“Living on the street destroys mental health. Housing is itself a form of treatment”

Throughout the conversation, Américo Nave contextualizes the Portuguese phenomenon within the European panorama. Portugal is no exception in the increase in the number of homeless people, but it stands out for having less effective policies. While countries like Finland manage to drastically reduce the problem with sustained “Housing First” programs, the Portuguese State maintains a welfare model, fragmented and poorly coordinated. Nave explains that the Finnish model is based on a simple principle: providing a home first, and only then treating issues such as addictions or mental health. Because without a home, none of these interventions are lastingly successful.

Américo Nave is Director and founder of Associação CRESCER. Clinical Psychologist, has long experience working with vulnerable populations and implementing and coordinating risk reduction projects with multidisciplinary teams.

45 Graus is a podcast to learn more and think critically. José Maria Pimentel – economist, university professor and curious by nature – talks about major topics (and beyond) with experts and people whose ideas are worth listening to. These are unhurried conversations, sometimes deep, but always relaxed. New episodes every two weeks, always on Wednesdays.