From Crisis Accommodation to Permanent Housing?

EUROPEAN RESEARCH CONFERENCE

Housing First. What’s Second?

Berlin, 20th September 2013

From Crisis Accomodation to

Permanent Housing

Sanna Sunikka, Simo Granat and Agnes Stenius-

Ayoade, Department of Social Services and Health

Care, City of Helsinki, Finland




• Background – Homelessness and Housing solutions in

Helsinki

• Hietaniemenkatu service centre

• How does ”Housing first”- principle work in

Hietaniemenkati service centre – the preliminary results

of a thesis in progress




Definition of Homeless in Finland

Homeless people are classified in groups in a yearly report

carried out by the Housing Finance and Development Centre

(ARA), as people living:

• Outdoors, in a staircase, in an overnight shelter etc.

• In a dormitory or tourist accommodation

• Staying in different types of institutions (hospital, rehab

etc.), with no housing unit

• Temporarily with relatives and friends




The Number of Homeless in

Finland and Helsinki 2012

Finland Helsinki

Residents 5,4 million 603,854

Single homeless 7848 4100

Out of whom

- Women 1893 1150

- Under 25s 2049 1100

- Immigrants 1550 1150

Number of homeless families 446 300




Source: ARA, The homeless people 2012, report 1/2013

Homeless Over Time in Finland

1987-2012

Housing Solutions for Homeless in Helsinki 1971-2012

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

1971

1975

1980

1981

1982

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2001

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2009

2010

2011

2012

paikkoja tukiasunnoissapaikkoja tukikodeissapienasuntopaikkoja (Asuntohankinta + Y-säätiö)yksityisten ylläpitämiä asuntolapaikkoja

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

19

71

19

75

19

80

19

81

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00

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11

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12

Supported housing unitsSupport homesPlaces in small housing unitsPlaces in boarding houses run by private service providers




Hietaniemenkatu Service Centre

Provides: • The only remaining shelter in Helsinki City

• Temporary lodging and daycentre

• Emergency housing service

• Temporary housing service

• Free breakfast and affordable meals

• Hygiene services

• Services of social workers and

• Services of nurses and physician

• Assistance in finding permanent housing and care

• Aims at decreasing long-term homelessness

Photo: Hugo Bes




Health Care Services in


• Two nurses and two part time

physician

• Primary Health Care clinic for

clients of the centre

• Walk in clinic 7.30am -3pm.

• Acute cases, preventive work and

Screening and treatment for

chronic diseases and follow-up

Photo: Hugo Bes




Health Care Services in


• Aims at reaching those patients

who don’t use the normal

services available

• The focus is often on the

somatic health (non-psychiatric

problems)

Photo: Hugo Bes




Main Symptoms at Doctor’s

Appointment

0 % 5 % 10 % 15 % 20 % 25 %

Gynecology and urology

Oftalmalogy

Neurology

Gastroenterology

Musculotoskeletal system

Psychiatry incl. Substance abuse

Injuries and accidents

Respiratory tract, ear, nose and throat

Cardiology, circulation, internal medicine

Skin




- How does ”Housing First” work in


• Qualitative case study

• Data

• The social service client register of all homeless who slept in

Hietaniemenkatu service centre during one selected night in

November 2009

• A cross – section of 109 individuals

• The register has been analysed from the first entry to December

2011- March 2012 (About 1500 pages)

29.5.2013 11




Study questions:

1. Based on the client register, what kind of clients sleeping in

Hietaniemenkatu service centre on the selected night?

2. Based on the client register, what services has Hietaniemenkatu

service centre provided for the clients?

3. How does the housing situation change after sleeping in

Hietaniemenkatu service centre?

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Berlin, 20th September 2013 29.5.2013 13

Housing Pathways in The Service Centre:

Where From and Where To




How Many Still Lived in The Arranged

Housing Solution 2 Years Later?

Were never housed

( i.e. died, clearly no need, didn’t want to)

20

Still lives in the arranged housing solution 47

The service level has been increased

(i.e. from supported housing to service housing)

12

The service level has been decreased

(i.e. from service housing to Hietaniemenkatu, from

supported housing to small unit housing)

15

Other

(i.e. died after housing, moved away from Helsinki,

moved withing the same unit)

11

29.5.2013 14




Conclusions

• The queues are long – clients becomes long-term homeless while

waiting

• Previously the homeless toured from shelter to shelter, nowadays

the same phenomenon can be observed in housing units and

service houses

• Independent housing solutions are not available, the clients move to

strongly supported housing units

• The health services play a significant role in arranging appropriate

housing solutions

29.5.2013 15

Photo: Hugo Bes

From Crisis Accommodation to Permanent Housing?

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