Vol. 522 No. 3
41 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the call made in the recent report of the Forum on Youth Homelessness for the establishment of a new statutory body to deal with homelessness; his response to the report and to the call; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14679/00]
The Forum on Youth Homelessness was established by the former Eastern Health Board and reported to the Eastern Regional Health Authority last April. The Eastern Regional Health Authority, which is the statutory body with responsibility for health and social services for people who live in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow, has identified young people who are out of home as one of the key issues it has to tackle.
The report of the Forum on Youth Homelessness recommended the designation of one statutory body as the authority responsible for policy and for the co-ordination and delivery of services for young homeless. It also highlighted the need for a more integrated and seamless approach to youth homelessness. In this regard, I am satisfied that the Eastern Regional Health Authority is well placed to ensure that action is taken and that a co-ordinated and integrated response is developed to the provision of services for homeless young people.
The authority launched an action plan in April this year in response to the report of the Forum on Youth Homelessness. The plan includes: the provision of multi-disciplinary teams to target young people at risk and/or out of home; funding for a new centre for young people who are out of home and abusing drugs; opening a number of local residential centres; contracting of GPs to provide primary health care services for young people who are out of home; specific assignment of psychological and psychiatric service to this group; increased access to drug treatment centres; expansion of aftercare services; commissioning of database to track progress of young people; evaluation of crisis intervention service and out of hours service and the establishment of a provider forum.
My Department has provided £1.5 million to the authority for the implementation of the first phase of the plan this year.
The valuable work of the Forum on Youth Homelessness will be taken into account in the national strategy on youth homelessness which is currently being prepared by my Department.
