They start their day at dawn, work across 4,500 square kilometres, and meet people where they are, literally.
From forest campsites and creekside tents to public parks and makeshift shelters, Logan’s Homeless Health Outreach Team does more than deliver mental health outreach. They change lives.
Specialising in supporting adults aged 18 to 75 who are experiencing homelessness and living with mental illness or addiction, the Homeless Health Outreach Team (HHOT) cover an enormous footprint that stretches from Sunnybank in the north, west beyond Boonah, east to Mount Cotton and south to the NSW border.
The complexity of their work is matched only by their deep dedication to the people they serve.
Team leader Kevin Landles said all seven team members applied specifically to work in the highly specialised field, with more than half bringing previous experience working in homelessness support, in both local and international settings.
Their shared motivation? To support some of the most vulnerable members of our community, and to challenge the stigma that still surrounds homelessness.
Kevin said a day in the life of a HHOT mental health nurse usually began with triage of new referrals from the previous 12 hours.
“By 8.30am, we’re reviewing cases, planning our outreach, and preparing to visit one of the many locations on our radar,” he said.
Often splitting into pairs to cover more ground, the team enters high-risk environments to provide clinical support, food and water drops, hygiene and first aid supplies, and assist with everything from housing applications to administering depot medications in the field.
They even carry out "discovery outreach" missions, following tips from rangers or police, and are sometimes the first to encounter families with young children living in unsafe, hidden conditions.
Kevin said in any given week, the team could support up to 50 additional people not currently on their case list.
But despite the volume and complexity of their work, the team holds fast to a simple and powerful ethos: be real, be respectful, and do what you say you’ll do.
“We speak in plain language. We listen more than they talk. And we bring services to the people, not the other way around,” he said.
Recently recognised at the AMHS staff awards, HHOT Logan was celebrated for their commitment, compassion, and impact across the region during Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
It’s a well-deserved moment in the spotlight for a team that spends most of its time in the background, doing hard work in hard places.
Kevin said while the team faced many challenges from entrenched stigma to the practical barriers of ID, transport, and safety they remained a steady and trusted presence in the community.