housing

It was one of Ermha’s past presidents, Harry Karslake, who famously wrote, “who can address their
mental illness while living in a drain pipe?” This blunt statement of fact was made over 20 years ago
and the very sticky bond between housing problems and mental illness is just as strong now as it was
then, if not more so.

Because mental illness and housing problems often go hand in hand, efforts to respond to one and
not the other will forever fall short of the objective.

One of Ermha’s first achievements, back in 1983, was to lobby for, acquire and manage, several
group homes for people with mental illnesses. It was a desperate attempt to catch up following the
poorly prepared for strategy of “deinstitutionalisation”. Eventually it became understood that group
homes often failed to meet client needs but other options were not available. Ermha’s next response
was to arrange for rent subsidies and when possible long term housing solutions for clients.

Ermha’s specialist support experience shows that when housing issues are dealt with in a coordinated
fashion client outcomes improve dramatically. Ermha coordinates:

• Housing support agencies
• Private rental agencies
• Furnishings
• Rental subsidies

We are creating new relationships with housing providers, and building on existing ones, to ensure
Ermha clients have viable housing options that are both affordable and sustainable.
Ermha endorses funding policies that recognise the relationships between mental ill health,
homelessness, unemployment and drugs and alcohol. We also endorse efforts that address
homelessness and acknowledge the prevalence of mental illness among the homeless population.