Housing First approaches prove to be effective and can change lives

A three-year-long intensive multi-city study looking into the effectiveness of Housing First approaches is due to end on March 31, 2013. The federal government funded the research through its Mental Health Commission of Canada initiative. The At Home/Chez Soi project has proven—in interim results [opens to PDF]—to (1) improve the lives of those who are homeless and have a mental illness; (2) make better use of public dollars-especially for those who are high service users; (3) be able to be implemented across Canada; and (4) demonstrate that a cross ministry approach that combines health, housing, social services with non profit and private sector partners is required to solve chronic homelessness.

Participants—people who were formerly homeless but came to be housed for the duration of the At Home/Chez Soi project—were interviewed about their experiences after the first year of the initiative. Some of the themes that emerged from the research showed that participants: (1) were less preoccupied with safety and survival concerns during a typical day, or with, as some put it, “getting by”; (2) were less dominated or disrupted by illness and/or addictions; (3) used time in more purposeful and future oriented activities; (4) experienced more control over their interactions with others once they had their own place (not having to worry, for instance about “getting involved in others’ arguments” or “having someone come over with a bottle”); and (5) experienced generally positive changes in significant relationships. However, participants still faced some struggles—understandably—within the social contexts of their lives.

The three-year-long national study will end on March 31, 2013—and questions now arise about what will happen to the individuals who benefited from the Housing First approach, with its support services. Lori Culbert reports in the Vancouver Sun:

It is no doubt a bittersweet ending for the project, which aimed to prove the most difficult-to-house people in society can stabilize if they are offered a home first, and then support services such as doctors, drug treatment and counselling.

Academic researchers at Simon Fraser University and outreach workers had hoped Vancouver’s $30-million arm of the project would receive permanent funding, and that it would be expanded to help other homeless people with mental illnesses.

The Vancouver Sun, which also published two exclusive series on the At Home/Chez Soi project, reports the federal government will provide transition funding to cover one additional year of rent for participants living in 200 apartments scattered across Vancouver, and 100 rooms in the former Bosman hotel downtown. However, the federal government will no longer pay for associated support services; those will now be offered through existing programs run by Vancouver Coastal Health and the provincial government.

We speak with Trevor, a participant in the At Home/Chez Soi project from Vancouver.

466_march_21_2013_sm   Left click to listen; right click to save.

RELATED | National Film Board: Here At Home: In Search of the Real Cost of Homelessness | Mental Health Commission of Canada: Fact sheets, reports, videos about the project | Vancouver Sun: Formerly homeless study participants can remain in their Vancouver homes |

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At Home/Chez Soi Toronto participant Isaac says project has changed his life