Community rehabilitation centres can help find you somewhere to live. You can contact a centre directly or ask your healthcare team to do it for you.
The Doorway program helps people who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, to find safe and stable housing, and to find a job.
There are services that will give you support at home while you recover from and learn to manage your mental illness. Talk to your local doctor or your local council and ask them to put you in touch with the services that will best support you.
Home and Community Care (HACC) services can support older people to continue to live independently in their own home.
Like any other chronic condition, mental illness might affect your ability to manage aspects of everyday life, such as finding a place to live and maintaining it. People who have a serious mental illness or more than one condition (a 'dual diagnosis') are more at risk of experiencing homelessness.Homelessness means you are not living in a safe and stable place. If you have a mental illness and are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, there are residential services available to help you find short- and long-term accommodation.
Choose the right housing and accommodation service for you
There are several services that help people with mental illness to get back on their feet while recovering, or find a place to live that supports their needs.
Community rehabilitation centres
Community rehabilitation centres are a short-term option to help you get back on your feet after a stay in hospital or to help you to live independently at home. You can stay at a rehabilitation centre or in your own home, if appropriate.
Residential services
There are different types of supported residential services in Victoria delivered by non-government agencies.
For example, Mind Australia provides four types of supported residential services in Victoria.
Housing programs
Doorway is Wellway's housing program for people with serious mental illness who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. It can help you with your recovery, and help you focus on getting a safe and stable home and job.
A housing and recovery worker will support you to:
find (and keep) suitable, affordable housing in the private rental market
pay your rent independently
manage your mental illness and plan for the future, including finding a job
make connections and get involved in your local community.
Call the Mental Illness Fellowship on (03) 8486 4222 to talk to a trained volunteer (Monday to Friday, 9 am – 5 pm).
Support at home
To find what services are available in your area that will help you with extra support at home, you can contact:
This page has been produced in consultation with and approved
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Content disclaimer
Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional. The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances. The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website.
