A new service to help people who are sleeping rough has opened in Hull.
As temperatures plummet, a new hub has opened with room to accommodate up to eight people who have some of the most complex needs in the city.
The hub in Great Union Street offers specialist support including immediate assessment by a nurse on arrival, professional support with drug and alcohol addiction from ReNew in Hull and support from Hull City Council’s Domestic Abuse Partnership if needed.
After the assessment, those who attend the hub go on to supported housing or hostel accommodation where they are supported towards the long-term goal of securing sustainable housing they can manage.
Dave Richmond, Hull City Council’s assistant director for neighbourhoods and housing, said: “Nobody wants to sleep on the streets nor see people sleeping there.
“The hub is much more than just a night shelter, it offers a single point of contact for the services required by people with the type of complex health problems often experienced by rough sleepers. It acts quickly as short term intervention and finds out how best to help people at the same time as providing somewhere warm and safe to stay with regular meals.”
The hub has been opened in partnership with Riverside housing association.
Riverside area manager Graeme Irwing said: “Many people who sleep rough have complex physical and mental health needs and this intervention is designed to offer short term intense support in the first instance. We know this is vital to helping individuals turn their lives around and be safe and secure in the longer term.
“Our aim is to provide them with somewhere safe to stay while their individual support plan is put together to take into account any physical/mental health or addiction needs. We endeavour to find the most appropriate accommodation for each individual in an attempt to break the cycle of homelessness.”
