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Posted On: October 9th 2026, 10:50 pm
Mental health and homelessness are deeply connected. Around 1 in 3 people supported by specialist homelessness services across Australia in 2024–25 had a current mental health issue.*
When someone's mental health declines, everyday life can start to unravel. Holding down a job gets harder. Once the work goes, so does the income that pays the rent. A stay in hospital can mean missed payments or a lost tenancy. Relationships with family and friends come under strain, leaving fewer people to turn to. Even simple tasks like filling out a rental application, keeping appointments or dealing with Centrelink can start to feel impossible.
Some people leave hospital or mental health care with nowhere stable to go. In a tight rental market, it doesn't take much for someone to fall through the cracks.
For someone at risk of or experiencing homelessness, the stress, isolation and lack of safety can take a further toll on their mental health. Breaking that cycle means housing and mental health support working together, so people aren't left to navigate two stretched systems on their own.
Across the St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Group, we're working to break that cycle. Our members visit people in their homes and are often among the first to notice when someone is struggling. Through VincentCare, we provide accommodation and support for people experiencing homelessness and complex needs, including mental health challenges. At Ozanam House, our Homelessness Resource Centre offers meals, showers, laundry, a health platform and housing support, all in one place.
Today is both World Homelessness Day and World Mental Health Day. A safe home and the right support can change the course of someone's life.
If today brings up anything for you, support is available 24/7. Lifeline: 13 11 14. Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636.
If you're experiencing or at risk of homelessness, call 1800 825 955 (free call, 24 hours).
*Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Specialist homelessness services annual report 2024–25.
#WorldHomelessnessDay #WorldMentalHealthDay
When someone's mental health declines, everyday life can start to unravel. Holding down a job gets harder. Once the work goes, so does the income that pays the rent. A stay in hospital can mean missed payments or a lost tenancy. Relationships with family and friends come under strain, leaving fewer people to turn to. Even simple tasks like filling out a rental application, keeping appointments or dealing with Centrelink can start to feel impossible.
Some people leave hospital or mental health care with nowhere stable to go. In a tight rental market, it doesn't take much for someone to fall through the cracks.
For someone at risk of or experiencing homelessness, the stress, isolation and lack of safety can take a further toll on their mental health. Breaking that cycle means housing and mental health support working together, so people aren't left to navigate two stretched systems on their own.
Across the St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Group, we're working to break that cycle. Our members visit people in their homes and are often among the first to notice when someone is struggling. Through VincentCare, we provide accommodation and support for people experiencing homelessness and complex needs, including mental health challenges. At Ozanam House, our Homelessness Resource Centre offers meals, showers, laundry, a health platform and housing support, all in one place.
Today is both World Homelessness Day and World Mental Health Day. A safe home and the right support can change the course of someone's life.
If today brings up anything for you, support is available 24/7. Lifeline: 13 11 14. Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636.
If you're experiencing or at risk of homelessness, call 1800 825 955 (free call, 24 hours).
*Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Specialist homelessness services annual report 2024–25.
#WorldHomelessnessDay #WorldMentalHealthDay
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