Keeping Off the streets –

Service Models in WA, SA

and NT

Dr Eleanor Button,

Flinders University of

South Australia

Background

• Funding from FaHCSIA under the

National Homelessness Research

Agenda.

• Original research intended to focus on

SA only but broadened at a later date to

include WA and NT.

• Complements research into STH

services in other jurisdictions.

Research Aims

– Document the STH service models in each

jurisdiction;

– Identify the key characteristics of services

delivered;

– Highlight service system ‘attributes’ that support

the acquisition and maintenance of long-term

housing for people sleeping rough.

All this is work in progress – research due for

completion December 2012.

Research Method

• Development of approaches to suit local

conditions and circumstances – not all STH-

funded services participated.

• Research is longitudinal – captures data at

two points in time. Phase One completed.

• Annual data collection components: – STH service data – to assist with service modelling;

– STH client data – to assist with identifying the range of

services accessed in short and longer-term.

STH Service Target Groups

Target Group

WA People sleeping rough, multiple needs, dislocated from

other services, keen to move away from rough sleeping.

11% clients required to be Indigenous people.

SA Individuals/families sleeping rough/history of rough

sleeping, disengaged from other services, limited

capacity to access services, may have health problems.

NT Single homeless people in Darwin. In Alice Springs –

single people with mental health problems, homeless or

at risk of homelessness.

Findings – STH Funding

& Services Jurisdiction Assertive

Outreach

(Streetwork

Outreach)

Assertive

Outreach

(Case

management

or housing

support)

Health-

Dedicated

Services

Housing

South

Australia

X X (1:10)

visiting GP

and

Psychiatrist

each .5 per

week

Western

Australia

3 agencies (1:5 per 6

months)

5 agencies (1:10)

MCOT

Northern

Territory

to be added

into next

round report

5 agencies (1:6 Alice Springs)

(1:10 – 1:13 Darwin)

4 agencies -

capital funding

for transitional

housing

STH DEDICATED RESOURCES IN STUDY AREAS

STH Activities STH USA STH SA STH WA STH NT

Registry Week –

enumeration

Enumeration every 6

months by a different

government agency.

Data not collected Not applicable

Assessment — use of

Vulnerability Index

A range of other tools

used.

Yes used in

assessments.

Not applicable

Prioritising people

sleeping rough for

assistance as a result

of using the

Vulnerability Index

People accepted for

case management as a

result of team

discussion and as part

of an on-going process.

People accepted for

case management as a

result of team

discussion and/or as

part of an on-going

process.

People identified through applications or

identified by worker. People accepted

for case management as a result of team

discussion and if they wish to participate.

Housing focused help

to help move people

off the streets.

People assisted into

accommodation

according to their

preferences in a

context of what is

available.

People assisted into

accommodation

according to their

preferences in a

context of what is

available.

Clients are either already

accommodated within STH service in

hostel accommodation or are offered

transitional accommodation (if available).

Housing First No guaranteed access

to Housing First.

No guaranteed access

to Housing First.

No guaranteed access to Housing First.

Longer-term support. Open-ended

commitment from

service.

12 months case

management support

for housed clients.

In general, 6 months case management

support with the possibility of help from

other services within auspicing agency

after that.

STH – Housing Resources Service Crisis

other

short-

term

Short–

term

private

Private

rental

Transitional/

boarding

house/long-term

hostel

Community

housing

Internal

to

service

Public Other

Ruah SO √ √ √

UCW SO √ √ √

St Patrick’s SO √ √ √ √ √ √

Salvation Army

CM √ √ √ √ √

55 Central CM √ √ √ √ √

St Bartholomew’s

CM √ √ √ √ √

St Patrick’s CM √ √ √ √ √ √

Foundation

Housing CM √ √ √ √ √

Northern Territory

NT Salvation

Army √ √ √ n/a √ √

St Vincent de Paul √ n/a √ √

Mission Australia n/a √ √

Mental Health

Agency of Central

Australia

√ √ n/a √ √

South Australia

STH √

Low–cost

hotels √ √ √ n/a √ √

STH – Access to Public Housing State/

Territory

Public housing arrangements

WA A commitment to allocate public and community housing to priority listed clients from all

homelessness programs (WA Government, 2010, p. 4). Further, to facilitate access to a

Common Ground housing facility that is planned by the WA Government.

Waits for permanent, public housing could be up to 10 months.

NT STH clients were supported, where appropriate, to register for public housing. Waits for

permanent public housing could be up to 18 months.

SA

Long-term public housing is made available to clients on the waiting list although this can

take up to two years. Staff indicated that STH clients get no preferential treatment in the

allocations process although many have high and complex needs and are often assessed

as a high priority for public housing.

Short-term leases on public housing awaiting sale are managed by Housing SA. Leases can

be as short as one month and minor refurbishments are sometimes in progress when a

client moves in. Whilst this type of arrangement is not long-term and can be disruptive to a

client, it provides a base for people whilst more secure accommodation is sought and helps

the client to build up a record of rent payment which is useful when applying for housing.

Offers of long-term housing can be made whilst a client is in this form of accommodation.

National Stimulus housing in which tenants are provided with one year leases that bring with

them finance for ongoing support from an NGO.

STH Service Model

Components

STH Funded Agency(ies)

Formal

agreements

with

government

agencies

Staff/Team/

Agency

Capabilities

Sector

embeddedness

& access to

services/resour

ces provided

by other NGOs

WA Model

Examples of notable attributes of WA STH

service-delivery environment: • Formalisation of agreements between State Government and

NGOs regarding STH Program management and service

delivery i.e. commitment to participate/collaborate with

government and other NGOs

• Formalisation of agreement between state government agencies

regarding the provision of health outreach service

• Policy determination regarding allocation of public housing

• STH-funded NGOs are integrated into local service sector

WA – STH Model

STH Funded Agencies

Formal

agreements

with

government

agencies

Staff Team

organisation

& capabilities

Sector

embeddedness

- access to

services/resour

ces provided

by other NGOs

Program Management STH Service delivery

collaboration

Client Outcomes

• SA – 1,200 people assisted into transitional and long-term

housing since 2005 (90% retention).

• Other services too new to have stats – to be explored this year.

Critical components (SA only):

• Capacity to work with clients over the longer-term to varying

degrees of intensity according to client needs

• Team orientation to ensure clients have the same case manager

for the duration of assistance

• Staff skill base assisted in identifying health problems

• Capacity to leverage critical resources e.g. housing/health for

clients.

Also being explored via client interviews – separate

report forthcoming.

Conclusion

Limitations:

– not all STH-funded services participated.

– No capacity to include services working towards

the same aim as STH services but not ‘badged’

STH.

The lack of availability of affordable housing limits

the housing first approach.

STH service models have been devised to meet

local conditions.

Second round of data collection is about to

commence.