CLS and HASI programs delivering positive outcomes: evaluation report

A three year evaluation of the Community Living Supports and Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative programs has shown people with lived experience participating in the programs liked the programs and most experienced positive outcomes.

A team from the University of New South Wales evaluated the programs and produced the Evaluation of NSW Community-based Mental Health Programs: Community Living Supports and Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative report. CLS and HASI programs are funded by NSW Health and run to provide supports for people living with severe mental health conditions with the intention of shifting the balance from hospital to community-based care.

Summary of the evaluation report

Overall the programs were found to improve wellbeing, help people better manage their mental health, enhance aspects of consumers’ physical health and increase opportunities for social inclusion.
Consumer contact with community mental health services decreased by 10% in the first year in CLS-HASI and was 63.7% less if they remained in the programs for more than one year.
Hospital admissions due to mental health decreased by 74% following program entry, and the average length of stay decreased by 74.8% over two years. This improvement was sustained after consumers exited the programs.
Consumers with a new charge in the criminal justice system and with community corrections orders dropped to almost zero in the year after program entry.
The programs are generating more in cost offsets than the cost of the programs, with a net cost saving per person of about $86,000 over 5 years. Over 90% of the cost offsets were for reduced inpatient hospital admissions and lower lengths of stay.
As the NDIS became established during the evaluation period, more consumers gained access to the NDIS before, during or to support exit from CLS-HASI.

Factors identified as most important for the success of CLS-HASI

Strong local partnerships between community-managed organisations (CMOs) and Local Health Districts (LHDs).
A person-centred, responsive approach to service provision.
Focus on early intervention when consumers became unwell.
An increasing focus from community-managed organisations on consumer choice.

Areas where CLS-HASI was not operating as successfully

Local and state level partnerships between CMOs and LHD.
Diversity of referrals into the programs.
Responsiveness to the needs of some priority groups.
Remaining questions on implementation of the hours of support structure.

HASI/CLS operates across NSW and together support over 1,800 people with severe mental health conditions a year. They are delivered by eight community-managed organisations in partnership with Local Health Districts at a cost of $76 million each year.

Read the full report

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CLS and HASI programs delivering positive outcomes: evaluation report