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Canadian government urged to address soldiers’ mental health

November 10th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Canadian government urged to address soldiers’ mental health)

How many youth will be living on the streets in Canada this winter?

November 10th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on How many youth will be living on the streets in Canada this winter?)

Family conflict often underlies youth homelessness, and many homeless youth are fleeing abuse or leaving the care of child welfare services

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Many different terms are used to describe young people who are homeless, including including street youth, street kids, runaways, homeless youth, etc. According to The Homeless Hub, youth homelessness refers to young people between the ages of 13 and 24 who are living independently of parents and/or caregivers, and importantly, lack many of the social supports deemed necessary for the transition from childhood to adulthood.

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Times Colonist: Proper housing can save lives

November 8th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Times Colonist: Proper housing can save lives)

When you consider the circumstances of many homeless people, it is not surprising that their lives are shorter than the median

HomelessIt’s no secret that life is hard for the homeless. Now a report indicates that life for the homeless is also short. We have made the case before, backed by many studies, that providing housing for the homeless saves taxpayers money, but we should focus first on saving lives.

A report released Thursday says the median age of death for a homeless person in B.C. is between 40 and 49 years, while the average life expectancy for the general population is 83.

The report also said that 47 per cent of the deaths of homeless persons in B.C. are accidental, while the accidental-death rate among the general population is 18 per cent.  Read the rest of this editorial at the Times Colonist…

Dying on the streets: Homeless deaths in B.C.

November 7th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Dying on the streets: Homeless deaths in B.C.)

The Globe and Mail: Hundreds of homeless die on B.C. streets, report finds (Nov. 6, 2014)

Success stories at N.S. mental health court but no plans to expand

November 5th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Success stories at N.S. mental health court but no plans to expand)

“They all believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself so that gave me the chance to be positive and to start looking forward”

mental-healthDARTMOUTH – It doesn’t look like your typical courtroom: there’s artwork on the wall and an inspirational message emblazoned above the judge’s seat. “Just because you have a past does not mean you have no future,” is spelled out in glittery letters.

The mental health court, which is based at the Dartmouth Provincial Court, aims to treat and help Nova Scotians with mental disorders who have committed criminal offences. But for Heather, a graduate of the program, it means much more.

“The people … they become your family. They become your support network,” said the 35-year-old, who didn’t want to give her last name. “They give you that second chance that you really need and to me that was a blessing – a blessing in disguise.”   Read the rest of this story at Global News…

New team set to improve response to domestic violence in Nanaimo

November 3rd, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on New team set to improve response to domestic violence in Nanaimo)

Haven Society and key team members introduced plans for a dedicated Domestic Violence Unit (DVU) in Nanaimo at the society’s annual general meeting in September

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