Crisis House, a brief history so far

For some time now the provision of a Crisis House alternative to Acute Care has been central the Networks development plans.

The Crisis House development project has been in existence for around 5 years now and got off to good start with backing from the Leicestershire Partnership Trust to develop a model and project plan. We spent 12 months researching and developing a local model and presented this the Leicestershire Partnership Trust Board in October 2002.

Unfortunately despite a great deal of support from service users, front line staff and commissioners, due to the pressures to meet NSF and other targets the project couldn’t raise sufficient funds to become a reality.

We continue to campaign for the provision of alternatives to acute care.

Please keep an eye on this page for updates. If you want any more information please get in touch.

Darren O’Brien (Assistant Director)
darren@networkforchange.org.uk

‘Once I was staying at the crisis house, I also found many differences.

I found that the staff had much greater face-to-face contact with residents and included us in the running of the house. I felt there was no sense of us and them'. I was treated with, and saw other residents being treated with, respect. Trust between staff and residents was good.

There was a lot of time to talk with staff members. Each resident has two key workers but can speak to any other member of staff at any time. I was able to spend time talking to staff in private, which was just what I wanted but not what I had received in past hospital stays. In the hospital had been faced with the medical approach, which meant medication and little else. The approach at the crisis house was much more holistic and included help with practical problems - something that users frequently ask for...

Being in the Haven was a completely different experience from the hospital. In the hospital feel somehow that I am being punished for my state of mind. In the crisis house I did not feel this sense of retribution’.

(John Hart, service user at Highbury Grove, in Crisis Point no.4 ‘Mental Health Foundation Crisis Program publication’)

Mosher Soteria: Significant research on early provision of alternatives to hospital admission and ‘usual' treatment

Wokingham & West Berkshire Mental Health Assoc: A truly wonderful alternative with a separatist philosophy, offers a real escape from the mental health system

Mind Crisis Fact Sheet, Lots of information on a wide range of crisis services

The Mental Health Foundation, Being There in a Crisis: a detailed study of 8 crisis services, If you want to set up your own Crisis House this would be a geed place to start.