The Homeless Information Portal is a searchable directory of alcohol and other drugs support services in Australia, and an online resource guide to help service providers respond to homeless people affected by alcohol and other drug (AOD) use.

While the problems of homelessness are not explained by alcohol and other drug use alone (unemployment, public housing shortages, mental health problems and lack of social support are other factors that contribute to the experience of homelessness), hazardous alcohol and other drug use can, at the very least, exacerbate problems. For many homeless people alcohol and other drug use is ‘functional’. That is, people might use such drugs because they believe that they help with emotional problems, boredom and illness, and may be a way by which they can have a sense of belonging, for example to a peer group or to a ‘street-culture’. Some people might be severely dependent on alcohol and/or other drugs and find it hard to function without them.

Staff in the homelessness sector face diverse challenges with AOD related issues. The assistance guidelines outline the steps involved in responding to individual clients, from encounters with intoxicated people on the street, to assessing and referring clients, including supplementary guidelines tailored to the needs of specific client groups. The site features relevant information about alcohol and drug use, including symptoms of intoxication and withdrawal which staff should be aware of when working with clients, and tips for enhancing your organisation's capacity to respond to AOD problems.

Fact sheet — Alcohol and other drug use among those who are homeless
(PDF: 220 KB, 4 pages)

Political Alert - $135million plan to combat homelessness announced

http://findings.org.uk/count/downloads/download.php?file=Pleace_N_1.txt