Tasmanian LiFE Awards – 2025 Nominee
Priority Populations LiFE Award
The Priority Populations Life Award recognises the positive impact by individuals, organisations or community groups that are addressing, preventing or responding to suicidal behaviours in populations and groups disproportionately affected by suicide in Tasmania. They may also be highlighting the gaps and identifying strategies and embedding solutions specifically for people in need. This award highlights those who are culturally sensitive, overcome barriers, promote inclusion and delivers improved outcomes for priority populations.
Proudly sponsored by Mental Health Council of Tasmania
Home Base – Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative
The Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative (HASI) supports individuals experiencing mental ill-health to maintain stable housing. By stepping up integrated support HASI prevents social housing tenants from losing their tenancies, becoming homeless, and needing further acute mental health care. This reduces suicide risk and prevents further mental health crisis, alleviating demand on already stretched mental health inpatient services.
This gap between housing and mental health was the motivation behind HASI. The program, currently in use in NSW and the NT, has been developed for Tasmania to meet local needs. It has been co-designed with Tasmanians who experience severe mental ill-health and are at risk of homelessness, including people with low socioeconomic status, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, people from CALD backgrounds, LGBTIQA+ people, people with psychosocial disability, and men.
HASI goes beyond crisis intervention and builds trusting relationships that empower people to maintain housing, improve wellbeing, reduce isolation and move towards independence. Through the program’s work to keep people in social housing, HASI participants are helped toward recovery through tailored support created in collaboration with Adult Community Mental Health Services. People in the program show measurable improvements in housing stability and overall mental health, as well as improved life skills and increased social participation.
