Community Living Supports (CLS)

Community Living Supports (CLS) is a state-wide program that supports people with a severe mental illness to live and recover in the community in the way that they want to. CLS is part of a suite of community-based psychosocial programs for adults called the NSW Mental Health Community Living Programs. 

You may be eligible for CLS support if you:

• are 16 years or older
• have a diagnosis of a mental illness which causes you a lot of difficulties in your day to day life
• want to receive help to develop and achieve your goals.

What types of supports are provided?

People receiving CLS supports will work with:

• a support worker from a community organisation
• a clinician of their choice or from a local mental health service, and
• their family or other important people in their life to develop their own unique support plan.

CLS provides psychosocial supports that help people build independence in daily life and contribute to recovery. The types of support people receive depends on their individual needs and own unique goals for what they want to achieve. CLS helps people identify goals and work towards meeting those goals by providing support that may include: 

• daily living skills like self care, shopping, looking after finances, cooking or catching public transport
• referral to mental and physical health services where needed and support with mental and physical health appointments, medication management and other treatments
• participating in social, leisure or sporting activities
• building relationships with family, friends and the local communities
• learning new skills
• accessing education or help to get a job
• help with finding and keeping housing including private or social/communitiy housing
• moving back into the community from a hospital or a prison
• accessing other supports like alcohol and other drugs services and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).