National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability 2011 - 2016

Strategic Aim 5To address the specific housing needs of people with a mental health disability,including through the development of frameworks to facilitate housing in thecommunity, for people with low and medium support needs, moving from mentalhealth facilities, in line with good practice5.1 Ensure the housing needs of people with low and medium support needs movingfrom mental health facilities are fully reflected in future housing services plans;5.2 Establish a management framework to facilitate and manage the transition of peoplewith low and medium support needs from HSE mental health facilities to appropriatecommunity settings;5.3 Identify a funding stream to support the accommodation needs arising of peoplewith low and medium support needs transitioning from HSE mental health facilitiesto appropriate community settings;5.4 Examine the potential for the transfer of low and medium support HSE communityresidences to the management of local authorities or voluntary housing agencies;5.5 Ensure commitment from the HSE to the continued provision of mental healthsupports, through multidisciplinary community mental health teams, to people withlow and medium support needs, transitioning from HSE mental health facilities toappropriate community settings;5.6 Ensure that proposals for the transitioning of people with low and medium supportneeds from HSE mental health facilities are supported by all relevant agenciesinvolved in the delivery of services to people with disabilities;5.7 Examine the potential for developing a scheme of tapered supports, based on the‘Housing First’ principle, to underpin independent living for people with mental healthdisabilities moving from HSE mental health facilities;5.8 Housing authorities to ensure that all applicants are provided with informationregarding the disclosure of a mental health disability in relation to assessing housingneeds;5.9 Develop guidance on responding effectively to the housing needs of people with amental health disability, which will assist and support statutory and voluntaryagencies in the provision of housing services;5.10 Effective implementation, where appropriate, of single integrated national datainformation system in the use of homeless services under the National HomelessStrategy;5.11 Implement effective pre-discharge plans for people with mental health disabilitiesleaving residential or acute care or prisons;18