Levels of Support

The first level of services consists of peer-to-peer support provided by the consumers living in each residence, which is an important and integral part of the supportive housing model. The consumer-residents are encouraged to provide peer support to each other on an as-needed basis. This can be in the form of assistance during a crisis, help with symptom management, and/or support to facilitate adjustment to community living.

The second level is the peer and professional support provided by CSPNJ Supportive Services Team. The service provider is funded through contracts with the Division of Mental Health Services to provide a broad range of community mental health services to residents of Supportive Services. 

The third (and final) level of supportive services is linkage to the mental health system and community support resources. Although each resident is encouraged to maintain a relationship with local community-based mental health agencies, each may choose to seek and obtain services from other mental health providers in the county. When this occurs, services staff monitor the resident’s status off-site and link him/her to services as needed. 

Staff are trained to foster wellness. The following are some key factors that are considered when promoting wellness.

• Recognize that a person’s recovery and wellness goals are personal to that individual.
• Treat the person as fully competent with equal capacity to learn, change, make life decisions, and take action to create life change, regardless of the severity of symptoms.
• Never scold, threaten, punish, patronize, judge, or condescend to the person, while being honest about how you feel when that person threatens or acts condescendingly toward you.
• Focus on how the person feels, what the person is experiencing, and what the person wants rather than on his/her diagnosis, societal labeling, or predictions about the course of the person’s life.
• Share simple, safe, practical, non-invasive, and inexpensive or free self-help skills and strategies that people can use on their own or with the help of their supporters.
• When necessary, break tasks and goals down into the smallest steps to insure success.
• Limit the sharing of ideas and advice. One piece of advice a day or visit is plenty. Avoid nagging and overwhelming the person with feedback.
• Pay close attention to individual needs and preferences, and accept individual differences.
• All support planning and treatment should be a truly collaborative process with the person who is receiving the services.
• As the first step toward recovery, listen to the person, let him (or her) talk, hear what he says, and understand what he want, making sure his goals are truly his and not yours, understanding that what you might see as being good for him may not be what he really wants or needs.
• Ask yourself, “Is there something going on in her life that is getting in the way of change or moving toward wellness,” e.g., learned helplessness, or other medical problems that may be getting in the way of her recovery.
• Encourage and support connection with other mental health consumers who are in recovery.
• Ask yourself, “Would this person benefit from being in a group led by other mental health consumers?”
• The person who experiences psychiatric symptoms is the determiner of his/her own life. No one else, even the most highly skilled care professional can provide this support. We need to do it for ourselves with helpful guidance, assistance, and support.