Mental Health Respite

UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide provides this service in the North and West Country Region of South Australia through the Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre.
About the service
The Mental Health Respite Programme provides a range of flexible respite options for carers of people with severe mental illness/psychiatric disability and carers of people with an intellectual disability. Respite enables carers to sustain their on-going care responsibilities and take a short term break from their caring role.

Service provides

• A single point of access for carers requiring information and options about respite
• Assessment of carer need
• Coordination of respite services
• Care planning
• An after hours service response for carers experiencing an emergency or crisis
• Referral to services
• Purchase of short term, emergency and occasional respite for carers utilising brokerage funds
• Emergency Planning for crisis situations.

Service delivery
Respite services are either purchased through approved agencies or provided by trained UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide staff.

Who can access this service?

• Carers who are aged 55 to 64 years of age (Aboriginal carers 40 to 49 years of age), live with and care for children (including adult children) with mental illness/psychiatric disability
• Elderly parent carers 65 years of age and over (Aboriginal carers 50 years of age and over) who live with and care for children (including adult children) with a mental illness/psychiatric disability
• Other non co-resident elderly parent carers 65 years of age and over (Aboriginal Carers 50 years and over) who are the primary carer of children (including adult children) with mental illness/psychiatric disability
• Carers of any age who care for people with a severe mental illness/psychiatric disability who require emergency respite care (unplanned respite)

All carers are assessed for eligibility and relative need.

How can carers access this service?
Free Call TM                                             1800 052 222*
*calls from mobile phones are charged at applicable rates

This service can also be accessed by contacting UnitingCare Wesley Adelaide offices located at:

33 Mackay Street, Port Augusta	8641 2455
2 King Street, Port Lincoln	8682 3571
Alfred Terrace, Streaky Bay	8626 1510
61B Murray Street, Tanunda	8563 3333
24 Goyder Street, Kadina	8202 5261

Further Information

• Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre
• Ageing Carers
• Young Carers
• Respite Support for Carers of Younger People with Severe and Profound Disabilities
• Mental Health Respite
• Community Visitor Scheme
• Community Overnight Respite Service - EYRE House
• Renewal and Rest
• Respite to Go
• Respite to Go – Employed Carers