Project 40 Supportive Housing
Homelessness NSW Meeting 1 Dec 11
Acknowledgement of Country
Project 40 acknowledges firstly the traditional
owners of the land on which this meeting is
being held. We pay respects to all elders,
past and present, and to the Ancestors. We
thank our Aboriginal brothers and sisters who
have contributed their wisdom and their open
hearts to Project 40 and to Wentworth
Community Housing and who walk beside us
in unity.
Homelessness in outer Western Sydney
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Lack of affordable housing –
– low end renters forced into caravan parks, couch-surfing and motels
Bottlenecks in service system
– refuges and emergency accommodation full of people suffering
housing crises
Chronic homelessness worsens
– Rough sleepers increase – rivers, caves, parks, bush, rural areas
Outer Western Sydney has no funded services for rough sleepers
– No hostels, shelters, outreach or support
Aboriginal homelessness increasing
– Barriers accessing mainstream services such as health,
homelessness services
Why use a Housing first approach?
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Homelessness in Western Sydney is worsening
Q: What would it take to end homelessness in Nepean/ Blacktown
region?
A: Tackle the hardest part first – the most vulnerable chronically
homeless
Moral argument–
– rough sleepers die 25 years earlier (Risk Factors for Death in Homeless Adults in Boston - J. O'Connell
et al; Arch Intern 1998;158:1454-1460.)
– Aboriginal people die 22 (female) -26 (male) years earlier overall (ABS
2010)
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Economic argument – this group uses more resources
Housing First approach: Implications for support
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Long-Term Homelessness: Understanding the Challenge - Dr Guy
Johnson (et al) Social Inclusion Project (J2SI) argues case for different
support model
Dr Jim O’Connell Risk Factors for Death in Homeless Adults in Boston
identifies risk factors that predict early death of chronically homeless
SAAP funded for crisis and transitional support interventions – not the
long-term intensive support needed for chronically homeless
Collaborative structures
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Nepean Campaign Against Homelessness established by
homelessness networks & Wentworth in 2007 to lobby for P40 and
Regional Taskforce on Homelessness
Consortium of over 80 agencies signed letter of intent for P40
P40 Coordination Groups established in each of the 4 LGA’s (Blue
Mountains, Penrith, Blacktown, Hawkesbury)
Each comprise 20-25 agencies who work with homeless people
Includes mainstream government, SAAP, generalist community, charities
Allocated P40 packages and problem solve all referrals
Regional Taskforce on Homelessness comprised decision-makers
across region – 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness.
The Housing First model of supportive housing
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Pathways to Housing was established by Dr Sam Tsemberis
Based on principles of:
– Psycho-social rehabilitation
– Harm minimisation
– Consumer empowerment and choice
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87% retention rate with documented outcomes
Common Ground in the US also pioneers of Housing First Supportive
Housing
The model:
– Separation of housing and support
– Community integration
– Recovery-oriented practice
Project 40 statistics so far (as at Nov 2011)
Aboriginal
Other
Total
Tenancies
10
17
27
Adults
11
25
Children
16
31
36
47
Support issues for P40 tenants
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Chronically homeless tenants are the most challenging to support:
• Complex and high needs
• History of chronic homelessness
• Difficult & chaotic behaviours due to trauma, mental health issues,
brain injury, substance use/ abuse
Need longer hours and intensive specialised support
Current homelessness service system ‘s resources are stretched because
of:
• Lack of staff availability
• Skills sets that are generalist – not specialised
Number Adults
(out of 36 total)
Vulnerability Factors of Project 40
Adult Tenants
%
Drug & Alcohol abuse
22
61%
Mental Health issues (diagnosis of schizophrenia
30
83%
Dual Diagnosis
19
53%
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
14
39%
Violence (DV or other violence)
32
89%
Trauma
35
97%
Chronic medical
5
14%
Chronic homelessness
34
94%
Institutions (prison or out of home care)
15
42%
Disability
4
11%
spectrum, bipolar, depressive etc)
Trauma of Project 40 tenants
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Examples….. Woke to partner who had died next to tenant, disappeared into bush
and rough sleeping, victim of violent bashing in the bush
Violence in prison , witnessed parent being murdered when a child
Sexual assault of tenant’s children, threats of violence around drug issues, loss of
family
Bashed when rough sleeping. Witnessed petrol being poured on other rough
sleeper who was set alight, loss of limb due to rough sleeping
Violence during prolonged drug usage on streets, lost 4 children into care
Loss of 6 children who were taken into care
Death of partner from overdose, loss of 3 children into care
Sexual assault whilst in care as a child, removal from family into care, violence
around drug use, loss of children into care…..
35 of the 36 adults in Project 40 have suffered trauma as children or as adults
Elements of the Project 40 support model
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Flexible approach to support - home visits and outreach
Holistic approach includes person’s emotional/ spiritual wellbeing
Social integration – overcoming loneliness
Culturally responsive through Aboriginal specialists
Opportunity for consumer participation & empowerment (CHA CHEE)
Peer support
Low caseloads of workers
Assertive Community Treatment teams
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Access to clinicians for assessment and medication
Mental health specialists trained for the P40 target group
Dedicated P40 case workers
Aboriginal services to connect to culture and country
Vocational services
Housing services – property and lease issues
Towards a Peer support model
Building the Evidence Base – measuring outcomes
• Data collected 6 monthly to identify the effectiveness of the support
interventions
• Administered survey Includes measures of:
• Housing and tenancy stability
• Financial outcomes
• Support outcomes – workforce participation, improvements in
mental health, connection to mainstream, social inclusion
• Also collating tenancy data from Wentworth Community Housing’s
system
• Collating support data from SHIP
Having a house has made a real big
difference. I think I will live longer
because I’m healthier in my body.
Before, I was sick a lot. Now I can
go to the hospital. I get proper food
and I cook. It feels real good. I will
most certainly stay here. And I’m
helping other homeless people and
that feels real good too.
Kim ‘Kimbo’ Ballard, rough sleeper
for 18 years
Me and my dog Emily have lived in a one-bedroom
flat in Katoomba for five months. I was homeless for
about 18 months before. I slept in my car a lot, in the
back streets of Penrith, in the bush, on the beach. I
picked quiet places and didn’t get hassled. Emily
keeps me sane. I broke up with a partner and
thought of committing suicide a couple of times
because life just seems to dwindle away. But Emily
got me through it. Now I feel pretty good – it’s to do
with having a house and feeling secure. You feel a
lot better inside yourself. I love my flat. It makes me
toe the line because I have to be vigilant with
money. It sounds funny, but I’ve got the freedom to
know this is my place. Katoomba is cold but I’m
comfy and warm. I might try and get my truck licence
back and get a driving job if my back can handle it.
Rodney, P40 tenant & Emily
My Project 40 house is the one thing that will
help get my kids back. I have a baby and
three other boys who are wards of the state.
The Project 40 people understood that I
needed a house to get my kids back. Now I
have room for my kids, I am determined to
prove that I deserve my kids back. I’m an
advocate for Project 40.
Laura, P40 tenant and CHA CHEE Consumer
Advocate