Address:
Marie Schlemme Family Centre, 229 Beveridge STREET, SWAN HILL, 3585

Billing:
Other Option

Wheelchair access:
Yes

Chances for Children is a fund established in 2001.

The fund ensures that the absence of money does not stand in the way of a young person's ability to achieve their maximum potential, be it the educational, social or cultural pursuits which contribute to the realisation of their potential and the enhancement of their contribution to the commumities of the Mallee.

Chances for Children tailors funding and support differently for each recipient, ensuring that individual needs and circumstances are accounted for in every case. This individualised approach is a key factor in the uniqueness of the 'Chances' program.
AREA SERVICED North-west Victoria and south-west NSW.

Address:
Marie Schlemme Family Centre, 229 Beveridge STREET, SWAN HILL, 3585

Billing:
Other Option

Wheelchair access:
Yes

The Financial Counselling Program is a free and confidential service. The financial Counselling Program does not offer monetary assistance.

A financial Counsellor can:


-- Give information about laws relating to bills & debts.

-- Help client work out payments with creditors.

-- Tell you about government assistance, which may be available.

-- Explain to client what they can do if they can’t pay bills, fines or debts.

-- Help client with some consumer problems.

-- Help client organise their budget.

-- Give information about bankruptcy.

-- Refer client to other organisations they may help.

-- We only give clients advice about alternatives - the client makes their own decisions.

-- Financial Counsellors are not lawyers, accountants or financial planners.


Area Serviced
Southern Mallee Region

Additional Information
What to bring to an appointment: Pay slips, Income Statement from Centrelink, Loan Contract, Outstanding Accounts, Letter from creditors/ debt collectors and any other documents relating to situation.

Address:
Marie Schlemme Family Centre, 229 Beveridge STREET, SWAN HILL, 3585

Billing:
Other Option

Wheelchair access:
Yes

The Mallee Foster Care program provides out-of-home placements for children and adolescents who are aged 0-17 years.

Foster Care is provided when:


-- There are family emergencies

-- Children are at risk of physical or emotional harm

-- Families are sometimes under stress and need a break

-- Parents are having major personal or relationship problems

-- There are no friends are family members to help.


Fees:
There are no fees although parents may be asked to assist with resources for the placement, e.g. clothing, toys, transport, medication and pocket money.

Area Serviced
Southern Mallee Region ww.b

Address:
229 Beveridge STREET, SWAN HILL, 3585

Billing:
No Fee

Wheelchair access:
Yes

Mental Health Community Support Services (MHCSS) are distinct from clinical mental health services, and play a vital role in supporting people with a severe mental illness and psychiatric disability throughout the recovery process.

MHCSS support people with psychiatric disability to manage their self-care, improve social and relationship skills and achieve broader quality of life via physical health, social connectedness, housing, education and employment.

Address:
Marie Schlemme Family Centre, 229 Beveridge STREET, SWAN HILL, 3585

Billing:
Other Option

Wheelchair access:
Yes

Does your Child/adolescent experience:


-- Feelings of anger, hate or frustration

-- Low self esteem

-- Feelings of hurt, sadness or grief

Mallee Family Care offers Children’s Counselling. Counsellors will assist children and adolescents to share their feelings and learn new skills using a combination of:


-- Written exercises

-- Art/Drama

-- Imagination games

-- Relaxation

-- Sand play and symbol work

-- Gentle physical exercises

Working with children’s issues can help families cope:


-- Encourages children to explore and express their feelings

-- Increase self awareness and self esteem

-- Teaches skills to cope with emotions and difficult situations

-- Encourages children to share their feelings in a safe environment


Area Serviced
Southern Mallee Region

Address:
Marie Schlemme Family Centre, 229 Beveridge STREET, SWAN HILL, 3585

Billing:
Other Option

Wheelchair access:
Yes

Family Preservation is a specialist home-based program that provides intensive support to children at ’immediate risk’ of removal and for children being reunited with their families.

The Family Preservation Program builds on strengths within the family, provides practical assistance and couselling and treats parents as partners.

-- Family Preservation is voluntary

-- Family Preservation provides intensive in-home support, counselling and education.


Area Serviced
Southern Mallee Region

Eligibility
Families can only be referred by the Department of Human Services - Child Protection Unit.

Aims
Family Preservation aims to support families who are being reunited with their children in preventing children from being out-of-home.

Address:
Marie Schlemme Family Centre, 229 Beveridge STREET, SWAN HILL, 3585

Billing:
Other Option

Wheelchair access:
Yes

Homelessness Refuge Settlement Mental Health Disabilities Family Services Family Relationship

Address:
Marie Schlemme Family Centre, 229 Beveridge STREET, SWAN HILL, 3585

Billing:
Other Option

Wheelchair access:
Yes

Technical testing purposes only

Address:
Marie Schlemme Family Centre, 229 Beveridge STREET, SWAN HILL, 3585

Billing:
Other Option

Wheelchair access:
Yes

The Legal Service is a free and accessible service, which aims to provide legal advice, information and referral to all people in the Southern Mallee community. Initial advice on any legal matter can often be given by telephone. Regular drop in sessions, operating on an appointment basis held in Swan Hill. Face to face advice is offered on a range of areas of the law, including family law, divorce, family violence, crime, unpaid fines, motor vehicle accidents and disputes between neighbours.

Divorce workshops are conducted in Swan hill on a regular basis. They are designed to assist people to manage their own divorces.

Fees
The service offers free confidential telephone advice. The telephone number is: Free Call 1800 243 002 or Swan Hill Office on 03 5032 4479.

Address:
229 Beveridge STREET, SWAN HILL, 3585

Billing:
No Fee

Wheelchair access:
Yes

The Personal Helpers and Mentors (PHaMs) Service:

- aims to provide increased opportunities for recovery for people whose lives are severely affected by mental illness
- takes a strengths-based, recovery approach, and
- 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 severe mental illness.

PHaMs provides increased opportunities for recovery for people aged 16 years and over whose lives are severely affected by mental illness, by helping them to overcome social isolation and increase their connections to the community. People are supported through a recovery-focused and strengths-based approach that recognises recovery as a personal journey driven by the participant.

PHaMs workers provide practical assistance to people with severe mental illness to help them achieve their personal goals, develop better relationships with family and friends, and manage their everyday tasks. One-to-one and ongoing support ensures the individual needs of the PHaMs participant can be addressed. They are assisted to access services and participate economically and socially in the community, increasing their opportunities for recovery.

Address:
Marie Schlemme Family Centre, 229 Beveridge STREET, SWAN HILL, 3585

Billing:
Other Option

Wheelchair access:
Yes

The Home Based Outreach Support Service supports people with psychiatric disabilities to find and maintain secure and affordable housing options. It also enables people to live as independently as possible and to develop personal and community support networks.

Objectives:


-- To enhance the abilities and opportunities of people with psychiatric disabilities to make significant choices about lifestyle options and to have control of their own living arrangements.

-- To enable people with psychiatric disabilities to achieve living environments and patters of daily living which are typical of those experienced and valued in the general community.

-- To ensure that living arrangements and support services are consistent with the needs and lifestyle aspirations of the individual.

-- To reinforce and promote increases independence and autonomy on the part of the service users.

-- To facilitate access to appropriate general community resources and to increase service user’s participation in the life of the general community.

-- To enable people with psychiatric disabilities to achieve accommodation arrangements which are secure, affordable and stable.


Area Serviced
Southern Mallee Region

Initial Contact
For further details telephone the coordinator during office hours on (03) 5032 4479.

Eligibility
Referrals for this service can be made through Mallee Family Care, General practitioners, Department of Psychiatry (Hospital) and other service providers. ttp:/

Address:
Marie Schlemme Family Centre, 229 Beveridge STREET, SWAN HILL, 3585

Billing:
Other Option

Wheelchair access:
Yes

The Family Support Program offers in home support to families throughout the Mallee Region.

The Family Support program has a team of dedicated volunteers who work with family members to improve day-to-day living.

Voluntary Family Support workers are agency trained volunteers who aim to assist families:

-- Build on their strengths and skills in parenting

-- Identify family resources and how they can be used

-- Resolve family issues

-- Assist families to manage more effectively

-- Feel better and more confident about themselves in their parenting role

-- Provide a safe and secure environment for their children

Volunteer Family Support workers are directly supervised by skilled staff members.

Area Serviced
Mallee Region

Eligibility


-- Families who voluntarily indicate they require in-home support

-- Families requesting support, must have day-to-day care of children

-- Families located in Mallee Region
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Address:
Marie Schlemme Family Centre, 229 Beveridge STREET, SWAN HILL, 3585

Billing:
Other Option

Wheelchair access:
Yes

Address:
Marie Schlemme Family Centre, 229 Beveridge STREET, SWAN HILL, 3585

Billing:
No Fee

Wheelchair access:
Yes