The Victorian Government has announced a $24.8 million plan to strengthen the state’s response to homelessness, including an online triage function to prioritise rough sleepers in most need.
Premier, Ben Carroll and Minister for Homelessness, Nick Staikos today announced the plan, which will leverage existing funding and introduce new measures to respond to rising homelessness rates.
“Every Victorian deserves a safe place to call home. This comprehensive plan backs in the people and services making that happen,” said the Premier.
The plan outlines:
- The roll out of coordinated by-name lists and an online triage system to help direct resources, prioritise rough sleepers most in need, and collate data and insights;
- New complex care coordinators working across the state to lead multi-agency support and client referrals to reduce wait-times for support;
- The expansion of assertive outreach workers to every area of the state;
- Expanded Housing First tenancy supports for an extra 1,000 people at risk of homelessness;
- Addressing youth homelessness in metropolitan and regional Victoria by providing ongoing operational funding for crucial centres.
Ten new assertive outreach services will also be delivered in Brimbank, Shepparton, Hume, Whitehorse, Latrobe, Darebin, Bairnsdale, Maribyrnong, Wodonga and Mornington Peninsula as part of a $27.8 million investment.
Minister for Homelessness, Nick Staikos said the Government’s homelessness response spans the full continuum – “from outreach and crisis accommodation to supportive housing and social homes”.
“This plan finds new ways to maximise our investment and tackle this confronting, increasingly visible issue,” he said.
