Stable housing critical to success of mental health treatment

A Wilfrid Laurier University professor hopes a new approach to deal with mental health and homelessness will change the way cities across the country look at tackling these issues.

Geoffrey Nelson, a professor in the university's psychology department led a four-year research project that studied the viability of using a "housing first" strategy in dealing with mental health in five Canadian cities.

• Housing first for mentally ill homeless
• Housing mentally ill homeless cheaper than alternative: study
• Hamilton shows what works in the fight against homelessness

The program offers immediate access to permanent housing for individuals who are homeless and may be dealing with mental illness.

"Having a stable home [and] a place you could call your own really provides a secure base for someone to begin to deal with mental health issues, and with one's life in general," he told The Morning Editionhost Craig Norris Wednesday.

Individuals in the program also have case management and support workers who help them secure the housing, as well aswork on some of the unique issues they may be dealing with such as mental heath and addiction.

No strings attached

Aside from access topermanent, rent-supplemented housing, there are no requirements for eligibility in order to take part in the program.

Where other programs, shelters, or transitional homes may place conditions such as sobriety or abstinence on their participants, the housing first projectdoes not.

• Guelph neighbourhood adopts homeless man who lives in Exhibition Park
• You can now 'borrow' a social worker at the Kitchener Public Library
• Working Centre builds "bunkie" shelter from shipping containers

They focus instead on things like harm reduction for people dealing with addiction. This means reducing the negative impacts alcohol or drug use might have on an individual.

Allowing the participants to have their independence puts them in a better position to be able to focus on improving themselves, Nelson said.

• Homeless find hope, refuge and community at public libraries
• From shackles to the streets: How the mentally ill are treated in Yellowknife

During the initial At Home/Chez Soi research project, 2,000 participants in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and Moncton, N.B., took part in the program over two years.

Nelson saidthe pilot was successful and about 75 per cent of participants are still being stably housed within the last six months of the project.

Preparations are now being made to roll out the program in several other communities across the country.