A Homeless Link, Clinks, DrugScope & Mind conference

This conference was concerned with developing support for people who have needs that are complex and multi-faceted. Often they fall just under the threshold for services and do not fit easily into conventional treatment patterns. They cross between drug and alcohol services, homelessness provision, prison, mental health services and acute health services. They experience poverty, poor physical health and are serially excluded from public services and most employment and training activity.

Inspired by the growing understanding that public policy is not working for this group; Homeless Link, Clinks, DrugScope and Mind came together to take cooperation forward and to seek solutions across Government and practice for this group.

This conference was an opportunity for service providers, from across the four different sectors of criminal justice, substance misuse, homelessness and mental health, to feed in their views and share solutions and approaches to improving the lives of this client group. It offered a chance attendees to influence and help shape the agenda, by placing their experiences at the heart of the campaign.

NEW: Listen to the speeches from this conference here!

Click here to download Dr Geraldine Strathdee's presentation - What are the biggest barriers to recovery.

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This conference focused on:

• our understanding of the prevalence of complex need and its impact on service provision
• what the main barriers are to these clients receiving the services required and possible solutions to overcoming them
• the relationship between national policy initiatives and local practice and experience
• what is working and what is not
• what we can do, collectively and individually, to get to grips with complex need.

Speakers:

• Matthew Taylor, RSA
• Naomi Eisenstadt CB, Social Exclusion Task Force
• Dr Geraldine Strathdee, London Darzai Mental Health Programme
• Lord Victor Adebowale, Turning Point
• Julian Corner, Home Office
• Mark Easton, BBC News
• Mary O'Hara, SocietyGuardian
• Professor Farrell, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Seminar information

Visit the Making Every Adult Matter Conference seminar web page for further information on the seminars that were delivered on the day.