Delivering the Pathway to Home
The Pathway to Home model of homeless, housing and support provision was put in place in 2009.
The main aim of the model is to simplify and speed up the journey for people who are experiencing homelessness into independent living, with supports as required.
The model was informed by a comprehensive progress review in 2008 after the first year of implementing the last action plan A Key to the Door 2007-2010. Three critical priorities were put in place to include the following:
1. Measure and evidence the extent of need and projected requirements (Counted In, 2008)
2. Develop and agree a model of service delivery for the homeless sector in Dublin (Evaluation of Homeless Services 2008 Series)
3. Review current expenditure on homeless services ( Review of Finances and Expenditure for Homeless Services in Dublin)
As a result of these three pieces of work, a clear process of reconfiguration of homeless services was agreed to be implemented under the Pathway to Home model. Through reconfiguration, the model has provided opportunities to deliver person centred care and housing support services and enhanced quality of services available.
Delivering the Pathway to Home model takes full account of recent changes in the economy, society and to central government. It places a greater emphasis on the need to prevent homelessness and to ensure that our responses to homelessness are more cost-effective and capable of delivering better value for money alongside the desired outcomes for people who are experiencing homelessness in Dublin.
Also important in the implementation of the
Pathway to Home is the welcome change in government policy that outlines a
housing first approach designed to offer people who have been long-term homeless or rough sleeping suitable and afordable housing in the first instance and secondly to radically reduce the use of hostel accommodation and its associated costs. Access to housing with support as required is core to the
Pathway to Home model of integrated services.
The Dublin Region Homeless Executive and its statutory and voluntary partners are working to ensure that all service interventions and housing provision combine to deliver greater autonomy and
resilience people who are homeless as they move away from the experience and duration of living in temporary emergency homeless accommodation, toward independent living with support as required. This in turn enables fuller participation in society for a formerly homeless person, and helps towards the realisation of their rights as citizens.