A BOROUGH'S public health director has given more details of how a £6.5million grant will help vulnerable people in Lancashire and reduce anti-social behaviour.

The county was awarded the cash in July from the government's Changing Futures programme aimed at helping those with homelessness, substance misuse, and mental health issues.

The programme – a partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund - helps the most vulnerable in society get the support they need by co-ordinating local services, healthcare professionals, social workers and key workers.

Lancashire - one of 15 areas to win cash from the £64m scheme - will receive £6.5m over the next three years.

Projects to receive cash include Blackburn’s Making Every Adult Matter Approach scheme.

Professor Dominic Harrison, Blackburn with Darwen Council's public health director, said: "This funding is very welcome and will allow us to make a big difference to some of our most vulnerable residents.

"Many people who are homeless or have substance misuse problems or exhibit anti-social behaviour in town centres often have multiple underlying personal challenges that result in poor life choices and chances.

"In the past public services have often responded in a piecemeal fashion to their problems.

!Often in times of mental health crises, people with multiple vulnerability just end up in Accident and Emergency departments or in trouble with the criminal justice system.

"This funding will allow us to work in a more preventive and integrated way with those vulnerable individuals , giving them sustained support over time to try to resolve the problems that underlie their sometimes challenging or antisocial behaviour.

"Any of us at some time in our lives could fall into homelessness, substance misuse and mental health problems – the answer is often ‘friends, a job and somewhere to live’ rather than a cycle of specialist crisis services offered on and off over a period of years that does not fix the core problem.”

Cllr Mustafa Desai, Blackburn with Darwen Council's adult services boss, said: "By providing specialist support in a co-ordinated and complementary way, which we have been able to trial previously, we hope to see significant improvements for those most in need.

"With this targeted approach we can help those on the margins of society reach their full potential and-build a brighter future."