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<p>The Ministerial Working Group on Homelessness report <em>Addressing complex needs
– improving services for vulnerable people </em>(2015) highlighted the strong link
between homelessness and poor mental health, and the high rates of mental health problems
and substance misuse among the homeless population. Homeless people often have multiple
health needs and the report showed how vulnerable people can become trapped in a cycle
of homelessness because of their overlapping and complex problems.</p><br /><p>Fairer
access to all health services – including for vulnerable groups like homeless people
– is at the heart of the health inequalities duties in the Health and Social Care
Act 2012.</p><br /><p>Improving access to primary care services for homeless people
and providing services in non-clinical environments can also help to enable homeless
people to receive the services they need. This includes self-referral to Improving
Access to Psychological Therapies, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, for the
treatment of depression and anxiety disorders.</p><p>We are sponsoring schemes that
help local areas address these complex mental and physical health needs faced by homeless
people and improve service access. These include the £8 million Help for Single Homeless
programme, which includes projects to prevent rough sleeping, and help homeless young
people with mental health issues, as well as the Department’s Homeless Hospital Discharge
Fund and Homelessness Change/Platform for Life programmes. Public Health England is
working with local authorities to help them understand better the mental health needs
of homeless people.</p><br />
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