Table 4 Functioning of PIR

PIR working well

• I got the first sense of the partnership genuinely working pretty early on in my involvement when everybody around the table was using recovery oriented language (NBMML Manager)

• We have a consumer worker who once was a heroin user and has a diagnosis of schizophrenia. She’s in regular employment and has been well for some period of time (NBMML Manager)

• More person-focused and consumers are encouraged to have a voice (Consortium Manager)

• Keep helping because… a lot of people need this service. You are a God send to us (Carer)

Work in progress

• It takes a long time to change how people approach mental health. Recovery oriented practice is starting to happen. New grads are coming through, and starting their careers with that mindset, that’s exciting (Community Support Worker).

Access to the program

• It varies enormously from place to place. One area mental health team is really enthusiastic and referrals are pouring out of them…another area mental health team gives us next to no referral (NBMML Manager).

• Clients who were referred to other agencies like the housing programs in the area, when their wait lists are too full, are being referred on to PIR (Community Service Worker).

• I think that the more Support Facilitators there’s been, the more referral pathways that are being created (NBMML Staff).

Challenges of service gaps

• Housing, social needs. Those are the two highest and, I’d say, third or fourth were getting a job (NBMML Manager).

• We’d really like to be offering more clinical groups, offering more acceptance and commitment therapy groups, DBT^a groups, working closely with drug and alcohol service to really, make an impact on substance use presentation (Community Service Worker).