Larrakia Intervention & Transport Service
The Larrakia Intervention and Transport Service (LITS) is an early intervention and prevention service targeting Aboriginal people who are homeless, itinerant or living in the Long Grass. LITS is mobile, providing services to clients throughout Darwin and Palmerston. LITS deploys assertive outreach and brief interventions to assist clients in accessing accommodation, transport and medical services including drug and alcohol treatment. The service works in partnership with the Northern Territory Government and Police to reduce the impact upon the community of inappropriate behaviour on Larrakia lands.
The LITS service is integrated with other Larrakia services providing assistance to the homeless and disadvantaged. Through our partnership with Save the Children, we deliver immediate and lasting improvements to children's lives.
There are three components to the LITS program:
- Specific Community Harmony related transport service
Transport services provided by LITS aim to ensure clients have transport to accommodation, other services and travel bookings within Darwin and Palmerston. The service can also assist in developing local solutions to reduce the impact of homelessness and disadvantage.
- Intensive Intervention service - Case management
Intervention services are offered in an outreach mode. LITS staff travel to clients either in the Long Grass or in crisis accommodation. Short and long term intervention is offered. A LITS case management team will assist countrymen in multiple aspects of their lives (such as health, rehabilitation, training and employment) in order to secure housing and/or improved life quality. The service builds on the momentum of brief interventions, assisting a client into transitional accommodation then on to long-term accommodation or through a range of therapeutic drug treatment services.
The team provides a high frequency of visits to assist clients to maintain desired life changes and/or security of tenure in their accommodation. Further, we support and advocate on behalf of individuals who experience systemic failure and problems with government departments or other service providers.
- Mobile Information and Referral Service
Using a proactive approach and through a mobile outreach mode of service delivery, LITS staff begin the day before sunrise with a daily circuit of known camps and Long Grass sites to maintain regular contact with clients. The wellbeing and health of clients is monitored and relationships of trust, respect and support are maintained – critical to achieving good outcomes.
The team utilises a combination of strategies including screening, advice, referral to specialist support, counselling and motivational interviewing. Clients are provided with information and referral to a range of social services including alcohol and drug counselling, detoxification and rehabilitation, income support, supported accommodation, primary health care, family support and children’s services.
