Cyrenian House aspires to help people to realise their fullest potential in living the healthiest life possible.

Recognising The World Health Organisation definition of health as a “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” Cyrenian House has for the last three years been working through quality improvement process to implement a suite of services that deal with “problems of living” rather than a single focus on alcohol and other drug issues.  This is sometimes known as an holistic approach.

A “problems of living” approach looks at consumers’ physical, mental, psychological and social health needs and in partnership with the consumer, looks at how these issues can best be addressed.

It takes into account that alcohol and other drug use does not take place in isolation but is affected by and in turn affects all the other aspects of people’s lives.

Nurture 2 by Jenn H, 2008

Through funding from the Federal Department of Health and Ageing via the Improved Services Initiative project Cyrenian House has been able to develop, implement and refine interventions that help people with alcohol and other drug problems, emotional difficulties and /or mental health issues.

Through the use of the latest video conferencing technology Cyrenian House has been able to receive training, professional development and assistance from around the World in the areas of mental health, psychology and problems of living issues.

Professional learning and development is an ongoing process and the video conferencing facility allows Cyrenian House to share training with other agencies around the country who have also received funding from the Department of Health and Ageing.

Video conferencing technology also allows for secondary consultations to happen on site without consumers having to travel long distances to be seen by other professionals.

In line with current international thinking Cyrenian House believes that it will be the expectation and not the exception that those who access its services will have mental health issues as well as alcohol and other drug problems.

Cyrenian House has introduced standard questions about emotional health and wellbeing so that they can assist consumers to manage any emotional or mental health issues.  The standard checks that are used include recognised assessment tools such as PsyCheck; Mental State Examinations and the MHSF 3.

The definition of mental health issues has been made deliberately broad so that as many people as possible can be assisted.  The range of emotional issues that Cyrenian House most commonly deals with includes depression; stress; anxiety and post traumatic stress disorders.  Less commonly consumers may have issues with things such as phobias; eating disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder.   Least commonly Cyrenian House has consumers with psychiatric issues such as significant mood disorders; first episode psychosis (more common now with the use of amphetamine based drugs) and schizophrenia.

Nurture by Jenn H, 2008

Cyrenian House has developed working partnerships with specialist mental health service providers to train and develop Cyrenian House workers and to help consumers to manage their alcohol and other drug and emotional/mental health issues.  The Cyrenian House belief is that there should be a whole range of services that revolve around the consumer so that the consumer can access those services as they need them.  This “seamless transition along the service spectrum” is intended to overcome the problems that many consumers have talked about over many years of falling between the cracks and being bounced around different services.

The agency has a close working partnership with the Mobile GP Service to assist consumers in the Cyrenian House Therapeutic Community.  Everyone who goes to live at the Therapeutic Community is seen by a GP and has a check up to assess their general physical and mental health.

The GP and a nurse visit every week so they are able to provide consumers with ongoing medical assistance and supervision.

Cyrenian House believes that everyone affected by alcohol and other drug use - family members, friends and colleagues - are as much consumers of Cyrenian House services as those who are using.  Recognising this, Cyrenian House is proud to be running a bereavement support programme for parents affected by drug or alcohol related deaths.  This unfunded service addresses in the most direct sense the emotional wellbeing of families affected by drug use.  If funding can be secured there are plans to extend the service to siblings and other family members affected by bereavement.

Cyrenian House believes in working with each consumer and their unique needs in an individual and specifically tailored way.  Thanks to the Improved Services Initiative project and the support of the Department of Health and Ageing, Cyrenian House is proud to offer a service that addresses the mental health and emotional wellbeing needs of people dealing with alcohol and drug issues and those who are supporting them in the journey towards recovery.