Digital psychosocial recovery program to go national from July

SANE has been awarded $27.3 million over three years for the national rollout of its SANE Digital Psychosocial Recovery Program and Community — a free digital psychosocial recovery program for adults experiencing complex mental illness and trauma, and for their carers and family. SANE Chief Executive Officer Rachel Green said the investment is the first of its kind globally.

“Using a small Government pilot grant, SANE pioneered digital and telehealth services for those with complex needs by co-designing a guided recovery program with the lived experience community in 2021,” Green said. “Our services have now grown to encompass a stepped digital support offering, proven by independent evaluation to reduce symptom domination, improve quality of life, and importantly, empower individuals to have the knowledge, skills and confidence to build their own recovery journey.”

Currently available in most parts of Australia, the program will be made available nationally for free from July 2025. Support services include:

• ‘Guided Recovery’, a 14-week program of 1:1 recovery-focussed counselling or peer support;
• ‘Semi-guided Recovery Club’, including online group session, tailored recovery resources and peer support; and
• ‘Self-guided Recovery Community’, where people can connect with peers within a safe, moderated environment.
   

Specialist mental health workers deliver SANE’s free support services, which are accessible via any internet-enabled device. Free telephone support is also available for those without internet access and all services are accredited by the National Safety and Quality in Digital Mental Health Standards.

You can check current availability at www.sane.org/get-support.

Image: SANE counsellors facilitating a digital recovery group support session.