Homeless men with psychosis are spending more time shelterless

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine if homeless men with psychosis in central Melbourne have spent a greater proportion of the past 12 months in homeless settings as compared with the same group 15 years previously. Method: A 12-month accommodation history was collected from all men with psychosis assessed by a homeless outreach mental health team over a 12-month period commencing 2018 and compared with data from 2006. Results: Between 2006 and 2018, the percentage of time spent homeless in the previous 12 months rose from 50% to 80% ( p = 0.0001). The mean time spent shelterless increased from 72 days to 149 days ( p = 0.0001). Conclusions: The amount of time spent homeless has increased in men with psychosis assessed in central Melbourne. This finding suggests that men with psychosis are becoming increasingly entrenched in homeless settings. Addressing this trend requires an increased emphasis on assertive outreach, greater access to acute inpatient and long-term rehabilitation units, and more low cost affordable housing, including housing first facilities.