Currently, at least 31,000 Australians living with mental health challenges experience homelessness or housing insecurity (1). People living with serious and persistent mental health challenges are over-represented in the homelessness sector and are one of the fastest-growing cohorts accessing Specialist Homelessness Services (SHS) (2).
People living with serious and persistent mental ill-health (SPMI) are one of the most excluded groups in our communities (4). They face a complex interplay of challenges to accessing safe, affordable and sustainable housing, including
- unemployment, underemployment, financial hardship and poverty
- pervasive stigma and discrimination in both the private rental market and social housing system
- difficulties managing the practical, social and emotional aspects of daily living, affecting interpersonal relationships and effective self-advocacy
- serious or episodic distress affecting motivation, memory and functional capacity.(5)
For people living with SPMI, housing provides a foundation for economic, educational and social participation. Support to secure and sustain housing integrated with wrap-around homelessness and mental health and wellbeing support drives improved health, mental health and wellbeing outcomes. This reduces expenditure associated with inpatient treatment and other high-cost or avoidable interventions across the health,(9) justice (10) and welfare sectors (11).
Neami’s position
Neami’s position statement outlines the scale of homelessness among people with serious mental ill-health and calls for Housing First, integrated supports, and housing as a legislated human right.