Housing and Support Program (HASP): Final Evaluation Report

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Section 5
The opportunities available through the program for clients
to maximise their recovery and participate in community life
The focus here was on social, recreational, educational
and vocational activities in the community
This section of the report discusses how client participation in HASP has supported their
recovery. In addition, overall functioning is discussed in terms of the proportion of clients
experiencing improved functioning, the need for hospital admission following entry into
HASP, and the proportion of clients that have sustained tenancies since entry into HASP.
5.1 Client perceptions of HASP
and how it supports their recovery
There was overwhelming support for the program
from the clients who we interviewed. Many provided
examples of how HASP had helped them to reconnect
with their community:
It felt good coming back to my home town and
stuff… bit like that…after being away for so long…
to get back into the community, like you need
a leg up sort of thing. HASP was just great.
Consumer who had spent 18 months in a long stay unit
One of the key aspects of the program was the support
provided by support services. Support workers were
perceived as providing support, motivating clients
to achieve more from life and linking clients into the
community:
The HASP support workers… well they’re here to
egg me on, bit of support, and bit more courage
to get going because, you know I’m on pretty strong
medication, but it has dropped, but they sort of egg
me on for exercise and get me out in the community
and talking to people.
Male consumer
Each client entering HASP received an establishment
grant of $5,000 to buy ‘white’ goods and enable
clients to pay for phone connection etc. This practical
component of HASP was recognised by many of those
interviewed:
HASP has helped me a great deal, it’s brought me
a fridge, a washing machine, furniture, TV, that was
the $5,000 for the household stuff. Yes, I bought
Final Evaluation Report
a brand new washing machine and a brand new
fridge, the lounge suite and the TV cabinet and me
bed and the lawnmower, it’s just sort of set me right
up, so I would have been sort of buggered without
it. It’s been great.
Male consumer
There was also a view that HASP was instrumental in
assisting family members to cope with the burden of
caring for a loved one. Families frequently struggle in
the caring role because they may have to give up work
to support their loved one.
I’ve seen HASP clients helped so much. Like I’m
working with a young fellow now… and I mean his
mother had to give up work and everything to try
and look after him and we’ve come on board and
the family’s so happy — I mean she’s saying ‘oh now
I can try and get my life back together and try and
go back to work and all that’ So we aren’t only…the
HASP packages aren’t only helping the client it’s
helping their families and extended family and that,
those that are normally stuck with the responsibility
of caring for someone.
Regional support worker
It should be noted that this is not an isolated case.
Clients provided numerous accounts of how HASP
has helped them to move from a life fi lled with despair
and isolation to one of hope and stable living in their
own home.