The National Social Inclusion office is responsible for overseeing and managing a range of services and supports to address homelessness in line with the Rebuilding Ireland action plan. These are provided through inreach and outreach specialist services, and specialised teams and individuals. They are often contracted through the voluntary sector, to deliver services on behalf of the HSE to service users from diverse groups.
In line with Rebuilding Ireland actions 1.13, 1.15 and 1.16, there are four key ways the HSE National Social Inclusion Office plans to address the health needs of those who are experiencing homelessness. These are:
- Strengthen integrated care pathways and joint ways of working. This includes the enhancement of pathways from hospital to the community (hospital discharge) and service-user involvement in service planning and development.
- Provide health services to support the national implementation of Housing First programmes.
- Enhance mental health and addiction supports, by enhancing supports and services within homeless accommodation and inreach specialty supports and prioritising homeless actions outlined in the National Drugs Strategy.
- Enhance inreach primary care within homeless accommodation and outreach services for hard to reach people in homelessness with complex needs.
