The Centre for Social Impact (CSI), the Australian Alliance to End Homelessness (AAEH) and Neami National have launched a comprehensive new report that demonstrates how solvable homelessness is in Australia.
The report presents findings from the Advance to Zero homelessness database, covering
over 20,000 people experiencing homelessness in Australia’s cities – including many who
had been rough sleeping for long periods of time. The key findings include:
● On average, people had experienced homelessness for 3.8 years with around 40%
of respondents reporting many years of homelessness.
● The prevalence of long-term serious medical conditions and diagnosed mental health
conditions were significantly higher than those seen across the general population,
especially in terms of hepatitis C, cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder,
schizophrenia and depression. The majority of rough sleepers reported both chronic
medical conditions and diagnosed mental health conditions. Serious brain injury or
head trauma is very high among those experiencing homelessness, particularly
among veterans.
● A large proportion of respondents reported they had been in out-of-home care and/or
juvenile detention as children and adolescents, reflecting long periods of lifetime
vulnerability.
● The average annual ambulance, accident and emergency department and in-hospital
cost of rough sleepers, who access these forms of healthcare, is estimated at over
$42,000 per year
As well as providing a deep dive analysis of the current state of homelessness in Australia, the report recommends a series of actions to end homelessness in Australia, starting with the implementation of a national end homelessness strategy, an increase in social and affordable housing options and commitment from all levels of government.