Day Program

 Uspace offers day programs for outpatients based on the Functional Recovery Model, which focuses on helping young people to transition from symptom management to building a meaningful and fulfilling life.

The objectives are to support young people to:

1. Promote their mental health self-care and maintain engagement with support services. 
2. Connect with peers who may have similar struggles.
3. Work on their therapeutic goals in a supportive environment.  

Uspace day programs are delivered in groups and focus on a particular therapeutic process or topic that is trans-diagnostic. This means that the programs are not tailored to a specific diagnosis, rather they are designed to be relevant to all young people regardless of specific mental health disorder/s. 

Uspace offers both Open and Closed day programs. Open groups tend to have different participants entering and leaving each week, which can allow young people to transition from an inpatient setting and/or to determine if the program is for them prior to committing to a closed group frame. Closed groups have the same participants for the duration of the program, which is typically six to ten weeks. 

Current Day Programs

Uspace is accepting referrals to the following group programs:

• Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) - Uspace is offering DBT to support young adults in developing coping skills to manage states of intense psychological distress. It includes four modules, covering mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness - Read more about the Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) program.
• Building Our Stories with David Newman - In this four week half day program, David will support participants through a process of exploring questions such as what is hard going and how do we name it? Who is by our side and what sustains us? He will take participants into an investigation of themes of expectations about life and success and will work with the participants on building knowledge and realisations.
• Open Group Therapy - designed for recently discharged patients to help them transition from an inpatient setting into a community setting.  

How do I start the program?

Prior to entry into the program, a clinician will review whether the Uspace Day Program is suitable for your current needs via an intake assessment process. 

To be considered for the USpace ay Program, you must:

• Be aged between 16 and 25 years old
• Have a mental health diagnosis
• Have a referral from a Medical Practitioner such as a GP or Psychiatrist
• Have current private health insurance or ability to self-fund
• Be routinely seeing a mental health clinician in an individual therapeutic relationship at least once a fortnight
• Not meet diagnostic criteria for a substance abuse or dependence disorder
• Not meet diagnostic criteria for an active eating disorder
• Presents with low acuity for suicide and harm to self if relevant. 

A referral letter from your GP or Psychiatrist can be faxed to Uspace’s triage service: (02) 8382 9771 or emailed to Uspacepractice@svha.org.au 

If you have any further questions regarding the day programs, please contact the Uspace Program Coordinator; Dr Lisa Parker, Clinical Psychologist, on (02) 8382 9760.