Homeless and Housing Assistance

"Four countries (16 %; n = 25) reported that the accommodation needs of problem drug users were specifically addressed by actions set out in national social protection and inclusion plans. In Austria the National Action Plan on Social Inclusion (Nationaler Aktionsplan Soziale Eingliederung) states that socially assisted housing should be increasingly provided to drug-dependent people in the future. In the Netherlands, the national government and the municipalities of the four largest cities signed and funded the Strategy Plan for Social Relief (Plan van Aanpak Maatschappelijke Opvang) for those groups with the most complex and persistent needs. In a second phase of the plan, starting in 2010, the remaining 39 municipalities began implementation. In Portugal, the accommodation needs of drug users are addressed through explicit mention of the population in the National Strategy for the Integration of Homeless People.
"Of the 21 (84 %, n = 25) countries reporting that accommodation needs are not specifically addressed, 10 (48 %) stated that drug-using groups are included in plans as part of other targeted populations, most often socially excluded or vulnerable populations. For instance, Denmark, Ireland, Poland, Romania and Sweden address these needs through homelessness strategies. In Germany the Social Service Code guarantees basic social care for all people needing social support including accommodation.
"Six countries (25 %; n = 24) reported that accommodation needs of drug users are explicitly addressed in separate plans that support national employment strategies. These include policies on offender rehabilitation, mental health needs or other disadvantages."