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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 5 Hansard (9 May) . . Page.. 1483 ..

Housing services

Currently the Commonwealth /ACT Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP) funds transitional supported accommodation and related support services to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to achieve the maximum possible degree of self-reliance and independence.

The SAAP funds a number of transitional supported accommodation services in the ACT, including services for homeless single men and women. These include Samaritan House for single men, Toora for single women and Ainslie Village for single men and women. ACT residents being released from custody who need accommodation are eligible to access SAAP services.

Prisoners returning from NSW, who meet the relevant criteria, are listed for early allocation by the Applicant Services Centre of ACT Housing, which ensures that they will be housed as soon as accommodation becomes available.

ACT Corrective Services is currently developing plans for a Corrections Accommodation Service, which will provide emergency short-to-medium term accommodation for prisoners released on Community Based Orders returning to the ACT. The service will be targeted at medium to high-risk offenders.

Counselling Services

The Community Corrections Unit of ACTCS provides a range of intervention programs to which prisoners returning to the ACT on Community Based Orders may be referred. These programs currently include a Cognitive Skills Program for men, a Young Sex Offenders Program, and a Family Violence Program.

ACTCS is also currently developing additional intervention programs. These include:

Non Program Interventions for Family Violence through Relationships Australia,

Cognitive Skills Program for Women,

Violent Offenders Program,

Adult Sex Offenders Program,

Employment services.

There are no special services in place to assist prisoners returning to the ACT in finding employment. Prisoners released on Community Based Orders will be referred to appropriate employment services, which are accessible to all members of the community.

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