Dennis Handfield House

DHH is a 39-bed project providing temporary accommodation for people who require a high level of support and whose primary needs relate to drug and alcohol use.

The project also supports clients with mental ill health, rough sleepers and offenders.

• Aims
• Referral Criteria
• Accommodation
• More information
• House Rules

Dennis Handfield House Service Aims

DHH works within a harm minimisation framework and a recovery and strengths model. The service aims to:

• Provide specialist and high-level health and care interventions for clients (including needle exchange facilities)
• Stabilise and reduce risky and harmful behaviours
• Address clients’ street activity and anti-social behaviour
• Retain in accommodation those previously excluded from other hostels
• Ensure that clients have access to primary healthcare services
• Promote meaningful use of time and prepare clients to move on towards independence through the Camden Hostels Pathway
• Work in partnership with external agencies to provide the best opportunities and choices for clients.

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Dennis Handfield House Referral Criteria

• The service is for clients with a connection to Camden who are over 18, with both housing needs and support needs relating to injecting poly-substances or alcohol use.
• The scheme is self-catering and so referred applicants must demonstrate the ability to manage very basic self-care.
• The beds are under the Camden Pathway designations 'Multiple exclusion' and  'Drug and alcohol continued use'.

For all designations except Multiply Excluded, referrals are accepted from:

• Camden’s Pathway projects
• Safer Streets team (SST) 
• Housing Options department.

For multiple exclusion, Housing Options is a single referral agent.

Before a referral is made, please contact the project to discuss eligibility. All referrals must be submitted using the HPM Universal Pathways referral form, and Universal risk assessment.

The comprehensive risk assessment will be used to ensure that the project is able to meet the needs of clients, not to exclude people unnecessarily.

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Dennis Handfield House Accommodation

Dennis Handfield House is a 39-bed hostel situated in the King's Cross Area. The service is for people with needs relating to continued drug and alcohol use, or/and people who are designated 'Multiple Exclusion' under the Camden Pathway.

The service is self catered with kitchen being shared between a maximum of four residents. There are laundry facilities, a large communal area, four activity rooms and garden.

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More about Dennis Handfield House

Dennis Handfield House was refurbished under the Places of Change fund, which has enabled the development of communal spaces to facilitate group activities and meaningful occupation programs. Clients are supported in areas which include developing life skills, social skills and behaviour management. Support is offered around management of finances and benefit claims. Clients can access emotional support as well as the supervision and monitoring of their health and well being. A range of vitally absorbing activity programs are also provided at DHH including:

• Arts & Crafts: T-Shirts printing, sewing, art classes
• Health & Wellbeing: Exercise equipment, walking club
• Life Skills: Cooking, back to work
• Leisure Activities: Film
• Training & Education: IT classes

An important focus of DHH is harm minimisation and we work closely with a range of services to maximise intervention in this area. Clients are also offered support around their offending behaviour and we work closely with Probation Services and Safer Street Teams in order to reduce the likelihood of the client re-offending and to reduce street activity.

Staff offer advocacy and liaise with external agencies. Staff will provide support so that clients can access other services in the community as well as facilitate social contacts and involvement in meaningful occupation.

The project is staffed 24/7. There are 12 members of staff at DHH, with a minimum of two project workers on shift. If necessary, management advice and presence is accessible in the evenings and weekend through SHP’s on-call service.

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House Rules

Clients are issued with a tenure agreement and a set of house rules. These will be explained when prospective clients are interviewed. This includes rules on smoking, which is only permitted in clients’ bedrooms.

The service operates within SHP’s drug policy, which covers the use of all drugs including illegal or controlled drugs. In order to offer a secure and stable environment for everyone, no visitors are allowed.

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