Research can and should play a vital role in debates about solutions to homelessness, by educating the public, and providing solid evidence that informs policy and practice at all levels of government and in the social, health care and housing sectors. To showcase some of this research, the Canadian Homelessness Research Network held Without a Home: Research symposium on contemporary issues in Canadian homelessness on October 6th, 2011.
The Symposium brought together a range of top academics who are active and interested in homelessness research. In addition to highlighting their findings, presenters discussed the “so-whatness” or policy implications of their research.
| Cheryl Forchuk, University of Western Ontario: Service Preferences of Homeless Youth: housing first, treatment first or both together?
Download presentation slides (.PDF) Housing first has been found to produce good outcomes for homeless adults with mental illness. Housing first initiatives focus on interventions designated to move individuals to appropriate and available housing and ongoing housing supports. This is in contrast to Treatment first where the individual is not housed until psychiatrically stable. However, Housing first has not been specifically tested with youth. The current study examined three approaches to service for homeless youth, 1) housing first 2) treatment first (mental health/addiction), and 3) simultaneous attention to both housing and treatment. Youth were given the opportunity to choose which service method they preferred. |
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| Jino Distasio, University of Winnipeg: Homelessness and Mental Health: Winnipeg’s Approach to Building Capacity and Housing those in Need
Download presentation slides (.PDF) The Mental Health Commission of Canada’s research demonstration project is examining the effectiveness of a Housing First intervention in the Canadian context. This presentation provides an overview of this massive five city study with a focus on the unique aspects of the Winnipeg approach. In particular, the community partnership model is examined that has seen three community based organizations mobilize to house and support 300 persons. As well, the Winnipeg model has ben built on the strengths of the local Aboriginal Community who have strived to create capacity and change lives. |
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| Stephen Hwang, St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto: Health care utilization among people who are homeless Download presentation slides (.PDF) Most research on healthcare utilization among homeless populations has been conducted in the United States and limited data are available from countries with universal health insurance such as Canada. We measured healthcare utilization rates among homeless adults in a large Canadian urban centre and compared observed utilization rates to matched controls from the general population. |
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| Tim Aubry, University of Ottawa: Lesson Learned from the Implementation of Housing First in a Small Canadian City
Download presentation slides (.PDF) The At Home / Chez Soi project of the Mental Health Commission of Canada is a large multi-site trial of Housing First approaches in five Canadian cities (Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and Moncton) for people with severe and persistent mental illness who are homeless. The trial includes a formative evaluation of implementation of the approach at each site. The presentation will focus on the results of the formative evaluation of the Housing First approach in Moncton, New Brunswick. The Moncton site is unique because of: (1) the small size of the city (i.e., population of 130,000 in Greater Moncton), (2) the delivery of Assertive Community Treatment to people presenting with moderate and severe needs, and (3) the provision of housing and support to clients in an adjoining rural region. A series of qualitative methods were used to evaluate the implementation of the approach including focus groups with clients and staff, interviews with landlords, and interviews with program managers and other knowledgeable community stakeholders. Results emerging from the study will be examined in terms how the core aspects of Housing First have been implemented and the adaptations that have been made to the approach because of the unique features of the site. Challenges faced by the site in implementing the approach and lessons learned will be discussed. |
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Stephen Gaetz, York University: A key feature of the Canadian response to homelessness is the use of law enforcement to manage the visibility of homelessness. This research presentation will focus on the interactions that Toronto street youth have with members of the Toronto Police Service. Our analysis of interview and questionnaire data reveal that many youth who use drop-ins and emergency housing services regularly have encounters with the police. For youth who are severely marginalized, many of these encounters take place because of their public drinking and illegal substance use. Yet for other homeless youth who are not involved in crime or illegal drug use, they too are under close police surveillance and contact. The presentation will conclude with a discussion on the implications of ‘social profiling’ and the criminalizing of youth homelessness. |