The National Mental Health Commission joins Mission Australia in calling for urgent action to address youth homelessness and mental health.
The newly released Mission Australia’s Youth Mental Health and Homelessness Report highlights the relationship between poor family functioning, probable serious mental illness and the impact of these on risk of homelessness among young people.
Young people with a probable serious mental illness are 3.5 times more likely to have spent time away from their home and nearly twice as likely to have spent time away from home on six or more occasions compared to their peers.
About the Youth Mental Health and Homelessness Report
The Mission Australia report highlights that young people who had spent time away from home because they felt they could not go back, had high levels of concerns about family conflict, depression, coping with stress and suicide compared to those who did not spend time away from home.
Homelessness, family functioning and mental illness have serious implications for many aspects of a young person’s life including education, alcohol and drug addictions, general health and wellbeing, employment and community engagement.
Considering the seriousness of these issues and the impact they have on young people’s lives, it is imperative that comprehensive responses are available for early identification and intervention for mental health and homelessness, as well as suitable housing and supports for young people.
Download the Report (1.2MB).
View the infographic (67KB).
Housing, Homelessness and Mental Health
The National Mental Health Commission is collaborating to develop a national view of housing issues in relation to mental health.
We have held extensive community consultations to inform future policy, practice and research priorities.
Through this engagement the Commission aims to better understand and develop a national view of housing issues in relation to mental health and hear examples of local initiatives.
Visit Our Work for more information about the Commission’s housing, homelessness and mental health activities.
