The Pietermaritzburg TLC project
Working with our partners the Pietermaritzburg Mental Health Society, we have jointly designed a unique, purpose-built residential facility that not only provides a safe supported living space for people with intellectual disability and mental illness, but also aids the development of social and life skills.
This Transitional Living Centre (TLC) will be built on the grounds of an existing service in Pietermaritzburg run by the PMB Mental Health Society, and will provide residents with the chance to move to more independent living space within the same building as they develop their skills. Our goal is that it provides the blue-print for future care facilities nationwide and will accelerate the successful transformation from institutional to community based care within South Africa.
Our Partner – the PMB Mental Health Society
The PMB Mental Health Society was founded in 1945 -is a long-established non-governmental organisation (NGO) in South Africa. Their mission is to work with the community to achieve the highest possible level of mental health for all. The PMB Mental Health Society provides direct services which include social work, residential care and protective employment and indirect services to individuals and communities focussing on mental health awareness, community development and education.
The current and effective provision of these essential components means that the TLC will leverage existing staffing and service structures ensuring economical running costs.
The South African Government
The Constitution of South Africa, Act 106 of 1996, ensures an environment conducive to the full and equal participation of men, women and children with disabilities in society, including equal access to opportunities, accessibility and the protection of the inherent dignity of the person.
A commitment by Government to support a policy of deinstitutionalisation promotes compliance to international conventions and provides a framework for the closure of institutional facilities.
Climb Any Mountain and the PMB Mental Health Society have engaged the Department of Social Development and the Department of Health in preliminary discussions about our plans and the services we are creating. The number of institutional beds is systematically being reduced, and therefore the Government is looking for service providers to provide viable alternatives that are aligned with international conventions and cost effective in their delivery.
The Kwa-Zulu Natal Provincial Department of Health was pleased with the TLC proposal and has verbally committed to funding the living costs of customers of the TLC who receive a mental disability grant. This is a big step forward in a country where funding has previously not followed the individual , but has rather stopped at the point of discharge from an institution.
The Transitional Living Centre (TLC) – Our service proposal
- Individual living space for residents with the opportunity to develop independent life skills
- Tailored training and support to reach individual goals (personal development plan)
- Communal space to develop social skills
- Access to regular group training and activities
- Continuous service -24 hour staff support, 7 days a week
- Medication delivered, as needed
- Service-user finances arranged or directly managed
- Access to protected employment workshop and support getting to and from employment
