Housing First Poland Foundation supports homeless who bravely decide to move into an apartment. To start the housing journey people needed to apply for housing in authority. In Poland eligibility for social housing is based on housing hardship and low income. If there are not any other circumstances, after waiting time the key is given to person. People are “on their own”, they have social rent agreement and formal they are no longer “homeless” people. People’s housing experience brings new perspectives, responsibilities, dreams, achievements and also can bring some losses. The time of live-changing experience can encourage different changes that are not always planned. We support decisions of our participants by stable presence, ready to give psychological support. People deciding to get HF help during shelter residence or rough sleeping, ready to get support by Ambivalence Program. Our work is based on Open Model in a spirit of HF values: housing, deciding, support, recovery, community, relationship. We treat housing as a right, respect participants’ decisions and do not impose our own ideas, which we only share when asked. We try to show what forms of systemic support are available in the community, e.g. health, social, housing, vocational or cultural.
In Warsaw, there is no shortage of them; formally, almost everything is available: from social assistance to housing benefits, public health services, culture and employment support. However, participants rarely make use of them. They don’t always feel they can, because they have previously experienced repeated exclusion and stigmatisation due to homelessness. We try to break this down, to help participants see that they have the same rights as others and can use the support – it is there for them.
Some barriers are very hard to break down, e.g. the attitude of support workers towards harmful substance users, e.g. alcohol addicts, and the difficulties in accessing addiction therapy, therapy or psychiatric treatment at the moment the patient would like to use it – you have to wait. These challenges are illustrated by the stories of two Programme participants – (names have been changed).
Anna has a long history of struggling with alcohol addiction. Over the years, she lost her home, her job, her health, family ties, and her sense of self-worth. Recently, however, she received a new apartment provided by the local district — a pivotal moment for her. More than just a roof over her head, it marked a symbolic new beginning: a foundation for rebuilding safety, self-worth, and direction in her life. With the support of the FNMP Foundation, Anna began to try to turn her life around. Much progress was made, but over time, her addiction increasingly stood in the way of achieving her goals and desires.
She tried to stop drinking on her own, making countless promises to herself that it was “the last time.” It wasn’t. But she never stopped trying. In conversations with an FNMP support worker, she reached a turning point: she wanted to seek professional help.
However, Anna wasn’t ready for inpatient therapy — the fear of being “locked away” and isolated for several weeks was overwhelming. She also didn’t feel able to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings — fear again prevailed, this time of speaking publicly and being surrounded by strangers.
The form of treatment Anna found acceptable was outpatient therapy. For the first time, she took a major step and contacted an addiction treatment centre. She was told the process involved a two-stage qualification: first with an addiction therapist, then with a psychiatrist. She waited one month for the first consultation, another month for the second. And then she was informed that therapy could begin in another few weeks or months.
It’s here that a systemic gap becomes painfully visible — where the motivation of individuals like Anna quietly slips away. For people with addiction, the ability to take action is often brief and fleeting — a “window of readiness to change.” When that window meets resistance from the system — complicated procedures, long waits, inflexibility — it begins to close. “If it’s this hard, maybe it’s not meant for me.” And some never return.
Access to addiction treatment in Warsaw is, comparatively speaking, better than in many parts of the country. Still, it remains insufficient. What’s missing most are low-threshold services — centres that accept individuals who are still drinking, where referrals and proof of abstinence aren’t required to start. Most current models are still based on a system of “come in person, wait, and prove you’re serious.”
And yet — despite these barriers — Anna has made several important strides. First and foremost, she acknowledged her problem and began naming it. The fact that she no longer denies her addiction is a significant milestone. Another achievement was initiating contact with a treatment facility — for someone in active addiction, this can be a seemingly insurmountable step. Though disheartened by delays, Anna didn’t give up. She is now considering attending AA meetings. She’s even contemplating inpatient treatment and has taken steps to be assessed for admission. She also registered with a health clinic to check on her physical condition.
Most importantly — she is not alone. Anna maintains regular contact with her FNMP support worker, someone she can talk to. For many individuals struggling with addiction, this one consistent relationship is the only link they have to the process of recovery.
Anna’s story highlights not only the weaknesses in the system but also the resilience of patients. Amid chaos, fear, and frustration, there are still moments of courage. The system must be prepared to respond to those moments — swiftly, flexibly, and without judgment. Because every “I want to try” might be the last one.
Piotr is a man in his early sixties, living alone in a district-supplied apartment in Warsaw. He works part-time. For a while, he had been feeling unwell — as he told his FNMP support worker, after a recent infection, he just “never bounced back.” With each visit, his condition became more concerning: he was clearly weakened, had lost weight, and was experiencing difficulty breathing and moving.
In Warsaw, access to general practitioners is relatively prompt — as long as one has health insurance. Piotr had basic coverage, which entitled him to public healthcare. The problem wasn’t access — it was his deep-seated resistance to using it. He hadn’t seen a doctor since the 1990s and had avoided medical care for decades.
In Piotr’s case, the main barrier wasn’t the system — it was his own lack of motivation and inability to make the decision to seek help. Only after many conversations and with the encouragement of his support worker did he finally agree to call an ambulance. He was taken to hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. He was urgently transferred to a specialist facility outside Warsaw and began intensive treatment.
Tuberculosis in Poland is classified as a social disease — treatment and hospitalization are free and available to all patients, regardless of insurance status. In Piotr’s case, the system worked efficiently and effectively. However, the critical factor was the presence of a support worker who helped him navigate the process and motivated him to act.
Piotr’s story illustrates how people with a history of homelessness can struggle to recognize their own health needs — and to make use of available help. In such cases, personalised support from someone who understands their situation and can respond appropriately is essential. Without it, many may never access the care they need — even when that care is readily available.
Names have been changed to protect the individuals’ anonymity.