XN000022-1987-07-01 — Page 14

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1987

12

CO-ORDINATED EFFORTS IN HELPING STREET-SLEEPERS

IS

TO

THERE ARE A GREAT MANY REASONS FOR STREET-SLEEPING AND WHAT REQUIRED IS A PERSONALISED APPROACH TO INDIVIDUAL STREET SLEEPERS FIND OUT WHAT ARE THEIR PROBLEMS AND TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND HELP то

SOLVE THEM.

ADJOURNMENT

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) WHEN WINDING UP DEBATE ON SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

MR CHAMBERS SAID THIS TYPE OF SERVICE WAS PROVIDED STAFF OF THE 23 PAMILY SERVICE (ENTRES OF THE SOCIAL DEPARTMENT WHICH WERE LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY.

HE ADDED THAT SINCE MAY THIS YEAR, SPECIAL OUTREACHING IN FOUR REGIONS HAD BEEN FORMED TO DEAL WITH DIFFICULT CASES.

BY THE WELFARE

TEAMS

!

THE TASK OF THESE SOCIAL WORKERS WAS ΤΟ MAKE CONTACT WITH STREET SLEEPERS AND TO BEFRIEND THEM, TO PROVIDE THEM WITH BLANKETS AND OTHER BASIC ITEMS, ΤΟ HELP THEM WITH APPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND FOR IDENTITY CARDS, AND ΤΟ REFER THEN FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT AND WELFARE SERVICES WHERE THESE WERE REQUIRED, HE SAID,

MR CHAMBERS ASSURED THAT THE RESOURCES OF THE DEPARTMENT BEHIND THESE TEAMS.

STOOD

HE SAID FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WAS BEING PROVIDED SLEEPERS FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM.

מיד

STREET

OF THE 1333 STREET SLEEPERS IDENTIFIED IN THE 1986 SURVEY, 769 HAD BEEN PROVIDED WITH PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, AMOUNTING TO ABOUT $4.7 MILLION A YEAR.

EIGHTY-FOUR OF THESE STREET SLEEPERS ALSO RECEIVED SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCES TOTALLING $400,000 A YEAR, WHILE 205 OF THEN NOW RECEIVED RENTAL ALLOWANCES AMOUNTING TO ABOUT $615,000 A YEAR; THIS GROUP OF COURSE WERE NO LONGER STREET SLEEPERS, HE SAID. DIRECT CASH PAYMENTS THEREFORE AMOUNTED TO NEARLY $6 MILLION ANNUALLY, HE ADDED.

MR CHAMBERS SAID THE DEPARTMENT WAS ALSO PLANNING TO SET UP ON AN EXPERIMENTAL BASIS A DAY RELIEF CENTRE IN KOWLOON TO HELP THOSE SUFFERING FROM ILL HEALTH OR DISABILITY AND THOSE WHO APPEARED TO HAVE MENTAL PROBLEMS.

THE NEW CENTRE, TO BE OPERATED BY

VOLUNTARY AGENCY, WOULD PROVIDE FOOD AND CLOTHING, AND PERSONAL CARE SUCH AS BATHS AND HAIR CUTS; ITS STAFF WOULD LIAISE WITH CLINICS AND HOSPITALS TO ARRANGE MEDICAL TREATMENT AND WITH WELFARE AGANCIES FOR ACCOMMODATION AND OTHER LONGER TERM ARRANGEMENTS.

/MR CHAMBERS