This report presents the learnings of a project (hereafter referred to as the Project) which used an outcome-based commissioning process to develop, implement, and evaluate psychoeducational modules provided to participants with complex support needs attending Rendu House. Rendu House provides a range of non-residential Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) services to clients who experience compounding vulnerabilities, and for whom engagement and treatment retention is challenging. This report provides the initial findings of the Project, as of 30 June 2023. An updated report will be provided on 31 December 2023.
The Project was initiated by South Western Sydney Primary Health Network (SWSPHN), who adopted an outcome-based commissioning process focusing on impact, rather than business-as-usual activities and processes. Together with St Vincent de Paul Society and Rendu House, SWSPHN recruited Project Stakeholders to develop the psychoeducation program (360 Edge Consultancy) and to evaluate (National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW) the Project and psychoeducational modules.
This evaluation addressed four aims that Stakeholders mutually agreed were the key objectives of the Project:
- Explore the outcome-based commissioning process used by SWSPHN to fund a program at Rendu House.
- Identify the feasibility of delivering a program to deliver psychoeducation modules to clients at Rendu House.
- Establish the acceptability of the psychoeducation modules to Rendu House staff and participants.
- Identify appropriate outcome measures to examine the impact of the psychoeducation modules on participants at Rendu House.