Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 March 2023
206. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure the HSE provides a dedicated funding line to deliver the necessary health and mental health support required to assist homeless people with complex needs.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15725/23]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to addressing the health needs of people who are homeless. This includes the development of health and social interventions, based on an inclusion health approach, to target people who are homeless and with complex needs and to ensure a dedicated funding line and resources to deliver the necessary health and mental health supports for this population group.
Housing for All, the national housing plan, sets out the Government policy for reducing and preventing homelessness. It commits to a housing-led approach as the primary response to all forms of homelessness. It acknowledges that suitable housing conditions are a key social determinant of health and that collaborative delivery of housing and health supports are an integral component of a return to independent living. The plan contains five actions to support the health needs of people are homeless., which build on the co-ordination and actions developed to minimise the impact of Covid-19 on people who are homeless, including individual healthcare plans, tailored drug and alcohol treatment services and mental health supports, especially for rough sleepers.
In 2022, the HSE expenditure for health and mental health supports for people who are homeless was €50,116,409. This includes ‘in-reach’ service in emergency accommodation, integrated care and case management, and addiction and mental health supports, along with additional measures as part of the public health response to Covid-19 and the Housing First national implementation plan.
This figure is likely an underestimation on what is spent on services that people who experience homelessness can avail of, as certain services categorised as “addiction” would be also serving people experiencing homelessness. Additionally, the figure does not include a range of HSE funded general health services which homeless persons avail of including: acute hospital inpatient/outpatient services; Primary Care services, HSE mental health services.
In 2023, the Department has allocated an additional €1.3 million to provide wrap around health supports for up to 270 new tenancies under the Housing First national implementation plan. Further details on this and other measures to enhance access to healthcare services for people who are homeless will be set out in the forthcoming HSE national service plan 2023.
I am committed to continuing to provide dedicated funding and resources to deliver the health, addiction and mental health services to meet the complex needs of people who are homeless.
