TY  - RPRT
AU  - Bleasdale, Michael
CY  - Melbourne
L1  - internal-pdf://3711056868/AHURI_Final_Report_No104_Supporting_the_housin.pdf
M1  - 70311
M3  - FR
N1  - This research explored the provision ‗of housing and support for people with complex needs, specifically people with physical disability, people with intellectual disability, and people with mental illness‘ (Bleasdale 2007 p.3). The methodology primarily utilised qualitative interviews with key stakeholders in service provision to these three target groups (p.11).

The ‗four major contextual factors...‘ identified in the initial literature review as being relevant to meeting the housing and support needs of the three target groups include:
à ‗individual capacities of key stakeholders, especially those charged with implementing the intervention;
à interpersonal relationships that support the intervention, including management, administrative and industrial relations matters;
à institutional settings, including the broad ethos of the organisation in which the intervention is operated, and the attitude of executive management and board;
à infra-structural context, locally and wider, including the condition of the welfare system, funding guarantees, and local opposition or support from interest groups‘ (p.8).
Key findings relevant to the present study are as follows:
à Housing for people with a intellectual disability:
à The case study in Western Australia demonstrated an approach which was based around ‗individual preference‘ with resources supplied ‗to those who need support by means of packages of support funding granted to approved service providers‘ (p.14). A local area coordinator works with the individual and their community in a community building approach which identifies and mobilises informal supports through family, friends and other community resources, and through establishing strong networks of relationships between the individual, their family and local service organisations.
à Funding is provided for ‗accommodation support, alternatives to employment and intensive family support‘ (p.14-15). The allocation system for housing support provides the client with portability and choice. However, intense pressure on funding means only a small percentage of those applying for accommodation support are funded (p.15). Homeswest provides tenancies to local support agencies, which in turn sub-let to the individual client(s).
à Housing for people with a mental illness:
à The Victorian case studies showcased the variety of approaches used, not only highlighting differences between metropolitan and rural services, but also between different rural regions (p.20ff). Such flexibility of approaches allows services to be tailored to the local context.
à The Victorian Office of Housing (OoH) recognises that stability of tenancy is a crucial element in ‗stabilising their conditions‘, so public rather than private rental housing is the preferred option (p.21). By changing rental tenancy requirements from a single person/household per dwelling to a system where rent can be charged per room, OoH has allowed service providers to sublet and pool resources to house a greater number of single tenants with mental illness (p.21).
à The OoH collaborates with other parts of the Department of Human Services such as Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Services (PDRSS) to provide joined-up services (p.22).
à Housing for people with a physical disability:
à The NSW case study highlights the need to separate out accommodation from from other support. A lack of this separation leads to a system where supported accommodation is the dominant concept for meeting the needs of this group (p.29), whether or not it is the most appropriate. Some programmes

are now recognising this and aiming to provide a wider range of housing options than just group homes (p.31).
à One issues identified was the ‗general and chronic lack of accessible housing in the market for people with physical disability‘ (p.33). There are severe limitations in the private rental market on modifications to make a dwelling fit for purpose for a tenant with a physical disability, which makes this tenure almost impracticable for such tenants (p.32).
à A UK case study also examined a housing program which provided support to all three target groups – Supported People Program.
à The joined-up approach between the various service departments of local authorities is designed to ‗provide a better quality of life for vulnerable people, by improving both their capacity to live independently and their ability to maintain their tenancies‘ (p.34). The approach provides greater clarity around who is responsible for the particular types of services and supports needed by clients (p.35).
à One downside of the approach is the limited timeframe for funding – namely, two years for any given client. Several interview participants noted that this is not a realistic timeframe for building independence (p.35). Nonetheless, the program demonstrated a ‗mainstreaming approach‘ which circumvented some of the stigmatisation that often accompanies ‗accommodation designed for habitation solely by people with disability and people with mental illness‘ (p.36).
Several policy lessons relevant to this study were identified:
à Successful linkages are required between the various service agencies supporting a tenant with complex needs:
‗What the current research has found is that what is required is not only a range of approaches and initiatives, that can meet diverse needs of different groups and individuals in particular circumstances, but also the means by which working examples of good practice can be sustained, modified and developed, such that people in the three target groups can be confident of having opportunities to find and maintain suitable housing options‘ (p.56).
à Individualised solutions are needed to provide for the wide array of support needs of any given clients, as well as across multiple tenants (p.56-57).
à Local area collaboration is needed to ensure linkages between housing and other supports. Strong local networks need to be proactively built and maintained over time (p.57).
à There needs to be less reliance and emphasis upon ‗models‘ as a way to address the housing and other needs of the target groups. Individualised approaches which utilise joined-up services are a more effective way of meeting the needs of individual clients (p.57-58).
à It is vitally important that adequate government resources are provided across the range of programs needed to support these clients (p.59).
In conclusion, ‗...some broad principles of practice that are worthy of description are:
à the development of strong local area initiatives, based on cooperation and the capacity to know the individuals who require specific solutions, and the ability of collective action to provide housing and provide creative support arrangements;
à the delivery of flexible support arrangements, which in turn have the capacity to drive individual housing options in the private rental and purchased housing areas,

due to the control the client has over those supports, and the willingness of support agencies to accommodate the client‘s wishes in establishing housing and assisting the client to remain there;
à the capacity to oversee the evolution of programs and initiatives, such as HASP and HASI4, to a more locally responsive set of arrangements among housing and support providers, which in turn can contribute to the achievement of broadly agreed benchmarks in the provision of housing and support to people with complex needs‘ (p.65).
This study demonstrates a range of approaches to providing and supporting housing for those with physical or mental disability/illness. It is important that housing and support be seen as separate but interrelated services. Local service providers who can develop a personalised relationship with individual clients, as well as a flexible range of options for tailored services and adequate resourcing are key elements for providing and maintaining successful tenancies for this client group.
NV  - 70311
PB  - Australian Housing and Urban ÂþÌìÌÃÈë¿Ú Institute Limited
PY  - 2007
RP  - This research explored the provision ‗of housing and support for people with complex needs, specifically people with physical disability, people with intellectual disability, and people with mental illness‘ (Bleasdale 2007 p.3). The methodology primarily utilised qualitative interviews with key stakeholders in service provision to these three target groups (p.11).

The ‗four major contextual factors...‘ identified in the initial literature review as being relevant to meeting the housing and support needs of the three target groups include:
à ‗individual capacities of key stakeholders, especially those charged with implementing the intervention;
à interpersonal relationships that support the intervention, including management, administrative and industrial relations matters;
à institutional settings, including the broad ethos of the organisation in which the intervention is operated, and the attitude of executive management and board;
à infra-structural context, locally and wider, including the condition of the welfare system, funding guarantees, and local opposition or support from interest groups‘ (p.8).
Key findings relevant to the present study are as follows:
à Housing for people with a intellectual disability:
à The case study in Western Australia demonstrated an approach which was based around ‗individual preference‘ with resources supplied ‗to those who need support by means of packages of support funding granted to approved service providers‘ (p.14). A local area coordinator works with the individual and their community in a community building approach which identifies and mobilises informal supports through family, friends and other community resources, and through establishing strong networks of relationships between the individual, their family and local service organisations.
à Funding is provided for ‗accommodation support, alternatives to employment and intensive family support‘ (p.14-15). The allocation system for housing support provides the client with portability and choice. However, intense pressure on funding means only a small percentage of those applying for accommodation support are funded (p.15). Homeswest provides tenancies to local support agencies, which in turn sub-let to the individual client(s).
à Housing for people with a mental illness:
à The Victorian case studies showcased the variety of approaches used, not only highlighting differences between metropolitan and rural services, but also between different rural regions (p.20ff). Such flexibility of approaches allows services to be tailored to the local context.
à The Victorian Office of Housing (OoH) recognises that stability of tenancy is a crucial element in ‗stabilising their conditions‘, so public rather than private rental housing is the preferred option (p.21). By changing rental tenancy requirements from a single person/household per dwelling to a system where rent can be charged per room, OoH has allowed service providers to sublet and pool resources to house a greater number of single tenants with mental illness (p.21).
à The OoH collaborates with other parts of the Department of Human Services such as Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation and Support Services (PDRSS) to provide joined-up services (p.22).
à Housing for people with a physical disability:
à The NSW case study highlights the need to separate out accommodation from from other support. A lack of this separation leads to a system where supported accommodation is the dominant concept for meeting the needs of this group (p.29), whether or not it is the most appropriate. Some programmes

are now recognising this and aiming to provide a wider range of housing options than just group homes (p.31).
à One issues identified was the ‗general and chronic lack of accessible housing in the market for people with physical disability‘ (p.33). There are severe limitations in the private rental market on modifications to make a dwelling fit for purpose for a tenant with a physical disability, which makes this tenure almost impracticable for such tenants (p.32).
à A UK case study also examined a housing program which provided support to all three target groups – Supported People Program.
à The joined-up approach between the various service departments of local authorities is designed to ‗provide a better quality of life for vulnerable people, by improving both their capacity to live independently and their ability to maintain their tenancies‘ (p.34). The approach provides greater clarity around who is responsible for the particular types of services and supports needed by clients (p.35).
à One downside of the approach is the limited timeframe for funding – namely, two years for any given client. Several interview participants noted that this is not a realistic timeframe for building independence (p.35). Nonetheless, the program demonstrated a ‗mainstreaming approach‘ which circumvented some of the stigmatisation that often accompanies ‗accommodation designed for habitation solely by people with disability and people with mental illness‘ (p.36).
Several policy lessons relevant to this study were identified:
à Successful linkages are required between the various service agencies supporting a tenant with complex needs:
‗What the current research has found is that what is required is not only a range of approaches and initiatives, that can meet diverse needs of different groups and individuals in particular circumstances, but also the means by which working examples of good practice can be sustained, modified and developed, such that people in the three target groups can be confident of having opportunities to find and maintain suitable housing options‘ (p.56).
à Individualised solutions are needed to provide for the wide array of support needs of any given clients, as well as across multiple tenants (p.56-57).
à Local area collaboration is needed to ensure linkages between housing and other supports. Strong local networks need to be proactively built and maintained over time (p.57).
à There needs to be less reliance and emphasis upon ‗models‘ as a way to address the housing and other needs of the target groups. Individualised approaches which utilise joined-up services are a more effective way of meeting the needs of individual clients (p.57-58).
à It is vitally important that adequate government resources are provided across the range of programs needed to support these clients (p.59).
In conclusion, ‗...some broad principles of practice that are worthy of description are:
à the development of strong local area initiatives, based on cooperation and the capacity to know the individuals who require specific solutions, and the ability of collective action to provide housing and provide creative support arrangements;
à the delivery of flexible support arrangements, which in turn have the capacity to drive individual housing options in the private rental and purchased housing areas,

due to the control the client has over those supports, and the willingness of support agencies to accommodate the client‘s wishes in establishing housing and assisting the client to remain there;
à the capacity to oversee the evolution of programs and initiatives, such as HASP and HASI4, to a more locally responsive set of arrangements among housing and support providers, which in turn can contribute to the achievement of broadly agreed benchmarks in the provision of housing and support to people with complex needs‘ (p.65).
This study demonstrates a range of approaches to providing and supporting housing for those with physical or mental disability/illness. It is important that housing and support be seen as separate but interrelated services. Local service providers who can develop a personalised relationship with individual clients, as well as a flexible range of options for tailored services and adequate resourcing are key elements for providing and maintaining successful tenancies for this client group.
ST  - Supporting the housing of people with complex needs
T2  - ÂþÌìÌÃÈë¿ÚFinal Report No. 104
TI  - Supporting the housing of people with complex needs
UR  - /research/final-reports/104
ID  - 86
ER  -