Mental illness among homeless people has become such a significant problem that staff at one of the largest providers of homeless services in Australia spent more hours assisting clients with mental health needs than homelessness in the first six months of 2011.
According to the data, 255 Mission Australia frontline staff, across 75 of its homeless services nationally, spent a total of 5,896 hours assisting clients with mental health issues between 1 January and 25 July 2011.
In the same period, staff spent 4093 hours assisting clients with homelessness issues and another 1,379 hours in relation to clients at ‘risk of homelessness’ – a total of 5,472 hours.
The data illustrates the strong link between mental illness and homelessness and follows on from a groundbreaking study of homeless men by Mission Australia in August 2010 which found close to 70 per cent had a diagnosed mental health or substance use disorder, 81 per cent had “very high levels” of psychological distress (compared to 3 per cent among males in the general population), and exhibited Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at levels 20 times greater than the general male population.
According to Mission Australia’s CEO, Toby Hall, the new data provides an insight into an important aspect of Australia’s broader mental health problem and of the huge demand homeless services face from people wrestling with mental illness in addition to their need for shelter.
“When you look at these figures, there’s no doubting how big an issue mental health is for both the people accessing our homelessness services and our frontline staff,” said Mr Hall.
“And when looked at in combination with Mission Australia’s earlier research on the extent of mental illness among homeless men, we are looking at a hugely significant problem.
“Through Mission Australia’s data collection we’re able to see exactly the type of supports our homelessness services offer young people, adults and families on a daily basis.
“It tells us that in a little over the first six months of 2011, frontline staff in our homelessness services put in more hours assisting people with mental health needs than with issues directly related to their homelessness. That’s quite extraordinary.
“That includes conducting health assessments, providing counselling – both formal and informal – and referring clients to more specialised medical care.
“It also reflects the complexity of the support we provide homeless people. Often our work isn’t primarily about finding someone a ‘roof over their head’; it’s about tackling the issues that stop them being able to maintain independent accommodation.
“For example, a debilitating mental illness that, untreated, makes it impossible for an individual to hold down a job or a home.
“For both homeless people – and the staff that support them – it’s an issue that keeps on getting bigger and bigger.
“This National Homeless Persons’ Week, while it’s important to recognise the downpayment the Australian Government made on mental health in its last budget – at $2.2 billion over five years, a significant amount – we need to keep in mind how huge the demand out there is, particularly among our community’s most vulnerable.
“I suggest that the experience of our frontline staff is just the tip of the iceberg. The government’s mental health funding is going to need to stretch a long way,” said Mr Hall.
Media contact: Paul Andrews (02) 9219 2080 or 0409 665 495
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