Homeless Prevent

Homeless Prevent: A Homestay Support Service
Homeless Prevent is part of the Queensland Government commitment to the vision of the Australian Government White Paper on Homelessness, The Road Home, and to reduce homelessness in Queensland.

The Australian and Queensland Governments are providing significant investment under the National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA) and through a National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH) to reduce homelessness. The Home Stay Support Initiatives across Queensland are funded so as to provide: Support for private and public tenants to sustain their tenancies, including through tenancy support, advocacy, case management, financial counselling and referral services (Information paper 2010). This new investment seeks to build on the success of the Homeless Early Intervention Services which were funded under the Responding to Homeless Strategy in 2005- 2009.

Micah Projects has organised two strategies to respond to individuals and families who require assistance:

• before homelessness, by responding early in a crisis so as to prevent an individual or family from becoming homeless, and
• post homelessness, through quickly re-housing, thus preventing the length of time homelessness is experienced and by providing support in order to prevent a return to homelessness.

Homeless Prevent: Court to Home
Court to Home is a specific response to individuals and families who are linked with the Special Circumstances Court Diversion Program for People facing offenses that are deemed to have 'special circumstances' such as homelessness, impaired capacity, mental health and disabilities.

If you or a family member or friend is attending this court, the Court to Home team can provide assistance and support to you to:

• access housing quickly, or to prevent you from losing your tenancy if possible
• work with you and other agencies from whom you are receiving or eligible for services, to develop a support and advocacy plan to present to the court
• support you, for a negotiated period of time, to establish housing again if required and/or address the issues which may place your housing at risk so as to prevent eviction and loss of your home
• assist you through information, referral and direct linkages with the resources, opportunities and other services which can assist you to move from crisis to stable housing.

We can also assist you to access education or training and job possibilities; healthcare; family or personal support, appropriate counselling specific to your needs; links with cultural resources and services.

To contact Court to Home workers you can speak to staff at the Magistrates Court or call Homeless Prevent at Brisbane Homelessness Service Centre.

Homeless Prevent: Families
If you or a family member is experiencing a crisis which may place your housing at risk, the Homeless Prevent team can assist you by:

• talking with you to understand your circumstances and assessing what services may be of greatest assistance to you; and explain your rights as a tenant and the process you can access to ensure these rights are protected
• referring you to the most appropriate service to meet your situation, such as financial counselling, tenant services or financial assistance
• negotiating and advocating with you and your landlord/property manager about options available to redress any issues which may have occurred in your tenancy and your ability to meet the requirements as a tenant
• providing outreach support and advocacy to you in your home, and in attendance at meetings in which you may require support to ensure that you can maintain your current housing and/or access a new tenancy as quickly as possible
• assist you with the One Social Housing application process, if necessary
• provide family support to you and your family so as to address any issues which may be impacting on your tenancy and your family
• advocacy with the systems which may be impacting on your life such as child protection, income support, education, child care, corrections, employment and training. 

Homeless Prevent is based at the Brisbane Homelessness Service Centre. Click for contact details