Statewide call centre for homeless people
Responding to homelessness: statewide call centre for homeless peopleBenefits of the call centre | Demand for a statewide service | Service provider - Smart Service Queensland | Further information
Homelessness affects many Queenslanders, from single young people to families with children. The effects of homelessness reach much further than simply not having an affordable, safe and stable place to live. People who are homeless can often become disconnected from society and also do not enjoy the same standard of health as other people in the community.
To combat homelessness and its effects it is vital to intervene early and help people to find pathways to more stable living.
The Queensland Government has boosted its response to homelessness by providing an additional $235.52 million over four years. This investment is detailed in Responding to Homelessness, which is available on the Department of Housing's website at: www.housing.qld.gov.au
The Department of Communities is one of several government departments responding to homelessness and has allocated $56.45 million over four years for a number of new initiatives. One of these initiatives is the establishment of a statewide information and referral service. This service will take the form of a 24-hour call centre that will be supported by an online information and accommodation referral database.
The call centre will be an entry point to the homelessness service system and will assess housing and support needs, directing clients to the service that best meets their needs.
The service will enhance access to existing homelessness and housing assistance services and new services such as early intervention, crisis accommodation and integrated service hubs.
Benefits of the call centre
This new service will enhance the support coordination for people who are homeless, or are at risk of becoming homeless. A central contact point will improve the consistency and timeliness of information and advice, as well as provide a coordinated response to meet the diverse and often multiple needs of homeless people.
People experiencing housing crises and those with complex needs, such as families, people with mental illness and those with drug or alcohol addictions, will be directed to the most appropriate accommodation or support service.
Callers will receive a brief initial assessment and, where required, will be referred to appropriate specialist services and safe and secure accommodation.
This will remove the need for people to ring multiple organisations and repeat their story many times to find a bed or support.
The service will also collect information about the needs of people who are homeless. This data will be used by the government, community agencies and the community to improve responses to homeless people and assist in the prevention of homelessness.
Demand for a statewide service
Research conducted in Australia and overseas shows there is demand for a centralised 24-hour referral services.
In Queensland, both the 2004 Finding Beds for Homeless People and the 2003 More than Just a Roof reports recommended the implementation of a centralised, statewide information and referral service (New Farm Neighbourhood Centre for the Brisbane City Council, Finding Beds for Homeless People, June 2004 and QUT Centre of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies, More than Just a Roof: A Study of Family Homelessness in Queensland, October 2003).
A centralised telephone service has been operating in New South Wales for 20 years successfully. The service meets the needs of approximately 88.5% of callers requiring emergency accommodation. Web-based services also operate in Western Australia and Victoria, with other states considering establishing information telephone lines.
Service provider - Smart Service Queensland
The new information and referral service will be operated by Smart Service Queensland with staff from the Department of Communities providing specialist expertise. Smart Service Queensland is a statewide government initiative responsible for integrating government to facilitate faster and easier customer access to government services.
24 hour homeless help
- Telephone:
- 1800 474 753 (1800 HPIQLD) (toll-free within Australia)†
- † Calls from mobile phones are charged at applicable rates.
Further information
For further information, or to provide feedback, contact the team on:
- Telephone:
- 1800 474 753 (1800 HPIQLD) (toll-free within Australia)†
- Email:
- hpiq@communities.qld.gov.au