Territorians experiencing or at risk of homelessness will soon have a smoother, culturally safe and trauma-informed way to connect with support, following Lutheran Care’s expansion into the Top End.
Lutheran Care has been awarded multi-year funding from the Northern Territory Government’s Department of Children and Families to deliver a Central Intake Service (CIS) to transform and streamline access to homelessness support across the NT, in partnership with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) and established community sector providers.
With plans to launch the service in November 2025 – pending a successful consultation period with local people with lived experience, currently under way – the CIS will provide a single-entry point for individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness seeking support.
The CIS framework is adapted from the proven ‘Access’ model, developed under South Australia’s sector-reforming Toward Home Alliance, led by Lutheran Care. The Toward Home Alliance delivers homelessness services across the Adelaide CBD, Hills and southern metro areas.
Similar to a ‘triage’ in a health context, the CIS will be a friendly and professional ‘front door’ to a structured, consistent assessment process. It is respectfully designed, so the vulnerable person will only have to tell their story once, to avoid being retraumatised, and so caseworkers, support teams and other service deliverers are all on the same page with regard to the client’s history, status, and goals. After welcoming a client into the program and listening to their story, the CIS will offer warm referrals to the most appropriate supports including housing, health, and social services.
Clients will be able to access the CIS via telephone, digital platforms and physical hubs located in Darwin, Alice Springs and Katherine, with an outreach service into Tennant Creek. Each hub will be staffed by Specialist Homelessness Workers and embedded within well-known community locations to deliver trauma-informed, and strength-based support – which focuses on the individual’s abilities, resources, and potential rather than deficits or problems.
The new service initiative addresses key outcomes outlined in the Northern Territory Homelessness Strategy 2025–2030 and arrives at a critical time as the NT continues to face the highest rate of homelessness in Australia, with 564 people per 10,000 (over 12 times the national average) experiencing homelessness or at risk of housing insecurity. A lack of affordable and appropriate housing options, combined with high mobility and entrenched systemic barriers disproportionately affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and more than half the NT’s homeless population is under 25.
The new CIS comes on the back of Lutheran Care’s more than 15 years’ experience delivering community services in the NT, and developing strong connections across Central Australia’s Barkly region, including in Alice Springs and 28 remote communities. In this time, Lutheran Care has seen firsthand the complex interplay between poverty, financial stress, housing insecurity and accessing support services. Recognising these interconnected challenges, Lutheran Care has worked closely with experienced NT homelessness providers and, over the last 18 months, has undertaken informal community consultation with stakeholders across the region. These conversations tested the viability of a central intake model and revealed broad support for a coordinated approach that aims to improve service access efficiency and collaboration across the sector.
The co-designed CIS model introduces key innovations tailored to the Territory’s unique context. These include a strong focus on Aboriginal self-determination, with roles embedded within ACCOs; evidence-based assessment tools to ensure consistent, equitable support; and a secure, purpose-built referral system delivered through SupportLink. The service is further strengthened by integrated digital tools, interpreter services, cultural consultancy and training, ensuring delivery is culturally safe, locally led, and responsive to the NT’s diverse needs and geographically unique communities.
At the heart of this service is a strategic sector-leading collaboration between Lutheran Care, Yilli Rreung Housing Aboriginal Corporation, The Salvation Army, local ACCOs and SupportLink. The model is also supported by a broad coalition of organisations, including NT Shelter, Community Housing Central Australia (CHCA), CAAPS Aboriginal Corporation, Dawn House, Anglicare NT, Mission Australia and regional councils, reflecting a strong, Territory-wide commitment to integrated service responses.
Lutheran Care’s Executive Manager Families and Community Services, Susan Richards, says, “We are proud to be partnering with experienced and trusted organisations across the Territory to drive meaningful systems change”.
“The Central Intake Service model is built on a collaborative, client-centred approach, underpinned by Housing First principles and guided by trauma-informed and strength-based frameworks,” she says.
“We recognise the unique geographical, cultural, and systemic challenges faced by communities across the NT. That’s why the Central Intake Service is being co-designed in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, sector experts, and people with lived experience, ensuring the model is grounded in local knowledge, is culturally safe, and truly responsive to community needs.
“Together, we are working toward better outcomes for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and helping to build a more connected and effective service system for the Northern Territory.”
Northern Territory Minister for Children and Families, Robyn Cahill, says: “Secure housing is the first step to breaking the cycle. This investment means fewer people on the streets and more in jobs, classrooms, and brighter futures.
“We’re backing the services that matter – on the ground, in our towns and remote communities and with organisations that know what works and that deliver real outcomes,” Ms Cahill says.
NT Shelter Chief Executive Officer, Annie Taylor, says: “In 2023-24, 1 in 25 Territorians received support from a frontline homelessness service. A centralised intake service would be a game-changer for the Northern Territory. It would make it easier for people to access the right support at the right time, no wrong door, just clear pathways to support.”
“We’ve got great services doing important work, but the missing piece is a central entry point. A centralised intake system would help deliver better outcomes across the board.”
The Salvation Army’s State Manager, Alcohol and Other Drugs & Homelessness, Northern Territory, Andrea Keke, says: “The Salvation Army is proud to partner with Lutheran Care and Yilli Rreung Housing Aboriginal Corporation to deliver a service model that reflects the complexity of homelessness in the Northern Territory.
“This collaboration builds on our longstanding commitment to walking alongside people experiencing homelessness, providing person-centred, trauma-informed support that meets people where they are at.
“Our place-based involvement in the Central Intake Service includes the Katherine Hub and the newly established Alice Springs Hub, known locally as the Waterhole. These hubs reflect our focus on strong local relationships and community-driven responses that connect people with the right supports at the right time.
“Through this partnership, we have a unique opportunity to strengthen how services are delivered across the Territory by fostering genuine collaboration, cultural humility, and local leadership. The Central Intake Service model enables greater coordination across the sector while ensuring that Aboriginal voices and lived experience remain central to how support is designed and delivered.”
Find out more and keep up to date with the latest news from the NT Central Intake Service here.
For Media enquiries contact:
Katrina Ranford, Head of Public Relations on M: 0420786782 or E: kranford@lutherancare.org.au