Queensland-based organisations can now apply for grants of up to $500,000 under the Queensland Government’s Alcohol and Other Drugs Responses in Housing and Homelessness Settings Grant program.
The funding, delivered by the Queensland Mental Health Commission, aims to improve the experience of Queenslanders with alcohol and other drugs concerns, when accessing housing and homelessness supports.
People with alcohol and other drugs-related concerns can be vulnerable to housing instability and homelessness.
While the majority of people who use alcohol and other drugs don’t experience issues related to housing; poor housing, adverse living conditions, stress and trauma of housing instability or homelessness can increase the likelihood of experiencing alcohol and other drugs concerns.
Similarly, AOD concerns can increase the risk associated with housing instability.
This highlights the importance of enhancing the capability of housing and homelessness services to respond to and support people who use alcohol and other drugs by improving workforce capability, organisational systems and processes, and policy and practice. Improving how people who use alcohol and other drugs are supported within housing and homelessness settings will lead to better health and wellbeing outcomes.
Eligible applicants will be able to apply for up to $500,000 for initiatives and activities that:
- reduce barriers to people who use alcohol and other drugs accessing housing and homelessness services, including by improving organisational policies and practices
- improve access to health supports for people who use alcohol and other drugs and are in housing support services
- improve ability of people who use alcohol and other drugs and are experiencing or at risk of homelessness to achieve sustainable tenancies
- facilitate shared understanding and approaches across housing and alcohol and other drugs systems of care, or
- reduce stigma, discrimination and attitudes towards alcohol and other drugs use within the housing and homelessness sector.
Funding will be provided over an 18-month period and will be non-recurrent. Applications are open until 28 October 2024 and Queensland-based, not-for-profit, non-government organisations are encouraged to apply.
The grant program is a key initiative under Achieving balance: The Queensland Alcohol and Other Drugs Plan 2022-2027. Achieving balance puts into action Queensland’s commitment to preventing and reducing the impacts of problematic alcohol and other drug use.
Applications can be made online via the Commission’s website: https://qmhc.smartygrants.com.au.
Quotes attributable to Queensland Mental Health Commissioner, Ivan Frkovic:
“Everyone deserves a safe place to call home and stable housing is essential for our mental and physical wellbeing.
“Anyone can find themselves without stable accommodation, but people with lived-living experience of mental ill-health and/or alcohol and other drug concerns are at greater risk of experiencing housing instability and homelessness.
“This grant program - which is a key priority under the Queensland Government’s alcohol and other drugs plan, Achieving balance - highlights the importance of cross-sector approaches to provide more tailored support and to increase accessibility of services across the system.
“I commend the Queensland Government for its investment in this important initiative.”
ENDS
Media contact:
Communication and Engagement team, Queensland Mental Health Commission
P. 1300 855 945 E. media@qmhc.qld.gov.au
Other key statistics:
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported 8.6% (23,500) of people that engaged with a specialist homelessness service in 2022-23, reported alcohol and other drugs use concerns. In 2023, 27% of participants surveyed by the National Illicit Drug Reporting System reported to be homeless.
