HEART provides rapid, flexible outreach and intensive supports primarily for people who are chronic rough sleepers in collaboration with sector partners:
- St Patrick’s Community Support Centre (St Pat’s) as the lead sector agency for HEART, is a specialised homelessness agency, both as a service and community housing provider, with a service suite including crisis assistance, alcohol and other drugs, mental health, legal, medical, allied health and dental services.
- Wungening Aboriginal Corporation (Wungening), as an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation provides culturally secure and holistic supports that promote a healing environment for Aboriginal people and communities.
- Uniting WA (Uniting) brings to HEART its significant experience supporting individuals experiencing homelessness, providing access to outreach, crisis support and accommodation.
Given its success, HEART has been expanded to enable seven days a week assertive outreach supported through the Safe Perth City Initiative.
The Safe Perth City Initiative is a high priority State Government intervention announced in December 2021 as part of a coordinated response to address homelessness and anti-social behaviour in the Perth CBD and Northbridge. The Initiative is led by the Department of Communities (Communities) and is a collaborative partnership currently involving the WA Police Force, City of Perth, City of Vincent, specialist homelessness services and other key stakeholders, with a focus on improving coordination of collective responses.
The Safe Perth City Initiative has provided a suite of new measures, including:
- Communities’ homelessness coordinators that facilitate coordination of responses and connecting vulnerable individuals to support and accommodation options;
- A dedicated outreach support service provided through an expansion of HEART to connect and support vulnerable people with services that can assist them in a respectful and culturally safe way;
- Community safety patrols that focus on a community liaison and safety approach, as well as a dedicated cultural liaison and engagement team through i24S; and
- A greater police presence.
These new measures create more resources on the ground and support for vulnerable people, with coverage seven days a week.
To date, Communities’ homelessness coordinators have been able to successfully use existing networks and relationships across the sector in working closely with key stakeholders to respond to rough sleepers within the Perth CBD.
The Safe Perth City Initiative and HEART have demonstrated the benefits of having Perth City Coordinators take a lead role in coordinating and overseeing outreach services. The Coordinators work closely with outreach teams to eliminate duplication and ensure improved coverage over known areas for rough sleeping.
On 23 January 2024, the Cook Government announced $47.6 million in new funding to enable the continuation of 15 critical homelessness services across Western Australia and boost service capacity. This included:
- $7.8 million for the Homelessness Engagement Assessment Response Team (HEART) to continue its Perth metropolitan coordinated outreach response services, including extensions of the service to Joondalup and Midland; and
- $5.4 million for the Safe Perth City Initiative to provide dedicated rapid and flexible assertive outreach support services in the Perth CBD and surrounds including Return to Country functions.
The unique partnership of HEART demonstrates the benefits of successful collaboration between government and the sector in responding to homelessness. These agencies are supported by the Office of Homelessness team within the Housing and Homelessness Division at Communities.
