Who we are:

Community Support Team (CST) is an intensive mental health support service using an assertive outreach approach to work with service users who have complex mental health needs.

CST uses a strengths-based recovery approach with a focus on the individual and their strengths and interests.

Each service user has a named key worker who will support them one to one. However, they may also be supported by other members of the team, for example, at weekends and when attending groups or service user review meetings. The aim is to ensure continuity of service.

Following assertive outreach principles, the one-to-one service will be offered in venues that suit the service user. For example, in their own homes, in local community settings or at Touchstone premises. The service user can choose.

The aim of CST support is to enable service users to manage their own well-being and recovery and move towards greater social integration.

Partnership pathways and additional options to core CST support:

• Weekend service – one day each weekend.
• Outlook Group – structured time-limited closed group jointly run with an Occupational Therapist from the Assertive Outreach Team (AOT)
• Social Group – staff supported group, offering casual social activities co-facilitated with the AOT.
• Gym Group – supported by CST Tuesdays and Fridays, in partnership with BHR (Burmantofts, Harehills and Richmond Hill) Primary Care Network.
• Service User Review Days – Regular meetings will take place for service users to feedback and inform how the service runs.

Referrals information:

• We aim to open for new referrals once a month for 1 week – usually opening on a Monday and closing on a Friday.
• Once we close, we will triage the referrals received and update referrers on our decision, offering signposting if appropriate.
• Accepted referrals will be allocated to support workers over the following few weeks and will keep referrers informed during this process
• We do not hold a waiting list

We take our referrals largely (80%) through the Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) and other Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) services such as Forensic Outreach Team, Assertive Outreach Team (AOT) and hospital wards e.g. Becklin Centre and Newsam Centre wards. Some referrals (20%) can be taken from other agencies.

Referrals can be made by professionals only. We are unable to accept self referrals.

To refer, please complete our referral form (all sections must be completed for us to accept) and email this to us along with an in-date FACE/RAMP risk form. If your service does not use FACE/RAMP, please use our referral risk info form, which has been updated in Aug 2024.

Clustering: If you are referring from the 20%, please note; you do not have to complete the section around Clustering

If you are at all unsure whether your client meets the criteria, you need a referral form or have a query, please either email or call us for an informal discussion, using the following contact details:

• Donna Marek (07760 173494) CST Coordinator
• Colin O’Loan (07760 173503) Deputy Complex Community Services Lead
• cst@touchstonesupport.org.uk