Homeless Service

Integration:

What makes a difference?

Sue Cripps

Director Homelessness, Mental Health & Disability

Catholic Community Services NSW/ACT

Homelessness strategies as

drivers of integration England:

The Government committed to tackling and preventing homelessness, working in partnership with voluntary sector partners, local authorities and housing associations.

Scotland:

Scotland adopted ambitious strategy to combat homelessness to give every unintentionally homeless person the right to settled accommodation.

United States of America:

Three strategies with strong mandated ability to influence and drive changed service responses across a broad range of government programs, with mechanisms to report back to cabinet and government executive on implementation progress

Building a culture of integration Leadership by Government Executive

High level sponsorship within government agencies

Building an evidence base through research and trialling new

models

Requires a supply of affordable housing to support policy

implementation

Utilising local expertise to drive strategic reform

Invest in and develop emerging leaders in the non

government sector

Building the evidence base Need for robust data about the numbers affected by

homelessness so that investment and resources could be

targeted affectively

Data on the service utilisation patterns of persons who

experience homelessness has potential to inform design of

policies and programs that affect the incidence and duration

of homelessness

Evidence of the use of multiple service systems may identify

how mainstream systems may be contributing to

homelessness

Critiquing three service models identified

for co-ordinated service provision

Single agency providing housing and support

services

Two agency (housing provider and support

provider)

Partnership (managing agency and a number

of housing and service providers)

Lessons Learnt For effective systemic change to occur regarding how

services are delivered, leadership at the highest level of

government (Prime Minister or President) is vital.

To create models of service integration, investment must

occur to assist the change management process across

government and the non-government sector.

Investing in the development of emerging leaders in the

homelessness field to build a strong group of leaders

operating within contemporary management and social policy

frameworks is crucial.

Lessons Learnt cont … Sound policy development and investment of tax payers’

dollars requires solid data to inform modeling.

Strong data regarding the services used by homeless people

highlight opportunities for integration and collaboration as a

means of responding to and preventing homelessness as

effectively as possible.

Mechanisms to support integrated planning at the regional

level are crucial to building a culture of integration and

change management.

Maintaining momentum Engage the broader community in ending homelessness

Maintain investment – change is not cheap

Support a culture of change management - establish a

training program with emerging leaders within the

homelessness and housing fields

Maintain investment in homelessness research within

Australia

Final Thought "The truth is there are no silver

bullets, only struggle moving

forward for a just and better way. I

often feel we are hampered by

those who propose cure-alls and

are better served by those willing

to wrestle complexity."