The Jewish House is like the community ambulance, because it is also a service where clients are picked up and directed on to services that can help to heal a client or resolve his or her crisis. Whether it is through providing 2 weeks of crisis accommodation and then locating long term accommodation for clients; or by taking a call from a client in distress and directing them to the institutions that can assist them financially and medically, the Jewish House is there to take a person from crisis to stability.

Each service provided by Jewish House and as described in this section is unique because it is interlinked with the other services. In no other crisis accommodation are psychologists located on site and ready to help anyone who requires it. No other crisis call line will take such a wide range of problems on their call lines.

For this reason the Jewish House services are attracting academic attention and fast becoming a leader in the field of crisis care.


24/7 Crisis Line
The Jewish House offers a 24/7 crisis line for anyone in need across the New South Wales and indeed the Australian community. The crisis line is unique because it handles calls concerning an unlimited range of topics. Be it concerns regarding drug abuse or alcohol abuse or financial distress, the Jewish House counsellors are ready to listen and assist anyone in need.

The crisis line itself employs cutting edge technology so that emergency services can be summonsed immediately and even included in the calls if need be.

All crisis line operators are trained by Lifeline in suicide prevention. Where a caller is from the locality, counsellors will attend on the caller personally if necessary.

The crisis line is also unique in that it is the front of an organisation that has a depth of counselling and accommodation services. Therefore a caller doesn’t just receive counselling that is a band aid solution. Instead a caller is able to access the wide range of services in whatever way is best suited to their situation.

Crisis Accommodation
The Jewish House crisis accommodation has been in operation for over 20 years. The crisis accommodation was originally established as a refuge for those emerging from drug and alcohol problems or those breaking free from a cult. However since the opening of the accommodation, the Jewish House has expanded its services to accommodate clients seeking refuge from violent relationships, client who are homeless or clients with any other variety of issues that place them in a situation where they are without a home.

The crisis accommodation is unique because it is accompanied by counselling services in the same building. This accessibility of psychologists, social workers and a pastoral carer (a Rabbi) allows the clients of Jewish House the ability to receive a holistic form of care during their stay. This approach has proven to be very effective, with a 100% success rate in keeping clients from returning to the streets.

Jewish House does not provide supervision at nights and weekends and there is no medical or nursing staff available.  As a result, clients will not be accepted if they are:

  • Current users of illicit substances
  • Current alcohol abusers
  • Are dealing in drugs
  • Have a history of violence towards others and/or property
  • Have a history of sexually inappropriate behaviour towards adults and/or children
  • Are acutely mentally ill (clients whose mental state is stable are accepted)
  • Are considered to be a suicide risk
  • If on medications, are non-compliant or not able to manage their medications.
  • Have a medical condition that requires daily monitoring by a medically trained person.


Counselling
The Jewish House offers bulk billing psychological services. This is a crucial community resource and it has meant that psychological assistance is within the reach of anyone who requires it. The Jewish House psychologists are experienced and talented. Their caring approach is greatly appreciated by clients.

Psychologists are on hand to deal with a range of issues including financial distress, drug dependence, family violence or mental illness.

The Jewish House enjoys a close association with local facilities such as the Sydney Clinic, St Vincent’s Hospital, Royal Prince of Wales Hospital and Wolper Hospital. These associations ensure that referrals to the appropriate organisation where required is able to happen quickly and smoothly.

The Jewish House counsellors work with these organisations to ensure that ideal outcomes are achieved for their clients.

Pastoral Care
Times of crisis inevitably raise questions of spirituality and soul searching. The Jewish House takes the view that assisting clients in a crisis or emerging from a crisis must include an option for clients to access spiritual guidance if requested. The pastoral care is provided by Rabbi Mendel Kastel who has two decades of experience in assisting people in distress. Often the pastoral care program is administered as part of an overall counselling plan for a client.

Chaplaincy
In addition to providing personal spiritual guidance for clients of Jewish House, the Jewish House provides pastoral services delivered by Rabbi Kastel for the NSW Police and Emergency Services. Rabbi Kastel also provides chaplaincy services for Wolper Hospital and Reddham College. This service is part of the Jewish House’s philosophy of “people helping people”.


Financial Counselling
The Global Financial crisis provided many shockwaves for families throughout Australia. It has been a time when financial distress has risen exponentially. In response to this growing need, the Jewish House launched a special financial services counselling program.

Clients experiencing financial distress can receive the services of the Jewish House jobs counsellor as well as psychological counselling. The jobs counsellor is able to provide invaluable advice with regards to interview techniques and preparing job applications. The Jewish House also provides assistance in understanding entitlements to Centrelink payments and completing forms for Centrelink payments.

Mediation
Often in the case of interpersonal conflict a calm third voice can help resolve a conflict in a way that is successful for both parties. The Jewish House offers services that allow people to work through their conflict and reach a mediated agreement with the assistance of Rabbi Kastel or a Jewish House counsellor.

Mediation services are available for the most complex of family conflicts and again these services are available at either no charge or a small fee only.

Resource Centre
The Jewish House is currently collating a resource centre that can assist clients in understanding their problem and to provide information on various ways of resolving the conflict. It is envisaged that the resource centre will allow clients to browse through books and internet sites on a variety of topics. This books and materials are to be available in a discreet location, allowing users privacy and dignity as they explore sometimes difficult personal issues.