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Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Individuals

Personal Helpers and Mentors Program Round 3 - Selection Process 2008

Please note: applications closed at 5pm AET on Friday 25 July 2008.

This webpage remains for information only.

The Personal Helpers and Mentors Program provides increased opportunities for recovery for people who have a severe functional limitation resulting from a severe mental illness.

The Program takes a strengths-based, recovery approach to supporting people with mental illness, where the focus is on a person's strengths rather than their deficits with recognition that a person can live a satisfying and contributing life within the limitations caused by their illness. Recovery does not mean cure.

The Program assists people aged 16 years and over whose ability to manage their daily activities and to live independently in the community is impacted because of a severe functional limitation resulting from a severe mental illness.

Selection Process

The selection of the service providers for the Personal Helpers and Mentors Program Round 3 will be through an open competitive approach targeted to specific sites.

Following nominations and consultations with each of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) State and Territory Mental Health Implementation Groups on the location of the sites, the program will be operational from November 2008 and delivered through the non-government sector.

Please note that there was an error on the Round 3 site documentation available on the FaHCSIA website between 5pm Friday 13 June 2008 and 9am Monday 16 June 2008 (EST). This related to Western Australian non-metropolitan sites only. Broome/West Kimberley was incorrectly listed as a non-metropolitan site for which funding applications are being sought through the PHaMs round 3 selection process. Applications are not being sought for this site and any applications lodged through the selection process will not be considered. Minister Macklin previously announced this site on 9 April 2008 as part of a remote servicing project.

FaHCSIA would like to apologise for any inconvenience this error may have caused.

The final funding round will be in 2009.

The Department has funding principles in place to guide selection processes. The selection process will be conducted in accordance with these principles. The overriding principle guiding the selection process is value in social service delivery to the Australian Government.

Applicants are expected to be advised of the outcomes of the Round 3 selection process in November 2008.

Application pack

Potential applicants are invited to download the following documents:

Application Submissions

Applications close at 5pm AEST on Friday 25 July 2008. All applications must be postmarked on or before this date.

Applications are to be submitted IN HARD COPY ONLY to:
Personal Helpers and Mentors Program - Round 3
PO Box 7442
Canberra Business Centre ACT 2610

Applicants must submit an original, unbound application plus two copies and the complete application on CD.

Potential applicants are encouraged to read the application guidelines for specific requirements around application submission and the draft program guidelines for specific program information.

Personal Helpers and Mentors Application Hotline

For more information on the selection process or to get a hard copy of the application pack (application form, application guidelines, Round 3 sites and terms and conditions of funding agreement) potential applicants can also contact the Personal Helpers and Mentors Application Hotline on 1800 665 986 or email phams@nationalmailing.com.au.

The hotline will be available from 9am-5pm AEST Monday to Friday from Monday 16 June 2008 to Friday 25 July 2008. An after hours message bank will also be available.

If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment, you can use the National Relay Service to contact any of FaHCSIA's listed phone numbers.

Questions and Answers during the Application Period

A Questions and Answers facility about the selection process will be available on this website during the application period (16 June 2008 - 25 July 2008). Answers to questions received during the application period will be posted on this website by 2pm every Thursday during the application period.

Questions will not be taken or responded to after 5pm Tuesday, 22 July 2008 (the last week of the application period).