STEPS is pleased to announce the launch of its Mental Health Centre of Excellence.
The Centre will be responsible for up-skilling of STEPS staff and introducing a “best practice” model to ensure STEPS delivers the best service possible to those participants living with mental illness.
The launch of the Centre follows the successful “Sunshine Coast Integrated Employment Project” run in partnership between STEPS and Queensland Health on the Sunshine Coast. The project involved co-locating a psychiatric-specific employment consultant within two mental health units to be part of treating teams. During the course of the project, STEPS’ Nambour site was found to be the highest performing employment service provider, and commended for their proactive approach to empowering people living with severe mental illness access employment and educational goals.
Since the finalisation of the formal project, the relationship between STEPS and Queensland Health continues to strengthen, with three co-located psychiatric specific Employment Pathway Mentors now working with Queensland Health.
Similar agreements have been formalised in Wide Bay, opening the door for a similar service in Hervey Bay, Maryborough and rural Bundaberg. Expressions of interests to work in other regional areas where STEPS runs disability employment services have been successful. Nikki de Jonge, STEPS’ longest serving staff member, has been appointed STEPS Mental Health Service Manager. “STEPS acknowledge that in excess of 50% of our current clients have identified as having a mental illness or impairment,” said Nikki. “We also recognise that in order to give our clients the best service possible, it’s essential that we up-skill the organisation.”
