The Government
will get a better understanding of homelessness in the
veteran community through a research project announced
today.
Minister for
Veterans’ Affairs Dan Tehan said the University of New
South Wales and the University of Adelaide had been
engaged to conduct research into homelessness in the
veteran community.
The Australian
Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) was
commissioned by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
(DVA) to run a competitive tender process for the
research. The process included consultation with
representatives from key Australian and state government
agencies, ex-service organisations and homelessness
service providers. The research will be completed by the
end of 2017.
“This important
research will focus on developing estimates of the
number of veterans accessing homeless services, the
factors that cause homelessness and the experiences of
homeless veterans,” Mr Tehan said.
“The aim is to
collect data about homelessness in the veteran community
so the Government can better integrate support services
available to homeless veterans with those offered by
mainstream specialist homelessness service providers.
“The study
complements work undertaken since 2015 by DVA and the
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to include
veteran identifiers in the data collected about
homelessness in the Australian community.
“Veteran
homelessness is a challenge that requires a coordinated
national approach to ensure the provision of appropriate
assistance to all former members of the Australian
Defence Force.
“Where DVA becomes
aware of a veteran who has become homeless or is at risk
of homelessness, it takes steps to ensure they have
access to available services and support.”
Homelessness services provided by state, territory and
local governments, as well as many community sector
organisations, are listed on DVA’s
website (http://www.dva.gov.au/health-and-wellbeing/home-and-care/homelessness-dva-and-ex-service-organisation-support).
