3.8 Article

Housing is such a major part of someone's life: mental health social work practice in the context of a housing affordability crisis

Journal

SOCIAL WORK IN MENTAL HEALTH
Volume 21, Issue 1, Pages 46-66

Publisher

ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/15332985.2022.2064204

Keywords

Housing; mental health; social determinants; homelessness; social work; discharge planning

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This study, based on three focus groups with inpatient mental health social workers in Sydney, Australia, reveals the challenges faced by social workers in responding to clients experiencing homelessness, including navigating limited housing resources and the limitations of a biomedical paradigm in addressing social determinants of mental distress.
It is well-known that people with psychiatric diagnoses experience disproportionate rates of homelessness. However, few studies have explored the perspectives and practices of mental health social workers in responding to clients experiencing homelessness. This article reports on findings from three focus groups with inpatient mental health social workers in Sydney, Australia. Three themes were identified: stuck in a crisis; reliance on sub-standard housing conditions; and pressures to discharge. The study reveals the challenges experienced by social workers in navigating scarce housing resources, and the limitations of a biomedical paradigm in failing to address the social determinants of mental distress.

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