Housing Campaign

MI Fellowship’s vision is for a society in which people with mental illness will be understood and accepted, and included fully as community members.  To be included fully in our society, people must have a home. 

Click here to read the MI Fellowship Housing Policy Framework.

Research evidence confirms that many people with mental illness are very disadvantaged in relation to housing:

• 30% of Australia’s homeless population have a mental health problem
• An estimated 10% of Psychiatric Disability Rehabilitation Support Services users are recorded as living in unstable or transitional housing
• 5% of people receiving services from clinical mental health services are homeless or at risk of homelessness (approximately 3000 people) and 25% are identified as needing access to alternative or more stable housing,

(Source:  DHS, Because Mental Health Matters, 2008).

MI Fellowship has always been involved in supporting people with mental illness with their housing needs.  As from 2008 however, we are embarking on a campaign to significantly improve the access to a home of people with mental illness in Victoria. 

• During Schizophrenia Awareness Week in May, we hosted a visit from Dr Sam Tsemberis of Pathways to Housing in New York.  We are now using the principles from Dr Tsemberis’ work to inform our development of housing policy and housing models
  
• Also in May, MI Fellowship convened a Housing Roundtable to expand our links with people in the housing sector and to encourage collaboration and debate.    That meeting has produced some key principles which we will use to guide our efforts to increase housing options
  
• MI Fellowship is exploring how our organizational resources can best be utilized not only to meet the needs of the organization but also to foster innovative supported housing for people with mental illness.   Our Board is developing a Housing Strategy for the future.
  
• MI Fellowship is contributing to the public debate regarding housing, because we want to ensure that important information about the housing needs of people with mental illness gets to where the decisions are made. View our Information Paper concerning the important housing issues for people with mental illness

The evidence regarding the housing that best suits people with a mental illness, shows that this is not very different from the norm preferred by most Australians: Housing must be affordable, permanent, independent, chosen by the consumer and located in a neighbourhood with which they identify. 

The key differences are that people with mental illness do best if their housing also provides access to local clinical services and flexible, ongoing rehabilitation and tenancy support.  

When these criteria are met people with mental illness can remain stably housed for long periods, and can achieve significantly improved health and social outcomes. 

When the long term financial impacts of these benefits are factored in, the cost effectiveness of providing this housing is undeniable.

If you would like to contribute to the MI Fellowship Housing Campaign, contact our advocacy team on 8486 4200.