A case study from Barrhead Housing Association
For the past year, our Customer Service and Communities team have been working in collaboration with Recovery Across Mental Health (RAMH – a mental health support organisation which provides a strengths based, recovery oriented community based service that includes: 1:1 counselling; as well as 1:1 education based supports; physical health interventions, support groups and peer support) to develop and pilot the innovative ‘Be Well Barrhead’.
Be Well Barrhead has provided an early intervention mental health support service that has been caused by trauma to prevent tenancy breakdown and improve the quality of life in a Barrhead Housing tenancy. This specialised tenancy support service identified people that were struggling with their mental health and wellbeing support which was impacting on their ability to positively manage their tenancy. This community-based collaboration provided tailored support for mental ill health and distress to prevent tenancy breakdown.
Our Customer Service and Communities team which consists of a Welfare Advice Officer, four Customer Service Officers, a Community Investment Officer and a Tenancy Readiness Officer have built trusting relations with both RAMH and our customers. They have gone above and beyond their regular duties by adopting a new approach to tenancy sustainment and are the best placed people in our organisation to directly identify our customers that are struggling with their mental health and/or who are becoming overwhelmed with managing their finances.
How Be Well Barrhead works:
- The Customer Service and Communities team built trust and relationships with our customers.
- The Customer Service and Communities team undertook training and became upskilled in trauma informed practice, addressing key factors that risk tenancy sustainment to enable people to live in their own home for as long as possible.
- Barrhead Housing staff encouraged customers to self-refer or give permission for BH staff to make the referral to RAMH. All BH tenants were aware that a referral to RAMH has been made, so there were no cold referrals, thus increasing tenant participation and engagement.
- RAMH engaged BH tenants through rapid and direct access to specialist mental health support assessment (within 5 days) for those most at risk of tenancy breakdown.
- Provided up to 8 person-centred sessions per person which enabled self-management of their mental health, wellbeing and recovery.
- Provided a range of emotional and practical supports to reduce mental distress and help people thrive and feel safe in their own home.
- Connecting people to community-based personal and social support networks so that they can improve their wellbeing and feel safe and secure in their local community.
- BH tenants engaged by Be Well Barrhead have increased empowerment and confidence to deal with tenancy related issues more proactively before they become overwhelming.
- Increased awareness of RAMH services amongst our tenants and their household members.
What Be Well Barrhead achieved for our customers:
- All 19 tenants have been discharged
- Average sessions attended was 6.6
- 3 did not engage
- 2 opted out stating not the right time for support
- 42% of those referred have never used this RAMH before
- The average change was a point drop of 7 (this is an improvement in their mental health)
- For the CORE-OM, a reliable change is considered to be a change of 5 or more points. This means that if a client improves by at least 5 points on the CORE-OM, it is likely that the change is a genuine reflection of improved well-being rather than just random fluctuation
- The 3 highest reasons for referral chosen the most through multiple choice were: anxiety, depression and loneliness (however, living/housing/welfare, family issues and self-esteem are also impacting the referrals)
Some quotes from our customers and the difference it has made; the last one is as powerful as it can get and in the detailed case study below:
- “I want to thank you for all the help you’ve given me and all the resources you’ve provided me, a lot of it has been really helpful.”
- “Realised I have tried and got on my feet through Scott’s help. Being able to listen and help me realise that I am not always the guilty (person).”
- “I found the therapy helpful and in particular the opportunity to talk through thoughts and feelings.”
- “I have coped with the change better than I thought “and “I am more optimistic about the future.”
- “I just want to thank you for everything. I was at my lowest point and even suicidal. Now I’m in such a good place mentally and it’s all thanks to you.”
With the intervention, curiosity, and dedication of our Customer Service and Communities team to develop and embrace this partnership with RAMH, Be Well has made the following differences:
- Improvement in dealing with stressful events through better self-management of mental health conditions
- A reduction in anxiety alongside growth in self-belief and confidence to enable better management of their tenancy
- Increased empowerment and confidence to deal with tenancy related issues more proactively before they become overwhelming
- Supporting tenants to live safe, independent lives – increasing their chances of sustaining their tenancy
- Improved relationships with family and neighbours leading to increased feelings of belonging
- Increased engagement with housing staff to positively address rent arrears and other factors that may have led to premature end of tenancy
- Increased access to community support and activities that promoted sustained wellbeing e.g. participating in other Community Investment Projects such as exercise and cooking classes, community café
- Increased engagement with other specialist support services – including addiction and statutory mental health services
- A positive change in trajectory where a tenancy was deemed at risk of breakdown but has been prevented due to Be Well Barrhead
- Generated £193,853 in Social Value
We are also delighted to state that due to Be Well Barrhead’s impact we have secured funding for an additional 2 years to continue Be Well Barrhead. This is due to the dedication and outstanding contribution the Customer Service and Communities team to ensure the pilot Be Well Barrhead delivered so much success, and because of this, we will be able to continue to collaborate with RAMH to support our tenants who are at most risk of poor mental health and tenancy breakdown.
Case Study Example: Showing the impact of the collaborative effort of both Barrhead Housing and RAMH on a tenant’s life:
Client attended: 7 sessions
Start therapy score: 12
End therapy score: 8
Main presenting issues: anxiety; depression; living/welfare & housing; familial and interpersonal issues & physical health; suicidal ideation
By the time we saw the client, the housing issues were no longer a problem, as the client had moved from temporary accommodation to a permanent flat and was redecorating it. That allowed us to focus on the other areas. This had reduced the client’s sense of being out of control and suicidal. Though we ensured he had out of hour contacts which he agreed to contact, should he need to.
The initial therapy sessions assisted the client to explore the issues he faced, including how long covid had impacted on his physical health and with “brain fog”, how that impacted him losing his business and relationship and the difficulties he faced around access to his children. The counsellor introduced the idea of recognising that there were some things he could control and some that he could not.
The client was also supported to understand that focusing on his own recovery before reaching out to try and move some of these issues on, could be more beneficial at this point. The client began journalling to ensure he kept a record of concerns and could then spot patterns to his thinking and was encouraged to begin writing small lists to focus his thinking and positive direction.
In order to support the client to build relations and community engagement in his local area and reduce his feelings of loneliness, the counsellor encouraged the client to register with his GP for future physical health supports and he engaged with other supports offered by RAMH, including the Men Do Talk group and he signed up to and completed a 12 week outdoor, activity based programme where he developed more connections and built friendships.
Once the client was more stable in his recovery the counsellor encouraged the client to engage with other family members including his ex-partner. Though, through exploring the past issues, the client was more aware about ensuring he was cautious and kept up his self-care.
By the end of therapy, the client felt he had the “right balance”. He was in touch with his ex-partner and other members of his family, and they had a more positive experience. The client was also building self-confidence and was thinking about volunteering. He had also signed up to RAMH’s Natural Connections, 6-week outdoor activity course to continue with his recovery through the summer.
Throughout the therapy the counsellor provided the client with:
- A range of useful mental health and wellbeing resources to support recovery
- Encouraged the client to engage with self-management tools, journalling & writing lists
- Acceptance of situations or identify things they can change
- Encouraged engagement in their local community and with local supports, like the GP for future support
As part the of the client’s feedback in an e-mail the client stated:
“I just want to thank you for everything. I was at my lowest point and even suicidal. Now I’m in such a good place mentally and it’s all thanks to you.
I can’t thank you enough, you’ve changed (and probably saved) my life. I’m so grateful.”