MIFA has recently been intensely involved with a number of reviews and inquiries going on in Canberra at the moment and made a number of submissions covering issues such as housing, employment and a comprehensive overview of the mental illness sector.

To have a look at our most recent submission, click here.

Housing was the issue that was front and centre for this year's Schizophrenia Awareness Week, as MIFA welcomed Mr Philip Mangano, head of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness to talk about the Housing First initiative he is rolling out across the United States.

Housing First is a new model of housing where a person with a mental illness is given put into a home immediately and then provided with the support programs they need to stay in it comfortably. Current models have expected people with a mental illness to prepare themselves for housing by transitioning by working through a continuum of different housing levels.

As well as being highly successful in the US, the Housing First has also been cheaper than current models, making it pertinent to investigate whether Housing First could work in Australia.

While ove rhere, Mr Mangano toured NSW, Western Australia, The ACT and South Australia - where he attended the launch of the Federal Government's green paper into homelessness.

While in Australia, he also met with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Federal Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson, Federal Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek.

Recently, MIFA's executive director Margaret Springgay featured on Radio National's Perspective program, giving her thoughts on homelessness among people with a mental illness.

To read a transcript of Margaret's talk, click here

In recent days, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been quoted in several media outlets talking about his concerns surrounding an Australian housing crisis – and homelessness in particular.

Housing was identified as the most important federal issue affecting people with a mental illness in Australia in our recent Australians Talk Mental Illness survey.

Given that 70% of homeless Australians are affected by mental illness, combating homelessness inevitably means tackling issues surrounding mental health and mental health policy.

For this reason, MIFA is optimistic that we will be able to engage in a positive relationship with the new Rudd Government to deal with community-based mental health issues that in turn will help deal with homelessness.

MIFA would like to invite the new Australian Government, particularly Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Federal Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek, to consult with MIFA when developing the parts of their housing and homelessness policies that interact with mental health policy.

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