Partners In Recovery (PIR) helps people with serious and long term mental illness to get the most out of the services and supports available to them.

Hume Partners in Recovery has been extended to ensure service continuity during transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). From 1 July 2016 the program will commence preparing participants for NDIS transition as well as continue to provide a PIR service.

Hume Partners in Recovery is a partnership of eleven local service providers and a consumer and carer member. The partnership reaches across sectors to strengthen the links between the diverse services and supports participants may access. Murray PHN (a Primary Health Network) is the lead agency for Hume PIR with responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the program and resourcing the governance structure. The objectives of PIR are to:

1. facilitate better coordination of clinical and other supports and services to deliver ‘wrap-around’ care individually tailored to the person’s needs;
2. strengthen partnerships and build better links among various clinical and community support organisations responsible for delivering services to the PIR target group;
3. improve referral pathways that facilitate access to the range of services and supports needed by the PIR target group;
4. promote a community based recovery model to underpin all clinical and community support services delivered to people experiencing severe and persistent mental illness with complex needs; and
5. through system collaboration, promoting collective ownership and encouraging innovative solutions to ensure effective and timely access to the services and supports required by people with severe and persistent mental illness with complex needs to sustain optimal health and wellbeing.

The program operates across North East Victoria and Southern New South Wales with Support Facilitators based at organisations in Albury, Wodonga, Finley and Wangaratta (see Hume PIR Catchment Area). Support Facilitators work to ensure a collaborative, coordinated and integrated service response that supports the achievement of the participant’s hopes, dreams and priorities. We also involve carers and families and ensure they are linked into the supports they require.