Ground-breaking Fife service’s 10 years of helping people live independently

Fife Care at Home and Housing Support Service operates services in Glenrothes and Dysart. It was launched by SAMH - Scottish Association for Mental Health - in 2014 and its innovative model has proved very successful.

Commissioned by Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, the service initially met with scepticism from some mental health professionals due to its unique ambition - supporting people who have been hospitalised for long periods of time due to mental ill health to move back into the community.

Of the original cohort of 13 residents, all but two have moved on to live independently, with one receiving minimal support from the programme’s outreach plan and six receiving no support at all. In total, the services have now supported 47 people.

The service celebrated with a garden party for current and former residents, their families, and members of their support networks, such as social workers and care teams. The party also marked SAMH’s centenary, and everyone was encouraged to wear something pink.

Former resident Malcolm George Brown said: “Every step I made was scary. but I was supported all the way, which made it easier. I was then supported into my own tenancy and now live totally independently. I make my own choices now. I have a dog which I love with all my heart and care for.”

Stuart Murray, support manager, looked back on the service’s early days.

He said: “When the service was set up there was a plan that residents would, over time, become independent, but there was no expectation among some of the mental health community that it would actually happen.

“This service has triggered a change in the mindset of professionals, that some people might be able to live on their own. And we know that former residents are thriving as we have helped them facilitate their recovery journey. We want to keep on changing people’s minds, and keep challenging the stigma.”

Service users must be referred through their social work or care teams to be eligible for supported living accommodation or the service’s outreach programme, but SAMH offers a range of services throughout Fife where people can self-refer, or simply drop in.

Its cafés in Kirkcaldy, Leven and Dunfermline offer free, drop-in support with mental health, crisis support, challenging thoughts and suicidal thoughts, without the need for a referral or an appointment.

Meanwhile people can self-refer to SAMH’s ‘Going Forth’ and ‘Evergreen’ services.

Going Forth delivers wellbeing-focused workshops across Fife to support people to understand and self-manage their mental wellbeing, and to promote recovery in their local community. It also offers one-to-one support to help people gain confidence to attend group sessions.

Kirkcaldy-based Evergreen uses social and therapeutic gardening to help people improve and maintain their mental health and wellbeing.

> For more details, call the SAMH information service on 0344 800 0550, which is available 9:00am-6:00pm, Monday to Friday.