Episode 12: Housing for people with high & complex needs

Having a roof over your head is pretty fundamental to meet basic needs in life. It’s also a fundamental human right. All of us need a stable, long term home so we can thrive, and be the best that we can be.  

Unfortunately, inadequate and unsuitable housing is a really big barrier to thriving, for people with high and complex needs associated with mental health and disability. It gets in the way of effectively managing issues associated with that disability or mental health issue, and can prevent people from living productive and meaningful lives.

When people live well, they do well. This week, GET REAL talks to a panel of experts all working to solve this big gnarly problem:

• Joseph Connellan of MC Two, one of Australia’s most respected strategic housing consultants, with 30 years’ experience in human services development and delivery including as Executive Officer of three housing agencies;
• Charles Northcote, CEO of BlueCHP Limited, currently the largest developer of specialist disability housing in Australia, having delivered some 1700 properties to the social and affordable housing sector while retaining 800 properties (housing over 1490 people) for its own portfolio; and
• Frances Sanders, Senior Manager of NDIS services at ermha365, who has held executive roles in the mental health sector since 1995 and who works every day on individual cases, helping to surface and to solve the deep challenges associated with finding safe, suitable and therapeutic housing for the people we support. 

ermha365 provides mental health and disability support for people in Victoria and the Northern Territory. Find out more about our services at our website.

Helplines (Australia):
Lifeline 13 11 14
QLIFE 1800 184 527
13 YARN 13 92 76
Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467

ermha365 acknowledges that our work in the community takes place on the Traditional Lands of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and therefore respectfully recognise their Elders, past and present, and the ongoing Custodianship of the Land and Water by all Members of these Communities.

We recognise people with lived experience who contribute to GET REAL podcast, and those who love, support and care for them. We recognise their strength, courage and unique perspective as a vital contribution so that we can learn, grow and achieve better outcomes together.