Neami endeavors to develop partnership agreements with a range of health providers. The Area Mental Health Service is Neami's primary partner in all locations and we have developed a shared care partnership with a number of these services. The emphasis is about "shared care" and how we make that happen as well as providing a real and practical guide for new staff entering either Neami or an Area Mental Health Service. The agreement is concise and its real   value is that we understand  that we hold similar hopes and goals for consumers with whom we work. The success of our partnerships have been agreeing on clear values, clear roles and clear mechanisms to continue to work together well.

Click here for an example a partnership agreement.

Neami and HASI - Neami has entered into partnerships with a number of Area Mental Health Services in New South Wales.  Each of these partnerships focuses on the Housing and Support Initiative for people with high support needs.  These partnerships with clinical services have successfully enabled over 40 people to be housed and supported in New South Wales.

Northern Area Ethnic Advisory Committee Victoria - Neami  has a partnership agreement with the Northern Area Mental Health Service in Melbourne's northern suburbs for the provision of improved access to services for people from identified ethnic communities through a variety of projects.

Primary Care Partnerships Victoria - Neami  has been a high profile local partner in this  Victorian state-wide initiative.  Partnership agreements have been formed with a range of primary health care providers Including; Divisions of General Practice, Community Health Services, Primary Mental Health Teams, and Drug and Alcohol Services.

Local Government - Neami Splash Arts Studio based in Victoria engages with local government in a range of community arts projects including streetscape beautification projects in the City of Darebin. All Victorian regional services work with local government in areas of health promotion and community connection programs which increase pathways to community life for Neami consumers engagement with local government has enhanced Neami's capacity to attract funding grants for service enhancement in local communities. Neami South West was nominated for a Community Services Award at Liverpool City Council because of Neami's action in going beyond what a disability support service usually does.  Neami is actively connecting consumers to their local community and to local services.

Victorian Aboriginal Health Service - Neami has a strong ongoing relationship with VAHS.  Partnership arrangements exist in respect of mutual consumers  attending Neami's programs, especially the Koori Arts Program.  Neami Ltd has recently designed and conducted a worker training program for VAHS psychiatric disability supported housing and home-based outreach program.

Neami Illawarra and the Life Line South Coast NSW have worked together to develop the Life Line project. This project was developed to ensure Neami consumers had the best possible access to Life Line out of hours service. Neami assisted consumers to write their story which is then held by Life Line staff so as to provide the best possible support, for example consumers outlined in their stories what assists them when they are feeling stressed and isolated, especially at night. This partnership is working well.

Victorian Forensicare - Neami has housed a number of people from within the forensic psychiatry system and works alongside Forensicare workers when they escort patients to Neami 's programs.  A written linkage agreement is in place.

Neami Illawarra and Illawarra Institute of Mental Health NSW have developed a partnership with University of Wollongong a research and training project which will promote collaborative recovery between consumers and their support worker

Victorian State-Wide Personality Disorders Unit (Spectrum)  and Neami work in partnership to provide supported housing for consumers  identified as having such complex needs as to require provision of a Complex Care Package.  These consumers  are characterised as having multiple admissions to hospital, a history of repeated self-harm, assaultive and intimidating behaviour and having spent extended periods in custodial care.

Community Housing Providers - Neami  has developed a strong contractual partnership with Supported Housing Limited.  The provision by Supported Housing Limited of all tenancy activity enables Neami to operate independently from housing services in meeting the support needs of consumers.  Operating in this way in Victoria has provided significant benefits for consumers.  Neami is participating in the  development of the protocol between support providers and community housing providers  for the New South Wales Housing and Accommodation Support (HASI) Initiative. Neami will advocate for an agreement, which outlines clearly the roles and responsibilities of support providers to deliver a range of support and rehabilitation program and that of housing providers to provide clear property management and tenancy services. In South Australia Neami has an ongoing partnership with the South Australian Housing Trust in the deliver of housing and support services.

Housing Establishment Fund Victoria
Neami, based on its partnership with Supported Housing Limited and North East Housing  has been allocated funds to distribute to people requiring assistance. HEF funds can assist people to maintain their current accommodation or to move to long term housing options in private rental market. Neami takes referrals from individuals with a mental illness that live in the northern region of Melbourne.

Neami Loan Scheme Victoria
Neami in partnership with the Fitzroy and Carlton Community Credit Co-operative have developed the Neami Loan scheme. Neami can refer current consumers to the Co-op to obtain a loan of up to $500 at low interest. Upon securing a loan, becoming a member of the Co-op and successful repayment of the loan the consumer then achieves own credit rating and can borrow directly from the Co-op. People wanting  more information please speak with their Community Rehabilitation and Support Worker or ring Neami Housing Worker on  03-9481-3277.