Queensland Mental Health Commissioner Dr Lesley van Schoubroeck has announced that the University of Queensland’s Institute for Social Science Research has been appointed to undertake a review of social housing for individuals with complex needs, including mental health and substance misuse.
The review will gather information from consumer, families and carers as well as people working in the system. The aim is to identify broad systemic issues and will form the basis of an ordinary report by the Commissioner as outlined in the Queensland Mental Health Commission Act 2013 (s29). The report will be provided to government mid-year (2014).
Social housing is one of the Institute’s core areas of expertise having worked broadly with government agencies and other service delivery providers to better understand the effectiveness of housing service delivery in Australia. The institute successfully evaluated the Common Ground, Street to Home and Rough Sleepers initiatives.
The University and the Queensland Mental Health Commission will continue to work closely with the interagency group for housing assistance convened by the Department of Housing and Public Works in undertaking this project.
The Commission looks forward to working with the project team over the coming months.
For more information about the University of Queensland’s Institute for Social Science Research visit www.issr.uq.edu.au
