merrion street

Minister for Mental Health, Social Care and Primary Care Kathleen Lynch has today announced that an additional €2m will be allocated to the HSE budget this year to address the health needs of homeless persons in the Dublin region, who manifest chronic mental ill health and/or substance misuse and addiction problems.
The allocation comes from additional funding secured by Minister Lynch for mental health in the 2016 National Service Plan specifically targeting homelessness.

Minister Lynch said, “There is a high prevalence of mental health and addiction issues among homeless people who experience enduring and habitual rough sleeping. This new funding will ensure that individuals with high support needs can access the range of health services and supports they require while living in supported temporary accommodation or long-term accommodation”.

A range of in-reach services will be supported with the additional funding. These will include care and case management and intensive addiction and mental health programmes targeting homeless people in supported temporary accommodation, and homeless couples with high support needs in long-term accommodation.

The increased funding will also provide long-term intensive care for homeless people with chronic and enduring health needs living in long-term supported accommodation that do not require acute hospital care, but have high support needs.

Concluding Minister Lynch said, “Those who are homeless and experiencing mental health and addiction issues are a particularly vulnerable group that have multiple interlocking needs. I have asked the HSE to ensure that any mental health supports provided will be developed as part of an overall cohesive response to homelessness, aimed at addressing the complex and multi-faceted needs of people in this situation”.
ENDS
Notes for Editors
The latest national data available shows that there are 3,560 adults and 1,679 dependents using State-funded emergency accommodation. This includes 802 family units comprising 1,089 adults (a subset of the 3,560 above). Family homelessness is most acute in the Dublin Region, which accounts for 705 of the homeless families. In the Dublin Region, 500 families, with 1,049 dependents, are accommodated in commercial hotels, while 205 families with 417 dependents are accommodated in private emergency accommodation.

Rough Sleepers
The Dublin Region Homeless Executive conducted a rough sleeper count on the night of 30 November 2015. A total of 91 rough sleepers were recorded – this compares to the 168 recorded in November 2014 – a decrease of 46%.