Daughters of Charity Services to operate new service in Fremantle

7/5/97

The Daughters of Charity Services will operate a new service in Fremantle designed to improve supports for homeless people and women escaping domestic violence, Family and Children's Services Minister Rhonda Parker and Federal Family Services Minister Judi Moylan announced today.

Mrs Parker said Family and Children's Services would allocate $60,000 funding for a pilot project in Fremantle to introduce case management into crisis accommodation and support services.

The 12 month pilot is part of a project to improve services provided through the joint State/Commonwealth Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP).

"Case management provides intensive, personalised assistance designed to help people live independently," Mrs Parker said.

"This project aims to improve the delivery of services to homeless people so each person is helped to access the best supports to meet their needs.

"People are involved in developing a personal plan for their lives which will help them achieve independent living and avoid long stays in crisis accommodation facilities."

Mrs Moylan said the new approach would enable staff to conduct better assessments of individual needs and improve co-ordination and planning between services.

The model developed in this pilot would be used to provide appropriate training to other SAAP services in the future.

Media contact: Kaye Hopkins 481 7810 or Sandi Logan (06) 277 7240