What is supported accommodation? : a comparison of supported accommodation and residential rehabilitation policy frameworks

Given the prevalence of mental health and/or substance use issues, supported accommodation services and residential rehabilitation services have an important role in facilitating recovery among people who experience these issues. Government policy in some Western nations, like Australia, suggests a clear distinction between the two services, purporting they provide different types of support and assist different clientele. However, a critical examination of the divide suggests that it might not be so great. This chapter argues that supported accommodation and residential rehabilitation services share a number of similarities. These include the provision of care through a continuum, the provision of temporary support, and the adoption of Modified Therapeutic Community principles. This overlap is fertile ground for confusion about the way the two service types are understood; this has important implications for both policy and practice. The overlap suggests that the services are not necessarily used effectively or efficiently. It also suggests that supported accommodation and residential rehabilitation services may not be conducive to long-term recovery for clients who are referred to an inappropriate service. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the importance of clear government policy to guide the two service types, as this has the potential to enhance service provision and, ultimately, client well-being. Guided by an unambiguous framework, supported accommodation and residential rehabilitation services might become more conducive to long-term recovery. There might be fewer inappropriate referrals, fewer instances of 'ping-pong' treatment, and less wastage of limited services. Although this proposition is yet to be tested, the long-term recovery of clients makes it a change worth considering