara House is a five day residential program located in the outer east which operates Monday - Friday. The program can accomodate up to eight people (usually three families) in single rooms, and is staffed 24 hours per day.  The itinery for the week is determined by the consumers accessing it, however the focus is recreational/social.  The cost per family is $55 which includes accomodation, food and transport (mini van).  Additional money is required for activities, however this is minimal.  

The service is provided to people living in the eastern, southern and northern metropolitan regions.