Psychosocial supports are a non-therapeutic intervention that can assist people with severe mental illness to participate in their community, manage daily tasks, undertake work or study, find housing, get involved in activities, and make connections with family and friends. Psychosocial supports are specific to the person and their needs. 

SEMPHN commissions Ermha365 and Mentis Assist in partnership with Kindred Clubhouse to deliver Commonwealth Psychosocial Support (CPS) across south east Melbourne. 

Commonwealth Psychosocial Support is a short-term service to build psychosocial functional capacity to address individual needs and complement clinical mental health, broader physical health and social support.

The focus is on building capacity and connectedness at times when most needed, rather than providing ongoing support.

People can access the following psychosocial supports: 

• Psychosocial support interventions
• Group based psychosocial interventions programs
• Assertive outreach and specialist psychosocial Interventions to hard to reach communities
• Support coordination and navigation
• Family and carer psychosocial supports 

The above psychosocial supports can focus on: 

• Developing social skills and friendships
• Building relationships with family
• Managing money
• Finding and looking after a home
• Building skills and qualifications
• Developing work goals
• Staying physically well, including exercise
• Support with drug, alcohol and smoking issues
• Building life skills, including confidence and resilience.

Commonwealth Psychosocial Support is for people with severe mental illness who: 

• are expected to benefit from the provision of psychosocial supports
• are not currently accessing support under the NDIS
• do not access state-funded mental health community support services..