National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability 2011 - 2016

• Service users who have been inappropriately staying for long periods in acute (shortterm)psychiatric units should be prioritised for placement in community basedaccommodation, with levels of support appropriate to their individual needs;• Disposal of buildings that are no longer fit for purpose and re-investment of proceedsin the new infrastructure as set out in A Vision for Change;• Reviewing the existing system of charges to people living in community residences.2.21 The findings of the Value for Money report are being considered and acted on at alocal level as an integral component of implementing A Vision for Change.- The Way Home: A Strategy to Address Adult Homelessness in Ireland2.22 The latest Government strategy on homelessness, The Way Home: A Strategy toAddress Adult Homelessness 2008 – 2013, was launched in August 2008. It has 6 strategicaims:• Reduce homelessness through preventative measures;• Eliminate any need for people to sleep rough;• Eliminate long term homelessness and reduce the length of time people spendhomeless;• Meet long term housing needs of people progressing out of homelessness;• Ensure services for homeless people are effective; and• Improve funding arrangements and re-orientate resources to ensure maximumeffectiveness and value for money.2.23 People with a disability are recognised as a group who may be at increased risk ofhomelessness, in particular, having a mental health disability, experience of institutional careand poverty 11 are all classified as risk factors. Common characteristics among homelesspeople include high levels of mental health disability, psychological, behavioural andpersonality disorders, intellectual and learning difficulties, addiction problems orcombinations of these. The acknowledgement of these risk factors and characteristics11People with chronic illness or a disability are more than twice as likely to be at risk of poverty, and more thantwice as likely to be poor, using official measures of poverty (Nolan & Gannon, 2005, NDA, 2004).32