title: Development of an inner urban homeless mental health service.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim is to describe the development, principles and practices of the Waratah Area Homeless Outreach Psychiatric Service (WAHOPS) and place these in the context of international developments in homeless psychiatric services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information on the development of the service was collected from current and past staff. Reference is made to the relevant literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  WAHOPS has developed a unique model of practice based on local and international experience.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Specialized mental health services for the homeless, by working in close collaboration with existing homeless services, can successfully engage and manage patients. The application of homeless practices may need to become more widespread in public mental health services as patterns of accommodation change within the Australian population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Vic., Australia. acnh@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hodge
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bluhm
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hodges
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Didio
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Doidge
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003158:Community Psychiatry / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016730:Program Development; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*