Mental health support homes in Belconnen to give more freedom to residents

But for people with acute mental health conditions, these household chores can be difficult and sometimes need to be learned to help them back into the community after large stays at hospitals.

Now the ACT government is set to open four support homes for these Canberrans, with one five-bedroom sharehouse opening in Belconnen on Thursday.

Mental Health Foundation ACT chief executive Angie Ingram said these homes were all about providing choices and freedom.

"It's about them controlling their own lives," Ms Ingram said.

"You and I, we would say, 'Let's go canoeing' and off we go canoeing.

"Whereas they might say they'd like to do that but they may not be able make the decision and ... implementing the decision they may have trouble with."

The five new residents at the home in Belconnen - the government has asked the exact suburb not be public - would be monitored and provided support for 16 hours a day.

Residents would have carers, psychologists and social workers on hand to help them live more independently in the community.

Ms Ingram said their current National Disability Insurance Scheme funding model does not allow for residents to be monitored 24/7.

"Through this model we'll be doing some assessments to ensure that the funding available is meeting the individual participants' needs," she said.

She said if it was needed, the foundation would work with the insurance scheme to review funding.

The new residents would be moving in next month, according to Ms Ingram, and coming from the mental health rehabilitation unit at the University of Canberra Hospital.

Ms Ingram said there was a huge demand for these types of support services.

"They've all been through acute phases and they've all tried different models of how to live in the community," she said.

It's also about balance, Ms Ingram said. Without these houses some people might be forced to live in hospital - which could be too restrictive for some. Others might have to live in other supported accommodation, which could be too relaxed.

This home is also different in that each of the new residents had to agree on their support provider, choosing Ms Ingram's foundation from seven pitches. "It's been a really exciting journey for the ... foundation to be involved in this project," she said.

Mental Health Minister and Greens leader Shane Rattenbury said the ACT was seeing an increasing need for this type of accommodation.

"We wanted to provide a model that gives people security, that gives people a home that's theirs," he said.

"It's a model that's a real example for the future."