Rural/regional people
Introduction
Rural and regional areas are not immune to problems of homelessness, and as with the metropolitan homeless a proportion of these people have alcohol and other drug (AOD) related problems. Given diversity in the size and services of regional centres, towns and remote communities, it is difficult to generalise about the characteristics of people who are homeless in these areas. However, some shared challenges may be faced by people living in rural areas that set them apart from those living in metropolitan areas. Factors such as limited public rental properties, the impact of the decline in some rural economies and associated stress and depression, and inter-generational discrimination (whereby young people are discriminated against based on the ‘reputation’ of their family in the area) can make it difficult for some people in regional and rural centres to find stable accommodation (Beer et al., 2005).
Issues to consider when providing assistance
- Although the lower demand on emergency services in regional areas may at times mean a decrease in the arrival time of ambulances in regional centres, at other times it may involve an increase due to the few emergency services available being tied up with other incidents. For this reason, knowledge of first aid procedures is vital for rural community workers; and
- The absence of sobering up shelters or other designated safe places in many rural towns means that there is a greater demand for placing intoxicated individuals in less-than-ideal places such as police lock-ups. This can lead to particular problems when dealing with individuals with a history with police or a dislike of authority. The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody has expressed particular concern about the use of police lock-ups for intoxicated persons. It is recommended that police lock-ups be considered only as a last resort.
Issues to consider for assessment and referral
- Clients may need to travel to a different town with which they are unfamiliar to get treatment and they may feel anxious about this and about meeting people who they do not know;
- Because ‘everyone knows everyone’ clients may feel that their confidentiality can become compromised and it is important for providers to reassure clients that their privacy will be respected and that procedures are indeed in place to protect client privacy;
- Clients may need financial assistance with travel arrangements – e.g., fares and ticket booking;
- Clients may be separated from their usual support systems while attending rehabilitation services away from home;
- The ‘treatable’ moment can be lost if a client is relying on services in another town that take some time to access;
- The complexity of making arrangements means that if clients want to undertake withdrawal management immediately it may not be possible to get them there in a suitable timeframe; and
- It may be worthwhile creating partnerships with other services to assess and create pressure to develop more effective and accessible regional services (see Capacity building for advice on forming interagency partnerships)
The information contained in this guideline sheet has been sourced from interviews with homeless people, focus groups with practitioners, consultation with experts in the field, and a review of homeless studies undertaken by researchers at the National Drug Research Institute, Ted Noffs Foundation and St Bartholomew’s House for the Australian National Council on Drugs in 2007. The following reference was cited in this information sheet:
Beer, A., Delfabbro, P., Oakley, S., Verity, F., Natalier, K., Packer, J., et al. (2005). Developing models of good practice in meeting the needs of homeless young people in rural areas: Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, Final Report No. 83.
