Presentation to the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children

Health and Homelessness

Nov 16th 2010

Simon Communities of Ireland

• Introduction• Current Situation • National Health Snapshot Study 2010• What is needed• Budget 2011• Appendices

Overview

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•The Way Home – good strategy, implementation is slow.•Clear govt. commitments, main focus is housing not clear how other needs will be met.•Delays in access to appropriate housing.•Risk factors for homelessness on the increase e.g. poverty, unemployment etc - a whole new generation at risk. •Contracting budgets across the public sector including hospitals & prisons will have a knock on effect users of Simon services. •Budgetary cuts across government departments/agencies are having a impact on the Simon Communities services.

Current Situation

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•First time undertaken in July 2010 with all 8 Communities

•Total sample population 788.

•78% male & 22% female.• Age profile:

70% aged between 36 and 75 years of age 42% aged between 46 and 75 years of age26% aged between 56 and 75 years of age.

National Health Snap Shot Study

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•56% experience at least one diagnosed physical health condition.

•52% experience at least one diagnosed mental health condition. 1 in every 4 has a medical diagnosis of depression.

•28% experience a diagnosed physical health condition AND a diagnosed mental health condition.

Physical and Mental Health

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•66% use alcohol, with 38% experiencing complications arising from their alcohol use (memory loss, falls, head injuries).

•38% use drugs.

•15% are intravenous drug users.

•31% report using more than one drug (poly drug use).

•Suspected dual diagnosis: 28% experience a diagnosed mental health condition AND reported complications arising from alcohol and/or drug use.

Alcohol and Drug Use

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•15% self harm.

•23% Suicide ideation.

•8% (56 people) attempted suicide in the last 6 months.

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Self harm and Suicide

•Homelessness is about health as well as housing.

•It is also about many related needs (complex needs).

•Critical that people who are homeless have access to mainstream AND specialist services.

•Essential to provide housing with supports AND high support housing.

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What this study tells us?

Specifically related to health and homelessness

•Improve access to health care for people with many related needs (complex needs).

•Drug and alcohol services must be extended including detoxification, rehabilitation & harm reduction services.

•Maintain existing specialist services. Expand into areas where they are needed, complimenting mainstream services e.g. community detox, Adult Multi-Disciplinary Teams, in-house harm reduction services (Safetynet).

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What is needed

Specifically related to health and homelessness

•Roll out of Primary Care Teams /Primary & Social Care Networks nationally. •Ending inappropriate discharge practice• Access to housing with supports (low, medium & high support). •High support housing for those who need it.

•Innovative, creative & targeted responses. The Simon Communities have excellent examples.

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What is needed

•It is critical that budget lines for homelessness are maintained at the very least at current levels.

•Specifically the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government budget and the Health Service Executive budget.

•No more cuts for local Simon Communities providing essential services all around the country.

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Budget 2011

•The Simon Communities have been providing local responses to local issues in Ireland for more than 40 years. Simon services include

soup runs, emergency shelters and outreach to day centres and primary care; drug and alcohol treatment to long-term supported housing; prevention & tenancy sustainment and settlement services to training and employment projects.

•Simon is perfectly placed within local communities to deliver on the challenge of meeting the many related health needs of people who are homeless (complex needs). •Innovative thinking & working in partnership will go along way towards achieving this.

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Conclusion

Thank You

&

Questions

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Appendix 1 a

The Simon Communities throughout Ireland provide the best

possible care, accommodation and support for people

experiencing homelessness and those at risk. Together, with

people who are homeless, we tackle the root causes, promote

innovative responses and urge the government to fulfil their

commitments. Simon delivers support and services to between

4,500 and 5,000 individuals and families who experience - or are

at risk of - homelessness on an annual basis.

Simon – the homelessness charity

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Appendix 1 b

•The Simon Communities of Ireland is an affiliation of local Communities in Cork, Dublin, Dundalk, Galway, the Midlands, the Mid West, the North West and the South East.

•The National Office Role:coordinating campaigning in the areas of housing/homeless policy and the wider poverty and social inclusion agendapromoting best practice in service delivery and working with people who are homelesspromoting excellence in full time volunteering and providing accredited training.

Simon Communities of Ireland

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Appendix 2: The Simon Communities deliver support and services to between 4, 500 and 5,000 individuals and families who experience, or are at risk of, homelessness on an annual basis.

•Services and projects are responding to the needs in their locality thus no two Simon Communities are the same.

• Services range from soup runs, emergency shelters and outreach to day centres and primary care; drug and alcohol treatment to long-term supported housing; prevention & tenancy sustainment and settlement services to training and employment projects.

Simon Communities in Ireland

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•Appendix 3: There are a range of factors which can lead to a person becoming homeless which can be divided into the following:

•Structural Causes: poverty, unemployment and a lack of quality, affordable and appropriate housing. •Institutional Causes: people who have been living in; foster care and in state care, prison or in mental health institutions, hospital on a long-term basis or in the armed forces. •Relationship Causes: abusive relationships, family breakdown or a death.•Personal Causes: people with mental health issues, learning, difficulties and problems with drug and alcohol use.

Generally it’s a combination of factors

Why People become Homeless

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Appendix 4: What is a Snap Shot

• A snapshot is a ‘point in time’ picture during a particular sample time period, in this case one week July 26th to August 1st 2010.

•Focus the profile and health needs of some of the people using using Simon projects and services during the week in question.

•The study sample 788 is a significant sample of people who use Simon projects and services and thus can be used as a basis to generalise about their health and support needs.

•Findings are indicative rather than diagnostic.

National Health Snap Shot Study

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