We can't end homelessness without addressing mental health

8 Aug 2024

After three years as a Clinical Coordinator at St John of God Casa Venegas, registered nurse Mary Corcoran still finds herself shocked and amazed. Shocked at how quickly homelessness and mental ill health can affect almost anyone. Amazed how, with a little support and respite, people can completely turn their lives around again.

“It can happen to anybody,” Mary explains. “You can be in a good job, high functioning, and then circumstances change – things beyond your control – and through no fault of your own you find yourself in a situation you never thought you’d be in.

“You could find yourself homeless, which leads to mental health challenges. Or through the stress or trauma of the situation you find yourself in, you could end up suffering from mental ill health – your life unravels and you end up homeless."

It can be challenging and confronting but Mary loves her work at Casa Venegas, providing transitional accommodation and support for people at risk of mental ill health and homelessness. She has seen time and time again how just a little recovery-focused support and a safe space can change everything.

She says, “We see the impact that continuity of care in the community can have. Our clients stay in our transitional accommodation, with our support, for six months to two years. That time – time to get the support they need in a safe place they can call home – is everything.

“They might need psychiatric care, medical treatment, financial support from the NDIS, or practical support from other government agencies. Everyone’s different. We take the time to understand each person – their life story, their worries, their hobbies, their goals – and then help them piece their life back together.”

Building this therapeutic relationship with clients – having the time and space to get to know the person behind the mental health diagnosis – and walking with them on their journey to the life they want, is what makes Mary’s job so rewarding.

“It can be a little bit rocky when we're starting out,” Mary says of the client journey. “Our assessment process is really important. Step by step, it enables us to build trust, getting to know each client as an individual and explaining how they’re in control. It’s about each client setting their own goals. We’re just here to help them reach those goals.

“By building that trust and understanding, we’re able to create a plan that’s right for each person. We visit and support them regularly, and then gradually they take back more and more responsibility until, eventually, they transition out of Casa Venegas accommodation and into their own home, either through the Department of Housing or in a private rental.

“Most of our clients just want to be as independent as they can be. That’s their main goal. And that’s what being recovery-focused means. We help people re-establish control, re-establish their independence and re-establish themselves in their community, not just in the short-term but for the long-term.”

For more information about St John of God Casa Venegas, visit www.sjog.org.au/casavenegas