Health teams offer support to homeless
DEPARTMENTS TO WORK TOGETHER
HOUSING and health officials in Hull are to join forces to contract services for homeless people.
It will be first time a joint approach to the issue will be tried in the city.
The move is being seen as a way of strengthening support around mental health and ending the so-called “revolving door” of people leaving accommodation offered to them because they are unable to cope.
It will also signal the end of the system where landlords outside those working under council contracts can also provide accommodation to people moving on from hostels.
That has led to concerns over poor-quality housing being offered to some people as well as minimal support being provided.
Traditionally, responsibility for managing homelessness in the city has largely rested with Hull City Council’s housing department.
In recent years, more multiagency working has developed between housing and various local health organisations.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, that partnership working intensified as part of a government-backed initiative to ensure rough sleepers and people at risk of becoming homeless were moved into temporary accommodation for their safety.
In Hull, around 100 homeless people were initially moved into the Endsleigh private apartment complex in Beverley Road, together with support staff, as well as a number of smaller bed and breakfast venues.
There are currently around 40 people housed in similar temporary sites, mainly in two hotels.
Marianne Toutountzi, head of access and wellbeing at the city council, said a combined housing and healthcare approach was the way forward.
“Well over half of rough sleepers in the city have a primary substance misuse need and many people do not engage or disengage with treatment. Our assessment over the past 12 months is that chaotic drug misuse is the biggest barrier to sustaining accommodation.”
She added: “There has been a significant increase in the number of people referred to the temporary homelessness assessment hub that are being directly or have recently been discharged from acute residential mental health services.
“This demonstrates a gap in statutory provision for this client group. A large proportion of the cohort have dual diagnosis needs, presenting with mental health and substance misuse issues concurrently.”
Recent research looking at rough sleepers in Hull found 81 per cent had a mental health condition with 15 per cent having a learning disability. In terms of other health needs, 57 per cent had a drug habit while 13 per cent had an alcohol dependency.
Councillor Steve Wilson, chairman of the council’s health and wellbeing scrutiny commission, said: “I think this is a massive leap forward in terms of how we deal with rough sleepers and how we assist them back into society.
“I never was a fan of Housing First. Sometimes it has failed and I was never a fan of giving someone a key and then throwing the support in afterwards.
“I think this a proper, meaningful, integrated approach which has success written all over it.”