Choices: A Community-based Psychosocial Support Program for Adults Experiencing Mental Illness. A Controlled Evaluation
Tracks
Harbour View 1 - In-Person Only
| Thursday, November 6, 2025 |
| 2:50 PM - 3:10 PM |
Overview
Nicholas Merklin, Baptcare
Presenter
Mr Nicholas Merklin
Senior Practitioner Choices And Foundations
Baptcare
Choices: A Community-based Psychosocial Support Program for Adults Experiencing Mental Illness. A Controlled Evaluation
Presentation Overview
The transition from inpatient mental health care to community is a crucial time for adults experiencing concurrent mental illness, homelessness and other challenges, yet local evidence regarding effective support options for this population is mixed.
Data suggests that patients discharged from inpatient mental health settings are significantly more likely to experience readmission shortly after discharge when appropriate wrap-around services are not provided. Baptcare’s Choices program is a nationally accredited, intensive psychosocial outreach and crisis accommodation program that was designed to meet local community need to support adults experiencing homelessness and social challenges following a psychiatric hospitalisation in Tasmania. The Choices program provides Baptcare-operated crisis accommodation as well as assertive community outreach services for the first 3 months after a client is discharged from a clinical mental health facility (primarily hospital admissions), to facilitate the client’s transition to more stable housing, independent living and community integration. Practitioners support clients working towards psychosocial goals (e.g. achieving safe accommodation, fulfilling activities of daily living, improving social connections).
A non-randomised controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of Choices on the psychosocial functioning and clinical symptomology of adults aged 18-64 years experiencing mental illness and homelessness in Tasmania, compared to standard care from State-wide Mental Health Services (control group).
In comparison to the control group, Choices clients experienced:
• Greater improvements in general psychosocial functioning (e.g. housing, daily activities, community engagement)
• Greater improvements in social functioning (e.g. including social relationships, self-esteem, confidence)
• Larger reduction in impulsive and/or addictive behaviours
• Significantly shorter average length of stay associated with hospital readmissions.
This is the first controlled study to demonstrate the efficacy of a community-based accommodation and psychosocial support program in Tasmania. The findings provide support for the ongoing sustainability, enhanced recovery, and fewer hospital readmissions among adults experiencing mental illness and homelessness.
Data suggests that patients discharged from inpatient mental health settings are significantly more likely to experience readmission shortly after discharge when appropriate wrap-around services are not provided. Baptcare’s Choices program is a nationally accredited, intensive psychosocial outreach and crisis accommodation program that was designed to meet local community need to support adults experiencing homelessness and social challenges following a psychiatric hospitalisation in Tasmania. The Choices program provides Baptcare-operated crisis accommodation as well as assertive community outreach services for the first 3 months after a client is discharged from a clinical mental health facility (primarily hospital admissions), to facilitate the client’s transition to more stable housing, independent living and community integration. Practitioners support clients working towards psychosocial goals (e.g. achieving safe accommodation, fulfilling activities of daily living, improving social connections).
A non-randomised controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of Choices on the psychosocial functioning and clinical symptomology of adults aged 18-64 years experiencing mental illness and homelessness in Tasmania, compared to standard care from State-wide Mental Health Services (control group).
In comparison to the control group, Choices clients experienced:
• Greater improvements in general psychosocial functioning (e.g. housing, daily activities, community engagement)
• Greater improvements in social functioning (e.g. including social relationships, self-esteem, confidence)
• Larger reduction in impulsive and/or addictive behaviours
• Significantly shorter average length of stay associated with hospital readmissions.
This is the first controlled study to demonstrate the efficacy of a community-based accommodation and psychosocial support program in Tasmania. The findings provide support for the ongoing sustainability, enhanced recovery, and fewer hospital readmissions among adults experiencing mental illness and homelessness.
Biography
Nicholas is currently the Senior Practitioner for Baptcare's Choices and Foundations psychosocial mental health support programs. Nicholas has tertiary qualifications in Psychology and spent a decade in the corporate research space. Nicholas then transitioned into the not-for-profit sector holding positions in alcohol and other drug advocacy and strategy development, disability employment services and psychosocial support services for clients with severe and persistent mental illness.
