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.