Fighting Homelessness in Innsbruck

Scientific monitoring of the first phase in the city's process to fulfill the goals of the Lisbon Treaty of 2021 with the aim of ending or reducing homelessness in EU countries as much as possible by 2030.

THE CHALLENGE

Innsbruck faces the challenge of making the care of homeless people more efficient. Unclear responsibilities and a lack of communication make cooperation in the health and social sectors difficult. Due to the lack of alternative care services, many of those affected seek help in the emergency room - which places an additional burden on the system. Rising care requirements, a shortage of skilled workers and high housing and living costs further exacerbate the situation.

OUTCOMES

As part of the project, a targeted good practice analysis was carried out in order to systematically examine successful models from Finland, Scotland, Graz and neunerhaus Vienna and to make their approaches usable for Innsbruck. The analysis showed that sustainable homeless assistance is based on several pillars: Provision of permanent housing, individual support, coordinated cooperation between all stakeholders and stable, diverse funding models.

A process folder was created to optimize the processes in the care of homeless people.

Based on the analyses, recommendations were derived for Innsbruck, including the expansion of the Housing First approach, better coordination between the players, the development of a clear patient pathway, monitoring and quality assurance as well as securing sustainable funding.