HR4Homelessness - Integrating Harm Reduction in Homeless Services

Public health and prevention of the spreading of infectious diseases is described in the health law and primarily a job for the primary healthcare system including general practitioners but since it is reliant on the CPR-system and assignment of a certain GP to every citizen it can be problematic for homeless to use their right to healthcare if they are not staying in the region where the GP on th. [...] One of the key tools in the strategy is to offer a social action plan to the homeless, a plan that ensures cohesiveness and continuity in the overall efforts to support the person in situation of homelessness. [...] A lot of the homeless do not have access to a GP, maybe they have a former address in the other end of the country, maybe they have a GP, but are not allowed to come there due to former inconsistencies and often they are reluctant to go because they feel that the GP have no understanding of the life they lead – the GP’s focus on reducing/cease drug use, overshadows the need to explore on the sympt. [...] if a person is homeless in Copenhagen, and the last address is in Aalborg which is in the other end of the country, Aalborg municipality can refuse to pay for a shelter, with a reference to the fact that they can offer the same housing in their own municipality. [...] Besides earning a little money, the hope is that the project gives the employed a feeling of social belonging, and the community a better acceptance and understanding of the people they meet in the streets on Vesterbro.